The plan of an institution for affording immediate relief to persons apparently dead, from drowning. And also for diffusing a general knowledge of the manner of treating persons in a similar critical state, from various other causes.

  • Royal Humane Society (London, England)
Date:
1774
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The plan of an institution for affording immediate relief to persons apparently dead, from drowning. And also for diffusing a general knowledge of the manner of treating persons in a similar critical state, from various other causes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    totally impofilble. But the majority were In more favourable circumftances, and feveral of them might, in all probability, have been reftored by a fpeedy and judicious treatment. Were but one in ten reftored, what man would think the defigns of this fociety unimportant, was himielf, his relation. Or his friend-that one ? But farther. The public in general will be in- ftrubted in what manner to proceed, in thefe and ether cafes of apparent deaths, wherever they may happen ; and they will be excited to exert their utmoft endeavours, when they are allured upon the heft authority, that of repeated and inconteftible facts, that perfons have been recovered, after there was not one fign of life remaining, and after the means have been employed for upwards of an hour, without any viable fuccefs. It is not to be imagined that they will any longer fatisfy their own minds, with the fame fuperficial attention they would be¬ llow upon a favourite animal in the like circum¬ ftances. There is every reafon to hope, that a general fpirit of trying thefe falutary experiments, with vigour and perfeverance, will be diffufed over the whole kingdom; productive of the mod happy confequences to multitudes. May we not expeft alfo, that other parts of the nation will imitate the example fet them in this metropolis, and form fimilar inftitutions, to avert the evils to which the inhabitants may be peculiarly liable, by their fituation or employ ? How benefi¬ cial they might prove in fea ports, in any large town by the fide of a river, and particularly in countries abounding with mines, where numbers have been, in an inftant, fuftbeated by fudden damps *, we mu ft leave to the confideration of the powerful and opulent in thefe refpeflive counties, B It