Good Fortune Saves Child

1916

Taken From Cistern Apparently Dead — Doctor Passing.

GUELPH, Ontario, Canada. — While playing around the yard the 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce McPhail of Rockwood fell into a deep cistern in which there was about four feet of water. Other children gave the alarm, and help was soon at hand.

Fred Hamilton went down in the cistern and got hold of the child, but efforts to get them both out failed, with the result that the little fellow fell back into the water. E. Carton descended to the bottom of the cistern, and finding the child, managed to hold it above the water until those above were able to pull it to the surface. When taken out the little one was black in the face and apparently dead.

With rare good fortune a doctor was seen passing the house, and he lost no time in starting measures for resuscitation. It was some time before his efforts were successful, but eventually the child was restored.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 5.