Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (R.H.S. Do T. Butler vitam ob Restitutam dono dat 1811) fitted with a loop and swivel ring and straight bar suspension, slight edge bruise, very fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Old Collection of Medals Relating to The Great War.

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‘On Monday December 31st 1810, Doctor Thomas Butler of Inglesgate Essex effectively succeeded in recovering the son of John James of the same place, a boy of seven years, from a state of suspended animation by means recommended by the Royal Humane Society of London. On the above day the mother of the boy was made acquainted that her son had incautiously ventured onto the ice on a pond near her residence, which gave way and let him into the water. She proceeded directly to the spot observing the hole in the ice, but from the depth of the water it certainly would have been extremely hazardous for her to attempt going in (as she could not swim). Consequently the boy remained in this state for several minutes before neighbours urgent cries attracted the attention of Mr Butler. Finding the cause of their distress he immediately plunged into the pond and brought the boy up with some difficulty, by all appearances dead. The body had been entirely out of sight for at least twelve minutes and when brought to the outhouse near the pond, appeared to be quite inanimate. The wet clothes removed, the boy was wrapped in two blankets. Mr Butler then from his own mouth inflated the boy's lungs, imitating as near as possible natural breathing gently pressing the chest after inflation. After some perseverance signs of life appeared, helped along with some warm cordials. On gradual recovery, the boy at first complained of great debility but after two or three days his system appeared very little affected.’

See also 'Australasian Coin and Banknote' magazine, Aug 2006, pp 67-69.