You have probably at least heard of Resusci Anne, but if you learned CPR, then chances are you have also performed mouth to mouth on her. But do you know her story? Or have you ever wondered how she was born? Well, it is now the time to know her story.
Who is Rescusci Anne? She is the first CPR manikin ever created. Resusci Anne started from an urban legend, which is told in various ways, but the main details are mostly the same. According to the legend, Resusci Anne is inspired by the daughter of the doctor who invented CPR. The legend is known in two different versions, in which she either drowned or died of asthma. We all know that every urban legend has its kernels of truth in it. This rule also applies to Resusci Anne’s legend.
Resusci Anne was created by Asmund Laerdal, who was a Norwegian toy maker. He was also famous for …show more content…
And here is where the legend comes in, as people say that the doll is inspired by Safar’s daughter. However, the truth is that the doll got the face of a girl who died of drowning, and who lived long before Safar.
The legend of the drowned girl
Around the turn of the 20th century, an unidentified girl was pulled from the Seine River in Paris, France. Due to her condition and to the fact that no injuries were found on her body, the medical examiner affirmed that she had committed suicide. She was estimated to be around 16 years old.
Her body was kept at the morgue in Paris, where someone made a plaster cast of her face, but nobody actually knows why this mask was created. It was known as the death mask. Some believe that the mask’s purpose was to help identify the girl. Others believe that the mask has been done because the coroner thought she was beautiful and wanted to save her face