ARTIFICAL RESPIRATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 9

ARTIFICAL RESPIRATION.

0 A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION. It is not perhaps generally known that a person suffering from a bad shock of electricity suffers a cessation of the hearf s action similar to that experienced by the partially drowned, and the methods practiced to artificially restore respiration are the same. That tiiis has not been done on occasions is.attributable to ignorance, and from what has been accomplished in.this direction it has been established that many persons have. succumbed through such methods not being at once tried. There have been cases innumerable where the artificial method—the Sylvester, systempractised for an hour, and in some cases for two' hours, has resulted in the restoration of life.in the apparently inanimate, a feat which has been the result of a great physical effort on the part of those engaged in the work. To simplify this workoften a matter of impossibility where only one other person happens to ba on the spot —Dr. K. A. Fries, of Stockholm, has invented an artificial respiration' apparatus, which he calls "the synchroh," one of which has been imported by the Electrical Department of tho "City Council, and is to be Kept in the lighting power-house in case of accident.. - "Tho invention," states the "Electrical Engineer," "is so wonderfully simple that it is no exaggeration to state.that a lad can operate it. The apparatus" consists of a wooden shield, with head-piece, attached to which is a light steel frame with crossbar adjustable by automatic clamps for any length of arm.. A canvas girdle or band for compressing the chest is provided with eyelets for'regulating to any desired size. To bring it into operation it is only necessary to lay it on a table or floor and extend the frame. Tho patient is then placed on the shield, the wooden pillow automatically bringing the head and throat to the proper angle. The band or girdle is then placed on the lower part of the chest and adjusted by means of a hook and cord. The patient's wrists are then loosely strapped to the cross-bar at such a distance as not unduly to stretch the arms, and the hinged frame is then brought up almost at a right angle to tho body of the patient. The whole of these operations can..lie easily and simply accomplished in 10 seconds. Two seconds moTe are occupied in adjusting the cords or chains to the proper tension, and the frame is then moved upwards and downwards and thus accomplishes automatically its life-saving work. J3ach upward movement of the frame compresses the chest and creates a vacuum; each downward movement draws breath into the lungs, and thus gradually restores animation." Several correspondents wrote to the "Electrical Engineer" to say that there was no risk of shock at their stations inasmuch as they only handled low pressures. These.in three specific instances were mentioned as 220 volts, 210 volts, and 400 volts. In Mr. Robert Nelson's report on electrical accidents in mines.' during last.year, numerous cases of fatal accidents are recorded in connection with low-pres-sure systems. Mr. C. A. Copeland, writing in tho San Francisco "Journal of Electricity, Power and Gas," cites a case of severe shock (not fatal) at a pressure of only 27 volts; and another where a fatal shock was sustained.at a. pressure of 110 volts'. Two ' cases of fatal shock were recorded in England in December last, the pressures being respectively 110 and 220 volts. On January 8 of. tho ourrent year a coachfitter in the employ of the London County Council', a young man named Killick, received a fatal shock at Greenwich from a pressure of 200 volts.' Mr. George Laughlin, of the Electrical Department, gave a Dominion reporter a practical demonstration of the apparatus at.woTk yesterday, .and as far as one could judge it serves most admirably. to. do its work. The .apparatus has been shown to the local committee of the St.-. John Ambulanoe Association, the members of which are high in their praise. The association will probably give a public demonstration later on. I , , In viow-of its value, together Trith the fact that the surfing season is upon us, Mr. Laughlin suggests that it might be of benefit to bathers if the apparatus imported 'by the Department was secured : for Lyall Bay, in which case the Department could import another "synchron." It can be applied either to .the Sylvester or Schaefef method of restoring respiration.