After about an hour he began to yawn, and to move his eyelids, hands, and feet. I then put water, in which I had dropped some sal volatile, into his mouth, which he swallowed, and caused him to be carried into a house hard by, where I set him in a chair, reclining backward. In an hour more he came pretty well to his senses,. and could take drink, but knew nothing of all that had happened after his lying down at the foot of the ladders till his awaking, as it were, in the house.
Within four hours he walked home, and in as many days returned to his work, but complained for a week or two of a violent pain in his back, which, I believe, was owing to the way of carrying him up out of the pit.
Lady Schaw, Mr. Bruce of Kennet, and the Rev. Mr. Thomas Turner, and several other gentlemen, with three or four hundred people of the neighbourhood, were witnesses to what I have now related.
These papers were disregarded by the profession, although Dr. Fothergill had previously developed many other branches of his noble calling, and it was not until some years after that the theory propounded by him found general favour. Bourquet, a Professor of Philosophy, is said to have used a system at Neuchatel, where he was in residence from 1705 until 1742, whilst John Hunter, Esq., F.R.S., who at the request of the Royal Humane Society read a paper before the Royal Society in 1776, founded his opinions on experiments which he had made in 1755. Blowing into the lungs, heat and motion were the principal recommendations. In the year 1767 M. Reaumur reported to the Academy of Sciences, at Paris, several cases in which he had been successful in Switzerland. A Society for the Recovery of the Apparently Drowned was shortly after started in Amsterdam, to instruct the common people as to the best manner of treating the apparently drowned, and to give rewards for such services ; and almost simultaneously several kindred organisations were founded in different parts of Europe. In a work published in 1773, Mr. A. Johnson, M.D., suggested the formation of a society in England similar to that of Amsterdam. Dr. Cogan translated the memoirs of the Amsterdam society into English, for the purpose of convincing the people of this country of the practicability of resuscitating the apparently drowned, and his work accomplished its purpose, for it fell into the hands of Dr. Hawes, to whose humane and generous efforts foundation of the Royal Humane Society is almost entirely due. As may be imagined, Dr. Hawes met with many rebuffs at the start. The theory was discredited, and the rewards had to come out of his own pocket. Finding that a strong prejudice existed against the movement, he determined to demonstrate that the theory was valuable and likely to prove, when put into practice, of inestimable benefit. With this view he publicly
offered rewards to persons who, between London and West minster Bridges, should within a certain period from the occurrence of an accident rescue drowning persons and bring them to certain places on shore, in order that resuscitation might be attempted. In this way he saved several lives, and for a whole year continued to pay the rewards out of his own pocket. His generous zeal at length brought him sympathy in his work, and in 1774, on the advice of Dr. Cogan, the formation of a Humane Society was determined upon. Thirty two other gentlemen, chiefly friends of the two doctors, joined with them in the foundation. From a copy of the fifty-second annual report of the society, published in 1826, the following list of the founders is quoted : The society was instituted to collect and circulate the most approved and effectual methods for recovering the apparently drowned or dead ; to suggest and provide proper apparatus for, and to bestow rewards on all who assist in, the preservation or restoration of life.
Pecuniary grants are only made in cases which occur within thirty miles of London, but the committee have power to give rewards for particular cases outside that limit. The honorary re wards are granted for saving life in any of the British possessions.
That of the highest importance is the Stanhope Gold Medal, only one of which is awarded annually, and that to the case in which the society deems the greatest gallantry has been exhibited during the year. This medal is provided for by funds placed at the disposal of the society by the committee of the Stanhope Memorial Fund, which was raised shortly after the death of Captain Chandos S. S. Stanhope, R.N., in 1871, to commemorate the services of that officer. There are silver and bronze medals for ordinary cases, as well as testimonials on vellum. These are distributed entirely at the discretion of the society, who generally cause a searching investigation to be made into each case before deciding in which class it shall be included. The front of the ordinary medal represents a boy blowing an extinguished torch, in the hope, as expressed by the motto, 4 LATEAT SCINTILLVLA FORSAN Peradventure a little spark may yet lie hid.' Under a device is the following inscrip tion abbreviated, LONDINI IN RESUSCITATIONEM INTERMORTUORUM INSTITUTA - ' The Society established in London for the recovery of persons in a state of suspended animation, 1774• The reverse of the medal exhibits a civic wreath, which was the Roman reward for saving life ; the inscription round it expresses the merit which obtains this honour from the society,