The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-27
IN CASE OF DROWNING
PROF. sUNDsTRUM GIVES SOME d.
RECTIoNs TO HELP SWIMMERS.
W hat to Do When One Weakens-The
Proper Thing to Do at a Crisis Is to
Tread Water After the Fashion OF
a Man Walking Through Righ

Proper Thing to Do at a Crisis ia to
Tread Water After the Fashion of
Man Walking Through High
Grass.
From the Net0 York World.
In the midst Of this hot summer weather
the inclination for plunge in the surf be-
comes general. For the benefit Of those
who are not skilltul swimmers this article
Is written. 1t too frequently happens that
an inexperienced swimmer, through fool
ish desire to test his own strength or parade
his ability, goes out beyond bis depth and
fails Of endurance to get back. Below are
given few valuable points from one Of the
best professional swimmers In America.
"Do you know that there is Just about
one person out OF every fifty who knows
| how TO handle himself 10 the water when
he finds his strength giving out, said Prof.
4 Gus Sundstrum of the New York Athletic
| Club, to a World reporter the other day.
THE average everyday swimmer will
| founder around and sputter and waste all
his strength calling for help when there is
no help In sight. IL that amount Of energy
were expended in the proper way, the re-
suit would seldom prove fatal Rules are
| senseless things to poke at drowning people.
| They prefer straws But still there are
few cardinal points that it will be well for
the ordinary swimmer to bear in mind and
carry around his neck whenever he goes
| into the water.
THE WAY TO KEEP AFLoAr.
"ln all my twenty years experience as a
professional swimmer have never yet met
the man who could be relied upon to keep
his head in ohoppy sea, l have lost mine
many times. although my rules are craven
| upon my mind like the Mahometan's creed.
| You take the average swimmer, and when
1 he Av.Aa So ,..slI
| begin 70 pillow the water. This is a mistake.
The proper thing to do is to tread water, as
| we call 1t. much after the fashion OF a man
walking through high grass. The constant
throwing Of the hands high above the head
| is wearing on the strength and causes the
swimmer to breathe through the mouth
| and fill 1t with water. By keeping the
right leg and left arm or right arm and left
leg vigorously moving. pitching the body
| sideways hard upon the crest of the waves
| the swimmer, no matter how experienced,
is Of necessity bound to keep afoat a con-
siderable time. Indeed, l may say that the
man who knows absolutely nothing about
swimming is often surprised to find out
what he eau do when placed in Just such a
perilous situation as this.
DON'T SWIM DOG FASHION.
"Too many people swim dog-fashion-
that Is, patting the water in quick, success
| sive short strokes that count for nothing
and only tell eventually upon the strength.
| Keep the hands under water as much as
possible, or, IL raised at all, not more than
| six inohej above the surface. This econo-
| mixes strength, keeps the head cool and in
the end accompanies muca for the swim
mer. The proper stroke for the feet In such
| times Is to keep the entire foot from the toes
30 the heel constantly moving. Don't use
legs between the ankle and the thigh any
more than is necessary to accomplish this
1 -
energy Of the lower part Of the body, and
with the arms and legs still strong many a
life can be saved when the last effort Ia re-
quired.
ECONOMY OF BREATH.
Economy Of breath Is probably as i'm
portant as economy of muscle. II the
respiratory organs are used judiciously at
first, it will be found great help In the
| final struggle. 1t Ia the invariable habit
among beginners, to swim with the mouth
wide open, especially when in a swift cur
rent Try TO keep the breath way down in
the lungs instead OF up In the cheeks. This
will be found by practice 30 be
Invaluable, not only In swimming,
but in all kinds Of athletic exercise. The
| safest stroke in time Of dagger is
the old-fashioned breast stroke. l would
not advise the side overland stroke, except
in racing, because it requires too much
| exertion and in the end does not accomplish
as much. For the swimmer who knows
how to float that il another means of saving
strength. Float whenever you can, and
| with the current when you find 1t to your
advantage. II the swimmer possesses some
experience. and knows how to 60 under, let
him do this for thirty or forty seconds.
IN CASES OF cRAMP.
both this and floating may be resorted
TO and without any expense to the muscles,
but would hardly advise it for the mex
perienced. In cases Of cramp, about the
only thing to be done is to call for help
Cramps come from bad circulation OF the
blood. Small knots rise in the tissues and
the veins clog up and the muscles become
paralyzed, as IL were, for the time. II there
Is no assistance within call can only sug-
gest the humping of the hardened places
with the knuokles of both fists. Clinch
them, squeeze them, and often they will re-
lax and the blood will start again. In nv
many trials Of endurance In swimming
races / have had slight attacks Of the
cramps, and have been compelled 60 stop a
bit and clap my fists over the benumbed
places with the result Of soon starting a
free circulation. But, then, probably not
every persons blood flows as freely as
mine"
WHEN ONE IS EXHAUSTED.
"What is the best thing to be done when
the exhausted swimmer reaches shore, pro-
| v1ding there is no one near to render assist
anoe p was asked.
~ would advise him to take big nip of
the best whisky he has about him, but IL he
has no whisky let him cover himself up in
the sand and get warm at soon as possible
after coming out Of the wRter.n
Suppose he is swimming In fresh water
with no sand in sightm
Then | would recommend as vigorous a
plying OF the mus.les Of the arms and legs
as the person is able to give. Let him 60
through regular calisthenio exercise, such
as is used in dumb-bell practice, until the
muscles begin 70 loosen and the body warns
up 70 the average OF a mild Precipitation.
When this has been accomplished jump into
the clothes as soon as possible and seek a
place Of shelter from the wind. Some
swimmers Of experience will rub the body
with porpoise oil before going into the
water but this is hardly necessary except
where the swimmer is called upon to make
an extra outlay of energy or in cases where
the water Is known to be unusually cold,
Porpoise oil Is an expensive Imminent, too,
and is hard to get hereabouts. In its stead
good olsse or cotton seed oil or vassline oil
will do. Apply it TO every part of the body
but the head and face, being especially care
full to keep 1t out OF the eyes"
THE SWALLOWING OF WATER.
"How much water can a man swallow
| when swimmlngp