A baby, born apparently dead, was successfully revived by unusual means, an injection of adrenalin. The child, a boy, was one of a pair of boy and girl twins born in a Brooklyn maternity hospital. The two children together weighed only five and a half pounds at birth. The girl, except for her size, was normal. The boy was without heart action or respiration.
Ordinary means failed to revive the child. The physician in attendance, Dr. Philip Mininberg, then injected a few drops of adrenalin and heart action recommenced. A small quantity of blood was drawn to ease the heart's work. Massage and a pulmotor were applied, and within an hour the child was breathing normally.
The children were then placed in an incubator. Within three days they were taking nourishment normally, and since then have gained steadily in weight—the boy even more rapidly than the girl.
Adrenalin is a common drug used to stimulate heart action. It is an extract from the adrenal glands of sheep.