portable bed, copper kettles for heating water, and an electrical machine, were always kept in readiness. Thefe fmall buildings were erected in different parts of London, and chiefly in the vicinity of rivers and other waters, where fuch accidents were moft likely to happen." P. 7.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES RELATIVE TO THE RESUSCITATION OF PERSONS

APPARENTLY DROWNED.

"RESUSCITATION is accomplished, by exciting fuppreffed vitality; or by removing the obftacles which prevented the latent vital power from, exerting its influence on the fyftem. Our fuccefs frequently depends upon a proper notion of vitality and its modifications; namely, irritability and fufceptibility of irritation. During this procefs we ought anxiously to attend to the fymptoms of returning animation, and proceed as circumftances may require. We accordingly promote

"1. The fufceptibility of irritation, which is reproduced by removing the different obftacles. Thus we take the drowned out of the water, undrefs and dry them, cleanse their mouths from froth and filth, and place them in a proper pofition;-we cut the cord of thofe fufpended, &c.

"2. The application of a proper method. The inanimate body thould be placed in a temperature, where the latent vital power may again become active, or fufceptible of irritation. Hence, life will often return without the application of any other ftimulus. A gradual tranfition from apparent death to perfect life, is not to be effected by precipitately reforting to extremes, but by gently cherishing the vital power. Effectual affiftance can be afforded only by flow degrees and an incefiant attention to the figns of returning animation. Nothing is, therefore, more pernicious than a sudden tranfition to air of a different temperature. A perfon benumbed by cold, would inevitably expire, if immediately brought near a fire.

"To reftore the fufceptibility of imitation, nothing more is required than to affift its gradual evolution, Hence, the good effects refulting from reft, and a cautious moderate proceeding, are obvious; nay, fuch ineafures

are neceffary for reviving the spirits, and reftoring the ftrength of the fubject.

Generally fpeaking, the want of fuccefs in many attempts to effect reanimation, must be attributed to a hafty and officious affiftance. No time is left to Nature for her own exertions. All, it is imagined, muft be effected by a violent compulfory treatment. The operators often forget, that they are treating an organized body; and that all the fuccefs they can expect from their applications, principally depends upon vital action, which, by violent treatment, is too often deprived of all its energy. During the whole of the procefs, perfons apparently dead, fhould be regarded as if dangerously wounded.

"It frequently happens that the first treatment of the apparently dead, renders the fucceeding applications totally ineffectual. A perfon drowned, is either dragged out of the water by the legs, or dangerously lacerated by hooks employed on fuch occafions. Another, who has fuffered by cold, is generally rubbed in a violent manner; and there have been inftances of the jaw-bones of the unhappy fufferer being fractured by this treatment.

"The firft treatment, in cafes of fufpended animation, fhould be directed to excite a fufceptibility of ftimuli; and next, for reftoring fufceptibility itfelf. The firft part of the treatment is negative; the fecond pofitive, inafa much as real means of refufcitation are employed, namely, thofe of air and warmth: their temperature ought to correfpond exactly with that of the body. The perfon who has fuffered by intenfe cold, is treated in the open air, or in a cold room; the drowned fhould be removed to a room which is moderately warm, placed in a tepid bath, &c. For thofe who have fuffered by cold, the fnow bath, or ice-cold water, conftitutes the first degree of warmth.

"Before any fufceptibility of irritation be manifeft, no ftimulants ought to be administered; for they would be inefficacious, because the body is not fufceptible of them; nay, they would injure it, by forcibly propelling the blood to the heart, and thus deftroying its irritability. Hence the detrimental confequences of violent friction, in the

3 Ma

beginning

"Stimuli can only be applied when there remains a fufceptibility of irritation. Symptoms of this, as well as the first indications of iritability, require the utmoft attention; and as the former may clen exift without manifefting itself by perceptible figns, our utmoft endeavours to excite it, will in all cafes Le abfolutely neceflary. Many a perfon apparently dead by drowning, cold, or fuffocation, has been refiored to life without medical affiftarce, only by being expofed to a moderate warmth, and left to Nature alone. I am convinced, that in a high degree of afphysia, fuch a proceeding would not be fufficient, but in thote cafus refufcitation may, perhaps, be effected by the art of the phyfician, and a cautious application of ftimuli.

The manifeft criteria of fufceptibility determine the degree and nature of thefe fimuli, by which returning vital action must be fupported. There arc, however, cafes, in which, though fufceptibility may really exift, no traces of it are perceptible; if, therefore, exciting means be tried for fome time, if the drowned be moderately warmed, and ftill no figns of this fufceptibility, fuch as warmth, contraction of the heart, &c. appear, yet the judicious application of ftimulating means fhould not be neglected.

"But, from the preceding obfervations, it ought not to be inferred, that the method of exciting fufceptibility fhould always firft be applied for a certain length of time, and ftimulants afterwards administered, without continuing the former procefs. Such a proceeding would be erroneous, inafmuch as the method of exciting and fupporting the fufceptibility, for inftance, the warming of the body, fhould be continued without intermiffion; while at the fame time ftimulants must be adminiftered as circumftances may require. By this judicious application of ftimuli, they will be of double advantage; by both exciting and promoting the fufceptibility of irritation. "Advantages fo effential, fhould induce us to be particularly careful in the choice and application of ftimulants, and not to adminifter fuch as

are too powerful, which would indeed excite irritability in a violent degree, but at the fame time fupprefs the fufceptibility of irritation. Thus powerful electrical fhocks through the heart, excite violent motions of that organ; but as this ftimulant is deftructive of the feeble irritability remaining in the fyftem, the pulfations will foon cease, nor can they again be excited. Hence, during the application of ftimulents, great attention ought to be paid to the different degrees of irritability; and it is alfo deferving attention, that in the beginning of the procefs, when the fufceptibility of irritation is but flight, violent ftimulants are pernicious, as they tend to fupprefs the latent sparks of life.

"The different degrees of fufceptibility of irritation, are equal to the ability of bearing the application of ftimulants. Hence, when the fufceptibility of irritation is feeble, gentle ftimulants only must be adminiftered. Such ftimuli, therefore, ought to be gradually applied; and when the first degree of fulceptibility is excited by the operation of thofe of a milder nature, the more powerful may then be adminiftered.

"The conftitution of the indivi dual apparently dead is, however, a point which deferves great confideration; as irritable, weak, and frong habits, and fuch as are vigorous, but infenfible of ftimuli, require very different modes of treatment. The latter can be affected only by the ftronger ftimulants. Attention is alfo to be paid to the age of the fubje&t, whether it be a child, a vigorous youth, a man, or a perfon advanced in years.

"As this idea of the fufceptibility of irritation can only be relative, it would be fruitlefs to establish rules, fuitable to every cafe. Thefe must therefore be determined by the judgment of the phyfician; a talent which neither Hippocrates nor Galen could ever impart by their writings." P. 54.

A CURIOUS FACT RESPECTING THE RECOVERY OF A DROWNED PERSON.

"IN Dr. Baldinger's Medical Mazazine, vol. iii. No. 3, is contained the following curious anecdote: A ftudent of a certain univerfity being drowned, an unfuccessful fearch was made for the body. A man who was paffing by,

advifed his young friends to procure a large loaf; to fcoop out part of the crumb, and fill the cavity with quickfilver; he then directed them to throw this quickfilver pye, upon the current, and averred, that it would be stationary at the place where the drowned was lying. They followed his advice, and actually found the body." P. 64.

LIGHTNING.

"A MAN who ftood in a kitchen, near an unfinished chimney, was ftruck by lightning, and confidered as dead. The body had no vifible marks of injury, except a few red ftreaks on the breaft and right arm. Two minutes after the accident happened, he was carried into the open air. The pulfe was ftrong and irregular: the whole body, except the face, was immediately covered with a layer of earth, fix inches thick, and cold water poured upon the face. In eight minutes, he began to move his fhoulders and tongue; and, in twelve minutes, he was fo far reftored, as to be able to articulate fome incoherent words. He was then removed from the earth-bath, put to bed, and rubbed with vinegar. A mixture of vinegar and water was likewife poured down his throat. An hour and a half after the accident, he had entirely recovered the ute of his fenfes, but complained of exceffive thirst, and a painful burning fenfation in his right arin, and the fingers of both hands. The following night, he could not fleep, on account of intenfe pain: he rofe the next morning; but, for many nights afterwards, he did not enjoy a. quiet repofe; and even after the expiration of half a year, the fenfation of pain had not entirely forfaken him.

"In this cafe, the application of the earth-bath is the most remarkable remedy: it is, however, to be obferved, that the use of this excitement of refufcitation, like all others, ought to be con tinued several hours, till figns of returning life appear. I know an inftance of a phyfician, who, having accidentally heard of the earth-bath, applied it, but only for a few minutes. Though, in this cafe, refufcitation was not effe&ted,

yet, during the application, fome warmth was perceptible in the subject.

"The fame phenomena which are produced by violent electric fhocks, are obfervable in perfons who have fuffered by lightning, namely, fhivering and heat of the extremities, anxiety, afthmatic complaints, and extreme fenfibility of the electric atmosphere, on the approach of a thunder-storm. A man who had received a violent shock from an electric battery, afterwards fuffered by a fimilar fenfation, loft his appetite and fleep for a long time, and was feized with giddinefs and ftupor. From experiments made with animals, electricity was analogically inferred to be a very powerful refufcitative, in cafes of accidents by lightning. Animals were apparently killed by electricity, and afterwards reftored to life, by a fecond fhock through the head and heart."P. 143.

LXXIX. Comparative Statement of the Food produced from arable and grofs Land, and the Returns arifing from each; with Obfervations on the late Enclofures, and the probable Effects of a general Act for encloning Commons and Waftes, Heaths, &c.; together with other Matters. Addrefied to John Fane, Etq. M. P. By the Rev. LUKE HESLOP, Archdeacon of Bucks, Author of "Obfervations on the Afiize of Bread," &c. 4to. pp.18. Reynolds.

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EXTRACTS.

"IN the Report of the Committee *, printed the 27th April 1797, it is ftated--- that for nineteen years, ending in 1765, Great Britain gained by its corn at the rate of 651,000l. per annum; whereas the balance on 'the importation for twenty years, ending the 25th March 1797 (on an average of thefe years), is moderately ftated at 600,000l. per annum, making a deficiency (or lofs) in the balance of the agricultural production of the country at the rate of 1,251,000l. per

< annum:

produced this effect; and as this is in direct oppofition to the conclufion drawn in the Report, it may be pru dent at least to paufe-and confider, Whether a general act of enclofure would realize the present expectations of the fanguine, and produce the effect here stated*, viz. that even in years ' of scarcity there would be a fufficient 'quantity of grain for the confumption of the country, and in favourable ⚫ seasons there would be a confiderable 'furplus--which, exported to other 'nations, would add to our commerce and our wealth;'-And if, upon full investigation, or upon the more certain evidence of the returns which government, with great wisdom, has required to be made, it should appear, that the produce of grain has not been increafed by the numerous enclosures, but decreafed it may then be prudent to confider,-Whether the land remaining to be enclosed is under different circumftances as to fituation, foil, &c.

from that which has already been enclofed?-And here, perhaps, fome difference may be found.--For large tracts of land may be of a quality inferior, on the average, to the lands hitherto enclofed, and lefs favourable to grafs. They may in general be fituated at greater diftances from cities and populous towns, where the produce arifing from grafs, as hay, butter, &c. is particularly warted, and which cannot be brought with advantage from distant places. The foil, alfo, of a confiderable part, may be light, and lefs capable of producing natural grafs, and therefore must be cultivated in a courfe of hufbandry, including artificial graffes, &c. But the crops of grain on fuch lands would alfo be light, and probably not aufwer the prefent expenses of tillage. And it must also be remembered, that the crops of bread corn would return only every fifth or fixth year, or perhaps at a diftance ftill greater."

P. II.