HOMEPAGE PERSONAL PROFILE HISTORICAL REVIEW HOWEBRIDGE MRS BOOTHSTOWN MRS PURPOSE OF A MRS MOBILE WINDING ENGINE AMPUTATION KIT OFFICERS AND STAFF SELECTION OF RESCUEMEN BREATHING APP PRIME FEATURES OF BA GENERAL CONDUCT OXYGEN RESUSCITATORS HEAT AND HUMIDITY RESCUE COMMS CANARIES AND LAMPS SELF RESCUERS SEFA BREATHING APPARATUS PROTO BREATHING APPARATUS AERORLOX BREATHING APPARATUS SALVUS BREATHING APPARATUS SAVOX BREATHING APPARATUS MINOX BREATHING APPARATUS ANTIPOYS TUBE APPARATUS

The Lancashire Mines Rescue Service OXYGEN RESUSCITATORS. Since the earliest days, Rescue Regulations have specified that Resuscitators (or Reviving Apparatus) for underground use should not be of the “forced breathing type”. This was to prevent primitive types of apparatus being used, which could cause serious damage to a patient's lungs. Throughout Lancashire, the “Novita” Oxygen Resuscitator manufactured by Messrs. Siebe Gorman was used, both at collieries and at the Rescue Stations. Oxygen, from the apparatus, had to be induced into the patient’s lungs by one of the approved methods of artificial respiration. The Novita Apparatus consisted of two steel cylinders, each of 11 cu. ft. capacity, charged with pure medical oxygen at 120 atmospheres pressure. One cylinder at a time was attached to a manifold, carrying connections to a rubber breathing bag, half-face mask and tube and a control valve. The mask was fitted over the patient’s mouth and nose, the cylinder valve was fully opened and the control valve opened sufficiently to observe both the inhalation and exhalation phases. At the same time, artificial respiration was performed on the patient by a second person to induce the oxygen into the lungs. During the 1970’s various manufacturers developed new types of resuscitators, that instead of working on a pressure related principle, they operated on a ‘volume cycling’ concept. The forerunners, used at Boothstown were the ‘Minepac’ and the ‘Motivus’. With a better understanding of the needs of the Mines Rescue Service, the ‘Maxaman’ M.M.V. (Mandatory Minute Volume) was introduced. At the heart of this design was a ‘Logic Control Unit’ that supplied the full pre-set minute/volume of oxygen when the patient was not breathing . If the patient started to breathe involuntarily, but did not take up the full, measured amount, the unit would make up the deficiency. Also, during involuntary breathing, if the patient required more oxygen, this was also provided by a ‘Patient Demand Valve’. The advantage of the 'Maxaman' was that the patient was able to receive artificial respiration whilst he was being carried out to the fresh air base on a stretcher, where he would be handed over to colliery first aid personnel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------