812. Stroke of Lightning.—Throw cold water upon them as soon as possible. It will often restore persons struck by lightning when apparently insensible, or even dead.
813. A few Concise Rules for the Recovery of Persons apparently Drowned.—The body on being taken out of the water, should be conveyed to the nearest house, in the gentlest manner possible; the wet clothes must be removed, and the body well dried with a towel; it must then be placed on a mattress, laid on a table of proper height and length. Care must always be taken to lay the head considerably higher than the extremities, and to place the body on the right side. The lungs should be inflated with a pair of bellows, not forcibly, but gradually, so as to imitate the action of respiration.
Do not place the body in a high degree of heat; (below 98 degrees of Fahrenheit's scale is the best temperature,) clear the apartment of all supernumerary persons, and let the windows and doors be open, to admit a free circulation of air.
Apply friction, after the lungs have been expanded, with the hand only, or with a little oil on the fingers.
No injections are necessary, nor emetics, except in particular cases: bleeding is also a doubtful remedy: electricity, in judicious hands, may prove highly beneficial.
Let no rolling of the body be used with a view of emptying it of water; there is no water present, or scarcely any. The heart being overloaded with blood, may be burst by this injudicious proceeding, and more mischief has been done by tossing and rolling the body, than by any other erroneous treatment. Hot water, in bottles, may be applied to the feet and ankles, as soon as respiration commences: when the blood begins to circulate, heat may be gradually increased, and the patient removed to a warm bed, where he must be carefully watched till the action of the heart be completely restored.
The following way is commended by those who have seen it tried: 1. Lose no time. 2. Handle the body gently. 3. Carry the body with the head gently raised, and never hold it up by the feet. 4. Send for medical assistance immediately, and in the mean time act as follows: 1. Strip the body, rub it dry; then rub it in hot blankets, and place it in a warm bed in a warm room. 2. Cleanse away the froth and mucus from the nose and mouth. 3. Apply warm bricks, bottles, bags of sand, &c., to the arm-pits, between the thighs and the soles of the feet. 4. Rub the surface of the body with the hands enclosed in warm dry worsted socks. 5. If possible, put the body into a warm bath. 6. To restore breathing, put the pipe of a common bellows in one nostril, carefully closing the other and the mouth; at the same time drawing downward, and pushing gently backward, the upper part of the windpipe, to allow a more free admission of air; blow the bellows gently, in order to inflate the lungs, till the breast be raised a little; then set the mouth and nostrils free, and press gently on the chest; repeat this until signs of life appear. When the patient revives, apply smelling-salts to the nose, give warm wine or brandy and water. Cautions.—1. Never rub the body with salt or spirits. 2. Never roll the body on casks. 3. Continue the remedies for twelve hours without ceasing.