Some eighteenth century authorities on the resuscitation of the apparently drowned.

Attempts to resuscitate the apparently drowned began seriously in the eighteenth century. The theories and methods of resuscitation used or advocated by some of the early European workers have been reviewed. Many of these, including artificial ventilation, chest compression, endotracheal intubation and electrical stimulation of the heart seem to have been forgotten during the nineteenth century and not used again until recent times.