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In Case Of Syncope

In Case Of Syncope image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
January
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It is an everyday oecnrrpnce to see persons in a weak condition, just np from a siokbed or nnder the inflnence of some great eruotion, grow suddenly palé, lose consciousness and faint. A more or lesa complete suspensión of breathing takes place, corresponding to a check, or, at any rate, to a considerable decrease in the circulatiou of the blood. This conditiou is called syncope, aud is in reality a ruoinentary paralysis of the heart. If immediate help is not afforded, syncope may in some cases be je cause of death. Nothiug is better knoNvn than the ifEerent means to be used in case of vncope; the most important points are o facilítate thfi flow of the blood, to reep np what remaius of the weak nergy of the heart oontraction and to every obstarle to restoration of he circnlation of the blood. From these points of view to place be patiënt in a hori zonta] position is a jractice that is as efficacious as it is labitmal. In this way ïiot ouly is it asier for the heart tr keep tlie masa of jlooti in motiou, bat tho head, whioh it s best to put in a lower position than he body, receives a lurger supply of jlood thau before, so that tha lack of )lood in the brain, the initial oause of the syncope, is very largely compeasated. ïo carry still further this relative concestionof the brain, it has even beeu aggested to stuud nuch patients literilly on tbeir bead, and by following bis praotioe, as uearly as oonld be done, Stelaton aud Oumpbell rcported cases in whioh patients were brought back to consciousness who would otherwise havo ufallibly suceumbed. It is with a similar pulposo that we should ruake ail haste to remove the jatient's corset, to ioosen collar and enivut - in a word, to Ioosen all the clotbing - and to carry the patiënt into the open air. In this way many obstacles to the circulation of the blood are removed, but the special advantage in the practico is that the expansión of the lungs becomes less iinpeded and easier. If, however, in spite of these moasurea of relief, the syncope continúes, we must have recourse to remedies of auother kind, nunierous and varied in nature, bat all desigued to bring back and stimulate the contraction of the heart ïnusde. The return of general cousciousness should be stimulated by suddeu and violent shaking of the patiënt, by dashing cold water on tho face and by rubbing the skin with alcohol or vinegar. These are best applied to the temples, lips or palms of the hands. It is also well to rub the hands and feet, limbs and even the entire surface of the body in an energetic inauner with a hair glove or any other rough tissue with which any stimulating lotion that may be at hand can be applied, such as brandy or eau de cologne. The special senses should also be stimulated. The patiënt should be made to breathe any strongly smelling stuff that may bo at hand - sal volatile, egar, acetic acid or arumonia. By these different rneans, which are more or less energetio aud aluiost always efficacious, the stimulanta of the heart contractious bring back ita beats, while the reKuiuptiou of circulation carries once more to the braiu the blood uecessary :or its working. If these different means are still inufflcient, artificia] respiration should )e resorted to without delay. The paient should be placed ou the back, the ïead as low as possible, turned to one ide aud the mouth wide open. The operator stauds at the side of the head, seizes the two elbows iirmly and draws hem as far upward aud away frorn the )ody as possible, thereby dilating the chest and allowing the air to enter the ungs. Au assistaut, placed by the patieut'a egs, resta both hands on the sides of ;he base of the chest and brings pressure to bear on it at the very moment wben the patient's elbows are being brought back to the sides agaiu af ter haviug been raised to a maximum. In a word, the assistant acts in such a way as to help to drive out the air that has been sent into tho luugs by the extensión of the arnis. Two skillful operators can in this way, by workiug well together, carryon au almost normal degree of breathing. It is advisab'le not to go too quickly, as the average human being does not breathe more thau about 16 times a minute. If in oue or two minutes the syncope has not como to nn end, there is no use relying any longer ou this measure, and it will be best to resort to rhythruical tractioiis of the tongue according to the niethort of M. Laborde of Paris. This uiethod, which is contstantly giving the most unhoped for results iu cases of aspbyxia, consists iu opeuing the patient's month, in soizing the tougue vvith the fingers and a piece of linen aud iu drawüift it forward with strong rbythmical tractious, slowly auc methodically, 15 to 18 times a minute. The return to consciousness is usually uuounced by the ntteranoe of a loud, deep and long expiration. Wlien the patiënt has recoyered from the faintin fit, the syncope is naturally cured, but we havo still to try to prevent a recurrence of this disagreeable accident. This can be done naturally by ascertaining its cause.

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News