A discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 9th June, 1795 / By John Brooks, A.A. & M.M.S.

  • Brooks, John, 1752-1825.
Date:
1795
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 9th June, 1795 / By John Brooks, A.A. & M.M.S. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/38 (page 17)
    / i7 III, To the Massachusetts Humane Society, Gentlemen, ]P£RMIT me to lay before you the following relation of an unfuc* cefsful attempt to recover a drowned perfon ; together with fom® remarks on the circumflances of the unhappy accident.—^The perfon was a young man belonging to this town, aged % I, He was drowned at Sutler’s ferry, June 2lit, 1794. He had been fomewhat unwell the day before his death ; and in the morning immediately proceeding it> befide other fymptomsof indifpo- fition, he complained of a pain in his fide. By his own choice he was allowed to tend the ferry, which the gentleman owned wish whom he lived, inftead of going to labour in the held. He had croffed the river feverai times in the courfe of the forenoon, and was returning with a couple of female paflengers, who perceived his countenance to alter confiderably by the way : they had nearly reached the (bore, when one of the ladies obferved a particular wildnefs in the look of his eyes, and fome inconfiftency of conduit; and foon after, he jumped (as it was faid) with his oar, from the boat into the water. Inftead of alternately fink¬ ing and rifing in the ufual manner, he continued floating with his head above the water for the fpace of two or three minutes, or longer, and then funk to the bottom. It is faid by his parents and perfons with whom he lived, that he had been fubjedt to fainting fits 5 and I think it very probable he was going into one of thefe,or fome one worfe, when he jumped from the boat : I conclude fo from his having been unwell; from the fudden alteration of his countenance ; from his jumping over¬ board, which he certainly would not have done had he had his fenfes at that time; and more efpecially, from his continuing above the water, after he had jumped in, inftead of finking : He could not have continued above the water, in the manner he did, had not the fit that was coming on put a flop to his breathing, for he was no fwimmer. It is faid h$ continued under water about ten minutes, ^ and perhaps it was nearly as long again before any thing could be done for his recovery :• Bu| C A proper