Experiments in the Revival of Organisms is a 1940 motion picture which documents Soviet research into the resuscitation of clinically dead organisms. It is available from the Prelinger Archives, where it is in the public domain. The British scientist J. B. S. Haldane appears in the film's introduction and narrates the film, which contains Russian text with English applied next to, or over the top of, the Russian. The operations are credited to Doctor Sergei S. Bryukhonenko.
VIEW VIDEO ON GOOGLE
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5...492752555&hl=en
QUOTE
Fact or fiction?
Since its Prelinger Archives release, the film has provoked much controversy. Ken Smith, author of Mental Hygiene: Classroom Films 1945 - 1970, believes the film is fake. He mentions, among other things, that the decapitated dog scene shown in the film could have been produced with simple special effects. Smith cites only his reaction to the film as evidence. Others are skeptical of J. B. S. Haldane's ties to the Communist party; they propose that the film was produced as Soviet propaganda.
A striking view of the experiment, not included in the film.
Enlarge
A striking view of the experiment, not included in the film.
However, while the film could have been re-staged for the camera, it almost certainly depicts a series of real experiments. Bryukhonenko's work with canine circulation seems obscure today, but at the time was well publicized; his decapitation experiment even remarked upon by George Bernard Shaw.[1] Bryukhonenko's procedures are attested to in numerous books and medical papers, with some sources providing detailed technical information on the operations shown in the film. These texts also shed light on failures not mentioned in the film. For example, the severed heads survived only minutes in artificial circulation, while the resuscitated dogs often died after a few days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiments_i...al_of_Organisms
Since its Prelinger Archives release, the film has provoked much controversy. Ken Smith, author of Mental Hygiene: Classroom Films 1945 - 1970, believes the film is fake. He mentions, among other things, that the decapitated dog scene shown in the film could have been produced with simple special effects. Smith cites only his reaction to the film as evidence. Others are skeptical of J. B. S. Haldane's ties to the Communist party; they propose that the film was produced as Soviet propaganda.
A striking view of the experiment, not included in the film.
Enlarge
A striking view of the experiment, not included in the film.
However, while the film could have been re-staged for the camera, it almost certainly depicts a series of real experiments. Bryukhonenko's work with canine circulation seems obscure today, but at the time was well publicized; his decapitation experiment even remarked upon by George Bernard Shaw.[1] Bryukhonenko's procedures are attested to in numerous books and medical papers, with some sources providing detailed technical information on the operations shown in the film. These texts also shed light on failures not mentioned in the film. For example, the severed heads survived only minutes in artificial circulation, while the resuscitated dogs often died after a few days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiments_i...al_of_Organisms
TIME MAGAZINE article on it
http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/pr...,851883,00.html
RELATED ARTICLE
QUOTE
Use of artificial circulation in resuscitation of drowned dogs.
Gerya YF, Yankovsky VD.
The effectiveness of artificial circulation by the method of Bryukhonenko and his colleagues in the resuscitation of dogs that had died from drowning in fresh- or salt-water was studied. Eight out of ten dogs were revived after freshwater drowning 'death' lasting from 10.5 to 21 min, when a variant of the artificial circulation method, dog donor with a venous pump of the artificial heart, was used. Resuscitated dogs remained alive from 3 to 72 h and died from pulmonary oedema. Artificial circulation appeared to be more effective in resuscitation of dogs drowned in saltwater. Their clinical 'death' lasted up to 31.5 min; clinically signs of pulmonary oedema were not observed in any of them, though some signs of oedema were revealed by histological studies. Of the 42 dogs in this series, all the main functions of the central nervous system were restored in 18 with clinical 'death' for up to 25 min. Resuscitation was performed by one of two methods, either the dog donor plus venous pump of the artificial heart, or the method of Bryukhonenko. The effectiveness of artificial circulation for resuscitation of dogs from drowning was demonstrated.
Gerya YF, Yankovsky VD.
The effectiveness of artificial circulation by the method of Bryukhonenko and his colleagues in the resuscitation of dogs that had died from drowning in fresh- or salt-water was studied. Eight out of ten dogs were revived after freshwater drowning 'death' lasting from 10.5 to 21 min, when a variant of the artificial circulation method, dog donor with a venous pump of the artificial heart, was used. Resuscitated dogs remained alive from 3 to 72 h and died from pulmonary oedema. Artificial circulation appeared to be more effective in resuscitation of dogs drowned in saltwater. Their clinical 'death' lasted up to 31.5 min; clinically signs of pulmonary oedema were not observed in any of them, though some signs of oedema were revealed by histological studies. Of the 42 dogs in this series, all the main functions of the central nervous system were restored in 18 with clinical 'death' for up to 25 min. Resuscitation was performed by one of two methods, either the dog donor plus venous pump of the artificial heart, or the method of Bryukhonenko. The effectiveness of artificial circulation for resuscitation of dogs from drowning was demonstrated.
