Table Of ContentHUMANE 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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
