Hints for improving the art of restoring suspended animation, also for administering dephlogisticated air in certain diseases, and particularly in the present epidemic, termed influenza, proposed (in a letter to Dr. Hawes) / by A. Fothergill.

  • Fothergill, A.
Date:
1782
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hints for improving the art of restoring suspended animation, also for administering dephlogisticated air in certain diseases, and particularly in the present epidemic, termed influenza, proposed (in a letter to Dr. Hawes) / by A. Fothergill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Scarce a year paffes that does not fupply fome inftance of refufcitation, which, be- fore the commencement of thefe inflituti- ons, would have been confidered as totally impracticable. In fuch apparently defpe- rate fituations, fuppofe but one in twenty i . reftored, what considerate perfon would think the undertaking unnecessary, were himfelf, or his bofom friend that one ? I have long concurred with you. Sir, in ear- neftly hoping that a certain criterion be- tween pofitive and apparent death, befides that of putrefaction, may be foon difcovered. For want of this, the benevolent efforts of thefaculty havefometimes been unneceffarily prolonged, and unjuft!y ridiculed, under the imputation of attempting impoffibijities. The popular idea, that life quits the body, in an aerial form, at the inftant refpiration ceafes, has introduced dangerous errors. And it is painful to reAcCt, that the mere fern-