_Application of Galvanism in cases of asphyxia and drowning._
I mentioned in the second part of this work the great influence which
Galvanism has in cases of asphyxia, and the preference which ought to
be given to it in comparison of other stimulants. Though the
observations offered in that part are sufficient to prove my
proposition, I shall add to them the following experiments:
EXPERIMENT I.
Some dogs and cats were immersed in a large pond till they gave no
external signs of respiration, or of muscular motion; and Galvanism
being immediately administered to them, according to the methods
already described, they were sometimes restored to life. I make use of
the term ‘sometimes,’ because, if animals are immersed in water for a
longer period than their organization can bear, and if the vital
powers are really destroyed, it is evident that it will be impossible
to restore them to life by any physical process whatever. I obtained
the same results from to animals thrown into a state of asphyxia in
different ways.
EXPERIMENT II.
Having applied Galvanism to the trunk of a dog, in the _Hôpital de la
Charité_ at Paris, air seemed to escape from the tracheal artery on
every application of the arc. Being requested to repeat and confirm
this interesting experiment, I found myself under the necessity of
sacrificing a new victim to my Galvanic researches. As it was
necessary to examine the phænomenon while the body was in that state
of vitality most proper for the observation, I exposed the trunk of
another dog recently killed to the Galvanic action; and having placed
a taper near to the tracheal artery, it was extinguished twice in
succession by two applications of Galvanism. By repeating this
experiment, in Mr. Wilson’s anatomical theatre, Great Windmill-street,
and in the theatres of Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospital, London, I
found that the taper could be extinguished a greater number of times.
These experiments give me sufficient reason to hope that Galvanism may
be administered with some advantage in cases of drowning. But as I
never had an opportunity of trying the effects of this stimulant in
such cases, I have requested several medical practitioners to pay
attention to this application of Galvanism, which may be of the utmost
importance to the cause of humanity. I have already mentioned that the
method which I propose is exceedingly simple; that no anatomical
operation whatever is required; that it is attended with no danger;
and that the possibility of saving the life is in every case
respected. Nothing is necessary but to immerse in salt water one of
the hands of the person subjected to the operation, and then to apply
the Galvanic current to one of the ears and to the surface of the salt
water.
Dr. Lettsom, a very zealous member of the Humane Society, having been
present at some of my experiments, I requested that he would recommend
the application of Galvanism in cases of drowning. He assured me that
he would use his endeavours to cause my method to be tried, and I had
several conferences with him on the subject, that I might communicate
to him such information as might tend to facilitate the application of
it. As the Galvanism in such cases ought to be administered with great
promptitude, we agreed that the apparatus of the trough is preferable
to that of the pile; and we contrived the plan of a portable box to
contain a trough, two arcs, and a solution of common salt. Such an
apparatus will be exceedingly convenient, and may easily be employed
in all cases of drowning and of asphyxia.