The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-09-24
HOW TO KEEP FROM DROWNING.
One Needn't Know How TO Swim-sih
ply Tread Water

To keep from drowning it is not
necessary 10 know how 10 SWIM, says
the y. Y. 14dceytiSer. This may seem
at first a strong assertion, but much
depends on the meaning that IS at
taches to the word swim. A man
NAV be able TO tread water YET ne
NAV not know how TO swim. When
man swims it means one thing; when
dog swims it means another ana
somewhat different thing. In the
main. the difference is one OF position
of standing upright or of SPRAYING
in the water. OF course the dog can
not swim as the man can and does. but
\ man NAV swim on The first trial as
dog swims, if be will only do as the
do@ does.
In what follows the object is to show
| how drowning may, under ordinary
| circumstances. be prevented even I'D
| the case of persons wholly ignorant OF
| what is called the art OF swimming.
In the first place it is perfectly nat
ural for every human being 10 float
With the lungs inflated and the body
| below the water. one can not possibly
sink. There IS no easier method OF
keeping afoat than by simply trcadlng
water The operation Is just like
| running upstairs. and about as din
| cult. 1t is perfectly natural for ami
| mails to swim" Throw a dog into
| the water. and at once he begins 10
| walk the same as when out OF water.
| Why should man. woman or child
| do differently under like circumstances?
Clearly there is no good reason why
| any human being who can not SWIM
should make Il few helpless struggles,
raise an outcry. throw up the hands.
and sink out of sight.
The trouble is that nine persons out
of ten lose their presence of mind when
for the first time IN water beyond their
depth. If, instead of struggling, pe0-
pie would do more thinking. fewer
would be drowned. Oddly enough,
| people have To do just what the ami
NAL does instiuctivcly in the water.
The dog, the horse. the deer, and even
the cat tread or walk the water ut first
attempt Mans ignorance OF so SIM
pie thing rs Trading water is little
remarkable. 1t is nonsense TO say
that animals have anv advantage IN
the water over men. On the contrary
man has the further advantage Of pad
die formed hands, aud Of being able to
rest himself when tired by floating, a
thing which the animals never do.
The man who can not swim must fol-
low the example of the animal, and
should 90 on all fourS. He must
strike alternately with hand and foot.
exactly rs the dog docS-one, two, one,
two.
All the human beings can walk in
the water without any preliminary
practice ii they will simply keep cool
headed. IN order, then. 10 keep from
drowning it is necessary only 10 tread
or walk the water.
The most simple way to preserve
life ii out of your depth is TO float,
which consists simply III lying flat on
your back. This is easily accomplished
bv keeping The lungs inflated, the head
thrown well back, the limbs extended.
bat flexible, the arms placed close tC
the ears. with the hands over the head.
The majority of people prefer to float
on the back rather than to stand up
right Yet any man, woman or child
who can walk on dry land can also
walk in the water with safety.
1t is surprising how long animals
and human beings are capable Of sus-
tanning themselves in water. In one
we'll authenticated instance dog
swan ashore with letter III his mouth
at the Cape of Good Hope. while the
crew of the ship to which the dog be-
longed all persisted The sailors need
not have been lost had they treaded
water as the dog did. Although IN
: able to rest by the way animals swim
immense distances. Last year dog
was washed overheard during Il gale
. off Cape llalteras, and yet made hi>
| WAY safely to shore. Only 4 week OF
| two AFRO some cattle were swept from +;
vessel during II storm off the Main,
coast. and more than half of them were
! saved,