| Show vital spark slow in leaving body accidents frequently happen in which the victim seems to have been fatally injured and yet the vital organs have not wholly ceased to function tion respiration may cense cease and the heart stop functioning producing a state of physiologic death during which time the victim may sometimes be revived ay iy the proper administration tion of artificial respiration this may occur in such accidents as drowning electrocution and asphyxiation and in some motor car accidents the unfortunate and apparently ly dead v victims may inot cot actually die tor for some time following the accident von Ho Hoessl esslin ln reported before the berlin medical society that the electrocardiograph tro has demonstrated regular contractions of the heart continuing as long as SO 30 minutes after physiologic death occurs the contractions tr are strongest immediately following the accident and grow weaker gradually until the heart ceases entirely to function except for occasional contractions which occur at irregular intervals therefore it would be the period immediately following the accident that normal life may y be restored by artif artificial leal respiration dr samuel R benedict of the alabama power company believes that nanny many persons have died following injuries when they might have been resuscitated it if artificial respiration ha had d been promptly administered journal of the american medical association cia tion |
