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HUMANE SOCIETY. FOR THE RECOVERY OF PERSONS apparently dead by DROWNING, Instituted in the Year 1774, HUMANE SOCIETY. PATRON TJie KING’S Moft Excellent MAJESTY. PRESIDENT, The R. Hon. the EARL of STAMFORD. VICE-PRESIDEENTS, The Rt. Ho N. Loro Beauchamp, M. P. The Rt« Hon. Lord Willoughby de Broke. The Ho N. Philip Puesy,. Sir Joseph Andrews, Bart. Mr. Alderman Sawbridge, M. P. J. Ha WKiNs Browne, Efq. M. P. Mr. Alderman Skinner, J. C. Lettsom, M. D.—F. R. S. and S. A. Edward Bridgen, Efq. F. R.. S. and S. A» Gustavus a. Kempenfelt, Efq. TREASURER, Dr. Letts o m. REGISTER, Dr. Hawes. Every benevolent perfon who applies for the mode of treatment for the recovery of the drowned, &c. it is to be hoped will be animated in the humane and patriotic caufe of reftoring life, as the happinefs of a fond parent may depend upon the refufcitation of a beloved child, and the fupport of a numerous family upon... the rejloration of an induBrious father. RULES AND ORDERS O F T H E HUMANE SOCIETY, A DESIRE TO PROTRACT THE PERIOD OF OUR EXISTENCE IS SO PREVALENT THAT WE DREAD THE APPROACH OF DISSOLUTION MORE THAN THE SEVERESTPANGS THAT CAN AFFLICT ©UR NATURE—AS THIS PROPENSITY IS BOTH NATURAL AND LAUDABLE, AN INSTITUTION, THAT TENDS TO PRESERVE THE LIVES OF MANKIND, MAY JUSTLY CLAIM THE SUPPORT OF A GENEROUS AND BENEVOLENT NATION. f 7 HE HUMANE SOCIETY was in- ftltuted in the year 1774, for the re¬ covery of perfons apparently drowned, and has, in the courfe of thirteen years, been the means of preferving and reftoring the lives of eight hundred and ninety-feven perfons^. who otherwife would, in all human pro* feability, have been loll to the community A 2 To C 4 ] To thofe who know of how much corr- fequence to a State are the lives of its fubje^ts, and that there are none who de- ferve its attention more than the induflrious and laborious part of the people, it will be unnecelTary to expatiate on the importance of an inftitution, which is peculiarly directed to their prefervation. It is not, however, to the lower clafs alone that its benevolent views are confined ; its aim is to extend affifliance to every cafe of fufpenjion of the vital powers, and to reftore to their friends and country, not the poor only, but thofe of every rank and defcrip- tion. The philanthropifi, therefore, mull na¬ turally wifii, that the influence of this So¬ ciety, which is now confined within a very narrow circle, were extended over thewhole kingdom ; but this defireable purpofe can¬ not be accomplifhed till the Society is en¬ abled to extend its rewards, lo as to ftimu- late thofe, from motives of interefl:, who would not have been a£l:uated by humanity, to exert themfelves in preferving the lives of their fellow creatures. The Humane Society have been produc¬ tive of great public utility, by pointing out the poffibility of refloring to life numbers in circumftances, which, in former ages, through incredulity, culpable inadlivity, or in^^ judicious treatment, were rendered fatal; and [ ! 5 6y exciting earneftnefs and expedition in af- fifting perfons in danger of drowning, in confeqnence of which very rrtany lives are annually preferved.—This inftitution alfo, by inclining the attention of ingenious men to a fubjedt of fuch importance, muft contri¬ bute not a little to the improvement of me¬ dical fcience , It is now beyond a doubt that many, who, apparently dead, have re¬ mained unaliifted till they were really fo, might have been refufcitated, had we been better acquainted with the certam and uncertain jigns of deaths the caujes zuhich may fufpend life^ without deftroying ity and the moft probable and powerful means of refo lnganimatiGn* If there be - in human nature any fuch thing as fympathy in the dhlrefles of others ; if there be a defire to relieve them ; if there be a pleafure in fo doing fuperior to all the gratifications of fenfe and palhon ; and if this pleafure, fo far from bringing fatiety along with It, increafes upon enjoy¬ ment, and will always bearthereview ; furely, to thofe who confder how many opportuni¬ ties of removing the mifery, and contribut¬ ing to the happinefs, of mankind, are afforded by THE Humane Society, it wdil be needlefs to urge any argument in proof of its excellence. Let everv parent or child, HUSBAND or WIFE, let every one who has experienced the I'enfations of aff'ection or f'^ienetflop^ only confider for a moment, and fay, what would be their tranfport, ta- recover from the jaws of death thofe whorm See p» 7-. A 3 they [ 6 ] they confidered as loft for ever. They know the extafies they themfelves would fee!, and they furely would wifh to make others par¬ take in fuch exquiftte enjoyments. The R.ejlorations^ within the lajl Year were as follow. Perfons rejiored to Life 49 Lives preferved, 55 Urfuccefful cafes^ 167 The number of lives reflored and prejerved in the laft year, conftderably exceeds that of any preceding one, fince the eftablifhment of this Inftitution. Mr. Wells, in a letter to Dr. Hawes,,. obferves as follows —“ To you the pub- lie are greatly indebted for the eda- blilhment of the Humane Society ; “ and I have now the pleafure to write, “ that cur Society extends its benefits and “ premiums through the counties of Wor~ cefter^ Gloucefter^ and Shropjhire ; which has in a few months been produdllve of SIX PERSONS BEING RESTORED ALIVE, to their friends and the community.” *Ihe truly benevolent, philanthropic, and im* mortal Jonas Hanv/ay countenanced the Humane Society for feveral years ; and, in one of his publications, obferves—“ If in “ fifty families the plan of refufeiiation faved “ but a fingle life to the community, the “ nation would be a gainer in a pecuniary view, and ftili more in point of reputa- tion, and the cultivation of humanity.” The [ 7 j The DIRECTORS of this INSTITtT- TION earneftly recommend the nfe of the following plain Methods of Treatment, for the RECOVERY OF THE DROWNED, OR OTHERWISE SUFFOCATED; as, in confequence of early unremitted per- feverance therein, feveral hundred perfons have been refcued from the watery grave, and reftored to life, their families, and the community*- I. AS foon as the objeft is got out of the water, the wet cloaths, if the perfon is not naked at the time of the accident, fhould be taken off with all poffble expedition, on the fpot, (unlefs fome convenient houfe be very near) and a great-coat or two of the bye-ftaiiders ihould be wrapped round the body* If. The unfortunate perfon is to be thus carefully conveyed in the arms of three or four men ; or on a bier, to the neareji pub¬ lic or other houfe, where a good fire, if in the winter feafon, and a warm bed, can be made ready for its reception. As the body is conveying to this place, great attention is to be paid to the pofition of the bead j 7 [ 8 J Read; it muf}ht kept fupported in a natural’ and eafy pofture, and not luffered to hang down. III. In cold or moill weather, the body is to be laid on a inattrals or bed before the fire, but not too near, or in a moderately heated room : in warm and fultry weather, ©n a bed only. The body is then to be furrounded as expeditioully as pollible with a blanket, and thoroughly dried with warm coarfe cloths or flannels. IV. In warm or fultry W'Cather too much air cannot be admitted. For this leafon it will be neceflary to fet open the windows and doors, as cool refrefhing air is of the greateft importance in the procefs of refufcitation. V. Not more than fix perfons are' to be prefent to apply the proper means ; a greater number will be ufelefs, and may retard, or totally prevent, the refloration of life, by ren¬ dering the air of the apartment unwholfome. It will be neceflary, therefore, to requefl: the abfence of thofe who attend merely from mo¬ tives of curioflty. VI. It will be proper for one of the af- fiflants, with a pair of bellows of the common fize, applying the pipe a little way up one noftril, to blow with fome force, in order to introduce air into the lungs; at the fame time