Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-07-14
HINTS Oh! cn,7E BATHING.
How to Overcome Dangers In Fresh
and Salt Water.

and Salt Water
The great ma jOriiy uf the accidents
in connection with bathing are due &c
readily preventable causes and are of
ten entirely the result of gross care
lessness or gross ignorance.
Take. for example, one Of the mos,
dreaded causes of bathing accidents
and fatalities-the cramp. Now. cramp
as a rule, is merely the result of indi-
gestion. and it has been brought on in
the water owing to the fact that the
bather has rushed off almost immedi
ately after Il meal and the violent eX-
ercise, combined with the shock of the
plunge into cold water. produces the
indigestion. which in turn produces
cramp.
Even when cramp manifests itself it
often happens that it is not cramp
which browns the bather but his loss
of presence of mind. As long as you
keep your head above water and dc
not swallow deep drafts of it you are
all right. With regard to cramp. if
you are near shore strike out for 1t
boldly. whatever the pain. If the
cramp is in the arms turn over on your
back and kick yourself ashore with
your legs. If. however. the legs are
seized with cramp-and this is usually
the case. but only one leg is usually
affected at time-then turn on your
back. bend your toes upward. kick out
the cramped leg us hard as you can
and with one hand rub the cramped
spot. usually the calf. as hard as ever
you can.
Above all. never mind the pain. but
work the leg for all you are worth.
and do not lose confidence and start
drinking pints of water. This cure has
often been effected in the water by IN
expert swimmer.
Another common danger of bathing
comes from strong tides or high waves,
and in nearly every accident the bath
err has taken improper risks. 1t can
not be too strongly impressed on even
good swimmers that to swim out on a
falling tide is most risky perform
ance. If you are accompanied by II
boat. we'll and good but If not the tide
has a trick of getting stronger as the
water decpens. and the difficulty of re-
turning increases every yard you swim.
AS to those who cannot swim or who
can swim only few strokes. an old
and expert swimmers advice is that
one should never. even in calm wealth
err. go out up to the armpits and play
about at that depth. The slightest mo-
ton of the water ut that depth will
carry you off your legs and as often as
not into deeper water. On shelving
shore the weight of the body will be
naturally thrown forward into deeper
water. Such persons should never
wade out deeper than their chests. and
then they should Immediately turn
around. face to the shore and strike
out for it.
1t is really quite easy to propel your
self toward the shore even If you can
not swim. In many cases the act of
your body forward will place
you in safety. and if at the same time
you scoop the water toward you with
followed hands you may cover in three
seconds some seven or eight feet. If
Mt the same time you give a vigorous
kick with your legs-with both legs. If
will move a considerable
distance before you suffer your first
But the chief thing to re-
member is that you should turn to-
ward the shore. the moment the water
comes up to your chest and in no case
go out even to that depth when the
water is rough.
Again. YOU should never battle. If in
the least delicate. upon IN empty stem-
ach before breakfast. The ideal time
is between two ard three hours after
that meal. when your food is fairly
we'll digpstcd.
Yet another serious risk which Is
common to MI who battle in rivers is
danger from weeds. If you should
find your legs entangied in weedS-a
most dangerous situation. which is
rendered more dangerous because Of
its effect on the mind-remember this:
The only way to rid Yourself of weeds
is to stretch your body and legs out
quietly as fiat as you can. pull the wa
ter to you with followed hands and at
the same time make several very short
but rapid strokes with your legs. The
combined effect Of his action Is al
most always to free you from the
weeds.
Above all. lea" t uu"e to float. 1t
will get you al ..alN Il difficulty.
Given these 't u'nrty-ninG
people out q. rr' ri can hatht
in warm W.. a'ln ben
eft.
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