An old method of artificial resuscitation: photo #1

The first coordinated efforts to save the lives of people who were the victims of accidents was during the 18th century.  Back then cardiac failure was a known disease, although it was not believed to have caused very many deaths.  The was probably because people didn't live long enough back then to develop heart disease.

The most common cause of death back then was near drownings.  The most common cause of sudden death was drowning.  Random efforts by people proved that people who were "apparently dead" could be brought back to life.  But how to do it was a matter of trial and error.  This picture depicts one of the earliest methods of artificial resuscitation. The term used back then was reanimation attempt.

This picture depicts one of the methods used to reanimate those who were in "suspended animation."  It seemed logical to people back then, because it was believed that stimulants could stimulate the mind, thus causing the person to breathe.  Since tobacco was believed to be a powerful stimulant, it was believed that if it was blown in a person's face, or up the rectum, that it would help stimulate breathing.

So while this method seems illogical to us, it was totally logical to them.  However, it must be known that the efforts to do this were rejected by 1800 by most rescue societies such as the Royal Humane Society.

I don't mean to be goofy here, but I was showing this picture and explaining it to a fellow worker of mine, when she said, "I bet that's where they came up with the phrase 'It's like blowing smoke up your ass."  It a way she as right, because it was ultimately learned this method was, well, quite useless.

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