VICTIM OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVI, Issue 3366, 12 March 1915, Page 1

VICTIM OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK.

-■ + . ▲ person who has suffered 1 a sever* electrical shock and is unconscious, needs prompt attention, just as a per-' ion needs it who has been taken unconscious from the water. lid fact' th« ■ method of first aid to a victim of electrical , shock is » great deal like tha work of resuscitation of a nearly drowned person. Experts have adopted what is known as the "prone pressure" method or resuscitation. It has been.recognised that shocks from low voltage currents of from 110 to 500 volts, are usually extremely serious. . " The method which is usually applied in cases of drowning or asphyxiation from any cause serves well in electrical shock cases. There are really five important points in this work: ~~ Starting respiration as speedily am possible. The position of .the victim. The position of the operator. The method of operation. The speed and the length of the operation. ' The victim should botafeen <d once to a place where the air is reasonably pure, and where it is possible to work over him, but no time should bo lost in seeking such a place. If it is not actually at hand, do the. next best thing by working on the premises. for no timo should'be lost. A delay of one .minute in beginning to resttr •■ respiration may prove fatal. The victim must bo t"rned over on his stomachy but with his face to one side, so that his nose and mouth are free to the air, and if any foreign substances are in his mouth or throat they must be removed. Whoever is working over the victim should kneel boside.hini, facing., the. victim's head. He then spreads the palms of the hands upon the lower ribs of tho victim, holding his arms out straight to secure better force. Resuscitation begins by a moderate pressure on the ribs, ■ increased at tho end of the pressure, then the pressure is quickly removed by swinging the' elbows apart. It is'better to have somo one to hold a watch on this operation, giving throe seconds for the downward propsuro and two seconds of* release. This should be continued for at least three hcvirs if the victim does' not begin to breathe.- After three hours of "pa-'r."-taking "work with no results the case is hopeless, but anvwhoro. within the three hours'the breathing is likely to begin when, with- care, the life of the victim is saved. It is well to have a helper to take .the place of the first worker, as his pressures will become weak arid irregular in snite of careful timing after .■. lialf hour. Let the ho'ner g?t in position, and upon the release by the first worker, take up the pressures, giving the first, man opportunity to rest. - - , Of co'.nse. if a physician is handy «nd orders a different method after a trial of this, it is best to" allow him to take charge. Unless the shock is extremely severe thy chances are always favourable for recovery. The; proper speed of respiration is twelve times a minute, and in the excitement care should be taken that this is not increased, as this is very likely to happen. Others may loosen tho clothes of the victim,, but'the man working over him should' lose no time in this manner, tho first great need being to start the breathing.. After recovering consciousness, the victim should be made to lie perfectly quiet for a long while, as his heart has become greatly weakened. A snddo" oflu/t might mean a relapse,- and It, is.r:;!iromoly difficult to save,a victim if this occurs.