Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/221

Rh By this contrivance, the air enters both bags of the bellows at the same time, and is, on compression, again expelled by means of two other valves, which open from within toward the external parts. Both bags of the bellows terminate below the valve in one principal tube of communication; because, tho' the action of both bellows is simultaneous, the stream of air, conformably to the arrangement before pointed out, can only enter, and escape, alternately.—In using this machine, the small ivory pipe is applied either to one of the nostrils, or put into the mouth: in the former case, the other nostril and the mouth must be closed; in the latter, both nostrils. When the bellows are set in action, one of the bags receives a column of atmospheric air through its valve; while the other, by means of its flexible tube and its valve, extracts a portion of air from the lungs. But, if the bellows are again shut, one of the bags parts with the impure gas drawn out of the pulmonary vessels; and the second conveys pure atmospheric air to the organs of respiration. By properly repeating this alternate process, the patient may again be enabled to exercise the important function of breathing. As, however, a precipitate and irregular method of proceeding might be productive of injury, this delicate operation ought to be performed by persons who are acquainted with the mechanism of respiration.—In some cases, where the patient has, for a considerable time, lain under water, or was afterwards neglected for want of due assistance, it would be desirable to introduce into his lungs , or pure vital, dephlogisticated air, instead of that of the common atmosphere: as the latter is generally more or less corrupted on such occasions by the breath of many persons in the same room. For this purpose may be used a bladder, marked g, which is provided with a cock and pipe fitted or screwed to the board of the inspiring valve and bag of the bellows. If, therefore, after opening the cock, the machine is set in motion, it will extract the pure air contained in the bladder, and, on the subsequent compression of the bellows, force it into the lungs of the patient.

Fig. 2, A machine for injecting the smoke of tobacco by way of clyster, in those desperate cases which require the application of this remedy. It consists of a pair of bellows, to the muzzle of which is fitted a metal box, a, provided with a ring, in the middle of which it may be unscrewed, and again closed, after being filled with tobacco, and set on fire: the pipe c (which, by mistake, is represented with a sharp point in our plate, but should be perfectly round and blunt at the top) of the flexible tube b, is introduced into the fundament; and thus, by means of the bellows d, the smoke is forced into the rectum.

Fig. 3, A bier of wicker work, in the form of a slanting, oblong basket, for conveying the body of the drowned, in a posture somewhat raised. This simple contrivance has the advantage, that the water may easily run off, while the patient is carried: and, as many unfortunate persons are materially injured by rough treatment, before they arrive at a house of reception, so that their recovery is thus often frustrated, we recommend the universal adoption of this useful implement. It costs at Hamburgh only