Anaesthesia
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Historical Article
Some eighteenth century authorities on the resuscitation of the apparently drowned.
Attempts to resuscitate the apparently drowned began seriously in the eighteenth century. The theories and methods of resuscitation used or advocated by some of the early European workers have been reviewed. Many of these, including artificial ventilation, chest compression, endotracheal intubation and electrical stimulation of the heart seem to have been forgotten during the nineteenth century and not used again until recent times.
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The ever increasing participation in aquatic recreational activities is a major factor in the increasing number of deaths due to accidental immersion. Some of these deaths occur while undergoing resuscitative efforts immediately following rescue, on admission to hospital, or even up to 19 days after the immersion incident. Drowning, either acute or its delayed effects, is chiefly responsible for these deaths, but in a number, hypothermia occurring alone or complicating drowning, is the likely explanation. This paper examines the problem and proposes a regime of management.