Plan and reports of the Society, etc.

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

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Plan and reports of the Society, etc. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/46 (page 20)
    [ 2® ] Harrington, near the Blue Pojls at Poplar, went Into the Thames, near the Horfe-ferry at Limehoufe, to bathe. The tide making down, and the river fud- denly deepening at that place, he foon got out of his depth, and was in the greateft danger of being drownedj hi was a confiderable time in the water* ftruggling and driving down with the tide, until being quite fpent, infenfible, and finking, he was fortunately taken into a boat by Ifaac and Corne¬ lius Eftridge. He was actually below the furface of the water, and they could juft reach to catch hold of fome part of the body, and in all probability he would have been totalis loft in two minutes more, as it was in the middle of the river. He was with¬ out fenfe, or any perceptible refpiration, when taken up. They brought him on fhore, and began to fhake him pretty fmartly, with his head rather downwards, as they fuppofed he had taken in a confiderable quantity of water : however, by this agitation he came to his fenfes; he was taken into the Three Crowns at the Ferryy and put to bed between blankets. In this fituation I found him when I firft came, (fays Mr. Patteny of Radclijfe-crofsy the Me¬ dical Afiiftant who fuperintended the cure). As he was then fenfible, and the pulfation at the wrift plainly to be diftinguilhed, I directed him to be well rubbed with a piece of hot flannel, and fome warm brandy and water to be given him. After which he lay two hours, and went home perfedtly well.— Mr. Patten alfo obferves, that the encouragement and rewards which the Society give to people aflift- ing in fuch cafes, will be the means not only of re¬ covering many thaaght to be dead, but will make people more diligent in giving their afliftance, before they are fo far gone as to render the recovery doubt¬ ful—an inftance of which was to be feen in the be¬ fore *