Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-08-10
ADVICE FOR SWIMMERS.


How to Approach and Save a Drown
ing Person.
"The week end picnic and yachting
parties make plenty of work for us
during the vacation season." declared
Dennis Butler. patrolman of the Third
district in Philadelphia and ut one time
the amateur champion swimmer of
America, in telling several friends
about the long list of deaths that have
accompanied vacation periods during
the many years Of service that he has
seen in the police department.
what puzzles mo more than any
thing else is the number Of drownings
that occur during the season." he con
tiuuCd. Sometimes many Il brave fcl-
low who goes to the rescue of a
drowning pleasure seeker is caught Sra
the deadly clutch of 4 drowning man
and accompanies him to watery
grave
Now. have learned from eXpe
rience that to swim straight at 4
drowning person and attempt to seize
him from the front means probable
disaster He will clutch wildly Mt any
thing and hold on fast. He prevents
the swimmer from keeping his air. and
when that is eXhaled the jig is up.
Here is the way in which l have
saved many a man The best way to
get ut drowning man is to swim
around him and seize him beneath tho
armpits from behind. Then you are
out of the reach Of his arms and can
hold him UP sud tread water Al
times one must use other means Of
rescue
Usually the person won't listen t.
your advice To keep still ana will wriS
gle around and try to seize YOU by the
neck. The only thing To do in that
case IS to deal him blow on tho
bridge Of the nose and stun him Then
the rest is easy In his unconscious
state the person will naturally become
rigid and all that you will have to Dc
is to keep him aAoat and tow him
ashore. There are hundreds Of ways
in which person can be rescued. the
principal rudimontS Of which are t.
keep cool and always TO Keep out Of
the reach Of his arms.
Another important feature in tn,
rescue work IS that Of getting rid o.
the water and restoring respiration
When the rescued party is on shore
the first thing TO do is 10 stand him
on his head and hold his feet straight
up in the air The water viii gust
from his lungs. and when il stops How
in- stand him ON his feet with his
back toward You and by holding him
about the abdomen allow him To ban.
Imply over by pressing the abdomen
I'm and ont the water which is i'm hi,
digestive Organs win also hc GOT rid of
Another sep is TO lazy him over &
barred or ANY other object face up
ward and his hcal lowered toward
the ground. Seize his hands and work
them with circular motion from the
head 10 the abdomen and back again
In bringing The arms back toward the
head keep them wide omen 50 that aii
will Ice forced !nto the lungs Ol
course the work of restoration re
utes TO many hours. according to ia,
amount Of water which has been taken
into the lungs.
but. like everything else even ;
novice can make an effort 20 prevent
himself from drowning. Whom 81 mo,
falls INFO the water who cauuot swim
/ the easiest way TO keep ZIP J., G., hav.
the lungs wei Gnod with mir This 90
/ gethor with the hands extended palm
/ downward on u level with tie bs,.s
/ and a few motions of the fcc;. viii
/ keep him on top for about a hale hour
! ard in this time hc has nanny CHANCES
/ of being rescued Instead of 6liu,
this. however, Il novice upon failing
into the water win raise his hand
over his head and attempt To call 10
help. After he discharges the air frou
his lungs in the vain shout The ..i To-
take in water. and then hc NATURAL