Anaesthesia
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A study was made of the intentions and interests of anaesthetic Senior Registrars in the United Kingdom between March and May 1974. It is hoped that examination of the findings will show some of the features which make a consultant post attractive. A great deal of goodwill for the United Kingdom was demonstrated but it should be pointed out again that this was before the upheaval within, and about, the National Health Service which erupted at the end of 1974 and the beginning of 1975. It would seem vital that the necessary steps are taken to keep the goodwill of this substantial number of potential consultant anaesthetists so that the many lightly veiled threats of emigration are not taken to their logical conclusion.
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Historical Article
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.
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An investigation is described into the performance of two types of circle system used without a carbon dioxide absorber in both the laboratory and in the operating theatre with controlled ventilation. The newer system was found to be more efficient than the old but in both types of system the tidal volume was found to be very important, a large tidal volume resulted in increased efficiency. The possibility of predicting arterial blood carbon dioxide using this system is briefly discussed, and rules are suggested for the use of the system.