New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-30
B.4TRERS CR1MP.
yrom IN, Bri,ish Medical Journal.

N'N" W
Some recent batnng fatalities have again
drawn attention 10 the subject OF Oather, criinp.
II the nature causes Of this dangerous affection
generally KNOWN II is probable that many deaths
from drowning IN tine bathing season might prevented
Cramp Is painful and tonic muscular spssn. 10 may
IN any part OF the body, hut Is especially apt 10
occur the lower cIremliies and la Ito ilder forms
l. limited 10 single muscle PAIN IN severe and the
contracted muscles hard and eXqui-itely tender In
"A few inues the spasn and pain cea-r leaving local
satiOn OF fatigue ana soreness Wben crainp
affects only extremity, swimmer bsthcr.
dOwed with average presence OF nind need drpwn but
when cTamp sel3s the whole Of the voluntary muscular
system probably does IN tue worst cases. nothing
IN the absence OF prompt ana Efficient eNinneUus assist
ance, save the individual from drowning. Although
the intimate nature OF muscular cramps and the precise
mode which they are established are still unknown,
experience has furnished Ms with sufficient data the
subject To enable ns to recognize the chief conditions OF
tneir causatiOD These conditions are u peculiar IN
susceptibility idOsyncrasy; the shock OF cold applied
10 the general surface or the body IrhDhged muscular
eIertiOn: ana fOrcibe nnd tudden m1scnar eIertiOn
especially the direction Of the extension Of the
trentes. There can be no doubt about liability 10
muscular cranp being aniudlydual peculiarly. The Is
temIperament While craInp has been met Win in an
ages sexes. teInperamcnts aud climates II has been oh
climates than cold, and chiefly IN the hottest OF
climates, aud that persons OF middle age suler most
from the Affection and men more 80 than women, aud
tho robust and vigorous more 30 IMAM the weakly.
Neither there be any doubt that the shock Of cold
applied TO the surface OF the body especially when tue
body Is unduly heated, II the cOhhoiest determining
cause OF the ana most extensive forms of bshers
cramp On this fact II fOun led the common prejudice
against bathing when the body Is much heated. Many
fatal CAGES have illustrated this point only few days
ago n ROBUST sOlucf, VINO was an expert swimmer,
rOwed boat, upon Sullry evening 10 deep pool;
here with his body glowing from muscular eKertiOn,
he plunged the water with tue intention OF taking
ref esing bath when he was Immediately seized with
general muscular cranp 30 that the poor fellow was at
drowned That mere prOl0n CATION Of muscular
excTtlOn. IN continued swimming, and that fOTcite
aud sudden eSertOn particularly Ia the extension OF the
cxtremltes, as la swimming with very vigorous aud
rapid strokes are, respectively efficient and frequent
determining causes or cTanp are familiar experiences to
every swimmer These muscular conditions no wcyer,
usually give rice only TO the sghter ana moro lOcnlze
forms OF cramp Serious cramP is peril which menaccs
most persons with highly developed muscles liz most
powerful and most avOdabe Is the sudden iui-
ncrsOn of tebody when ts surface highly hestol IN
water Of Il relatively low temperature