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Successful resuscitation after drowning in a home swimming pool

TO THE EDITOR: Two 35 cm long bluetongue lizards live in the rockery above my home swimming pool (water temperature, 19oC). While cleaning the pool, I was shocked to see one of them floating motionless on the surface, but with its head held out of the water. Rescue with a net revealed a sluggish but healthy lizard, that slowly crept into the ground cover. Returning to my task, I was devastated to see the other lizard motionless on the bottom of the pool. After rescuing it, I thought it was dead, but a trace of slow muscular movement led me to action. With its head down, I rhythmically squeezed the upper body circumferentially with one hand, expelling an amazing amount of water and then saliva-like fluid. The abdomen, which had been distended to about 7 cm in diameter, reduced in size at least 1 cm. Gradually, there was more sluggish body and limb movement, but no discernible respiration and no opening of the mouth. After about 10 minutes, the eyes opened and I reduced my gentle efforts, but still fluid drained if the head was held down. Eventually, the lizard was placed on the rockery and observed. After a few minutes, it opened its mouth widely, revealing the oral cavity completely full of froth. More head-down draining and rest gradually improved the situation and, some time later, normal respiration seemed to have returned. Later in the day, it had moved about 30 cm and, before nightfall, it had gone. Next morning, both lizards were seen, appearing perfectly healthy and normal. I have no idea how long they were in the pool, or why, but presumably they had had a tussle, a game of chasey or a fight and lost their bearings. After 3 years of retirement from general practice, I felt considerable personal and professional delight!