IN the year 1857 the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, as will be remembered by its supporters, appealed to the medical profession in this country and, through foreign ambassadors, to the public medical authorities of several other countries, for their opinion on the merits of the late Dr. MARHALL'S proposed new method of treatment of the apparently drowned.

That appeal was readily responded to, and the verdict given on the relative merits of the old plan and the newly proposed one of MARSHALL HALL, was so almost unanimously given in favour of the latter, that the Committee of the Institution determined at once to adopt the same. Accordingly a series of new rules, in accordance with the plan of the above eminent physiologist, and especially designed for the use of non-professional persons, were prepared and circulated at the life-boat stations of the Institution and on the coast generally.

So great was the public interest taken in the subject, and so general the appreciation of the step taken by the Institution, that applications flocked in from all directions for the supply of the new. rules, many thousand copies of which have since been circulated, not in this country alone, but in the colonies and other dependences of the British empire. Already have several, and in some instances, remarkable cases occurred of their successful application in the hands of non-professional persons. Some of those cases have been related in previous Numbers of this Journal. Further proof of their value has been afforded this summer. No less than three lives have been saved in the Jake at the Victoria Park, London, by the swimming-master there, Mr. WOODBRIDGE, two in July last, and another on the 5th of the present month. The three cases are described in the newspapers as follows.

We add, likewise, Mr. WOODBRIDGE's own modest report of the last case to the Secretary of the Institution:— On Tuesday last (24th July) a lad, whilst bathing iu the lake in Victoria Park, was taken out to all appearance perfectly dead Mr. WOODBRIDGE, the swimming-master, who had previously familiarized himself with the important and clear Directions for the Treatment of the Apparently Drowned, issued by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and based on those of the late Dr.

MARSHALL HALL, proceeded without loss of time to treat the boy according to those directions.

After fifteen minutes had elapsed, symptoms of returning animation appeared, and in about an hour the boy had sufficiently recovered to be sent home. About three weeks ago another boy, who appeared quite dead, was brought from the lake to Mr. WOODBRIDGE. He had been in the water eight or nine minutes. The Directions of the Institution were instantly resorted to, and the restoration of the boy, after a short time, was most complete.

Another narrow escape from drowning occurred on Sunday morning last (5th August). A lad named JAMES PABKEB attempted to swim across the lake, but when about half way over, his strength failed him, and he sank. He was brought oat in a. few minutes by some persona bathing near, and was soon restored by the use of Dr. MABSHALL HALL'S method, under the superintendence of Mr. WOODBRIDGE, the swimming-master. This is the third occasion within a month on which Mr. WOODBKIRGE has restored to life, by the same method, persons apparently drowned in the above late." " 2 Grove Street, Victoria Park, " SIR, " 9th Aug., 1860.

" I think it my duty to inform you, that on Sunday morning last (5th), I restored a lad apparently drowned, at the new bathing lake, by the use of Dr. MARSHALL HALL'S method as published by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

" I am, &c., " W. WOODBBIDGE." " A fourth case occurred this summer on the Irish coast. A boat was capsized, and one of the three persons who had been in her was picked up apparently dead. While bringing him ashore the sailors commenced treating him according to the before-mentioned Instructions, and before he was brought to land he had been restored to consciousness.

Had they not done anything to him until he reached the shore, he would no doubt have been past recovery." The circumstance that this mode of treatment can be safely and efficaciously intrusted to the administration of non-professional persons is an important element in its character, since it necessarily follows that in the majority of cases of rescue from drowning, medical attendance cannot be available in time to be of service.