St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-30


To have complete confidence in ones
instructor is also very necessary for a
beginner. A dry lesson is first given,
which consists in teaching positions of
arms and legs. The first position of the
former is straight arms, using the
thumbs as pivot
''At the count of one the hands are
turned slowly over, arms are extended
Oh a level with ears and shoulders. At
count of two the elbows drop to sides,
and sides of hands cut through the water
until they meet directly under chin.
"At count of three palms come to-
gether and push out into the water
straight ahead. This completes the arm
movement in three counts.
1.-THE beg Movements
are two in number-frst, straight legs;
then placing heels together and toes at
an angle of about forty degrees. The
feet are slowly drawn up under the
body, knees at the same time being
thrown out, but heels still together. At
connt of three legs are forced apart as
far as possible, stltfening at same time,
and then brought quickly together.
this way on dry land, the pupil is put
into the water with belt around his
chest, on each end of which there is a
ring, through which rope is passed and
then tied securely to something on shore.
He is then lowered into the water, IN
just the proper position to start out.
The movements are then gone through
with in the water just as they were on
land. Pupils take from one to four les
sons to become proficient in this ele-
mentary piece OF knowledge, many
learning in one lesson. This much ac-
Quired a rubber life preserver or air
belt is plac. d around the body. just
under the arms. This is sufficiently in
flated at first to keep the person afloat,
whether any effort is made by himself
or not. This is used for a greater or less
time according to the aptitude of the
pupil. The amount of air is decreased
daily to throw the pupil more upon his
own eXertiOns. When he is capable of
swimming life preServer without any
air is placed around his body and he is
started off in deep water, with a long
pole within reach. This stroke is called
the elementary or breast stroke. and is
generally used in swimming long dis.
tances. its simplicity recommending it.
Various Kinds of Stroke.
"In making the breast stroke, the
head goes through the water when the
hands push forward, and rises out of
water when the stroke is made. This
is called the webb stroke, and was
used by Capt. Webb In swimming
across the English channel.
The overland stroke is not very
generally used, except by professional
swimmers who wish to acquire great
speed, and then only in distances of
one mile or less. In this stroke
much the same way as in
the breast movement. but the body lies
on the side, head resting on shoulder
with right arm extended. The left arm
is bent towards the body and passes
directly in front of the face to point
beyond the head as far as possible, and
returns through the water TO left hip.
After this the right arm passes straight
down through the water to right hip.
The arms alternate in this way, and tho
leg movement is made every time the
right arm is extended through the
water.
at is much easier for woman to
learn to swim than 1t is for a man, on
account of the greater amount Of
buoyancy contained in her body. Many
persons learn to swim in from SIX to
eight lessons, while others take as many
as fifteen.
Breathing.
"In swimming one should breath
through the nose and eXhale through
the parted lips. AT every stroke one
full breath is taken, and as beginners
are thought TO inhale and exhale regu-
larry, they soon do it as matter of
course. Diving, swimming under water.
plunging and the numerous other ac-
compllshmentS Tor ornamental parts of
Swmmlng) can easily be learned after
the elementary or breast stroke is prop
ery mastered.
In case OF drowning a person will
come up just as often as any air at all
can be kept in the lungs. Some persons
come up as mauy as six or seven times,
getting their breath and going down
again and again, either until rescued or
they become exhausted. 1t requires an
extra exertion each time to get breath.
In resuScitatlng person who has been
nearly drowned the treatment is de-
pendent entirely upon the conditions or
how far gone he is. The first thing is
to place him across the knee with feet
elevated and head down. Then by
pressing gently the small of the back
any water can be expelled that impedes
the breathing in any way. The person
is then rolled over on his back, fresh
air and no crowd around then being the
first necessities.
Then proceed to induce artificial
respiration, allowing some other person
to chafe the hands aud arms at the same
time. After the person has so far re-
covered, the usual hot blankets, hot
water bottles, and hot drinks land all
the other hot paraphenalia that are al.
most always called for first, often before
the person is known to be still alive)
may be found very useful after the per-
son has entirely recovered, and as very
good means to warm and make him
comfortable"
As TO Floating.
IN regard to the numerous theories
about floating, Prof. Allen says that as
fleshy person will usually swim more
readily than thin person, so will
feshy person float almost without NOV
ing muscle, while a person of more
muscle and bone than flesh would prob
ably sink. The first requisite, however.
is proper position. The person should
lie prone upon the back with the head
we'll back, arms out of water and eX-
tended as far back of head as possible.
palms up. The second necessity is to
Keep tn6 lungs lUndtSu OF dS nearly full
of air as possible. 1t is possible for a
person to float in perpendicular posi-
ton without moving at all. by simply
keeping chin well out of water and
lungs full of air.
"a great deal is published on this
subject" said the professor, "by per-
sons possessed of only few general
ideas and very little practical expert
ence. In recent issue of Milwaukee
paper the statement was made that a
self-taught swimmer was better able to
take care of himself in rough water
than one who had received Instruction
in the art. This statement is emphati-
cally wrong. No self-taught swimmer
can in the same length of time acquire
snnh RYnertnpsS and familiarity with