Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-06-24

According to discoveries made in the
late 'nineties of the Eighteenth Cen
tury in an Italian scientist, named
Oronzio de Bernardo, and remade by
Rev. Fred l.. Odenbach, professor of
physics and astronomy at ST. Ignatius
College, Cleveland, o., there is a way
to balance yourself so that you may
stand comfortably erect amid the wild
waves, at least until you are rescued or
the wind has blown you ashore.
If you weary Of standing up, you
ance, seat yourself quite comfortably
in the undulating deep.
You may even cross your legs or
cross your feet at the ankles.
Indeed, if one judges from the ex-
periments performed by De Bernardo,
there is nothing to prevent a person
who has mastered the trick of balanc-
ing from propping himself on one ell
bow and going to sleep.
Father Odenbach, who bears high
reputation among the physical scien-
lists of this country, has definitely sat
isfed himself that these things are
true:
That the human body is one-eleventh
lighter than the fresh water it can be
forced to displace and one-tenth lighter
than salt water.
That the specific gravity of the hui
man body is, therefore, about .92
| minus.
1t was in quaint old German work,
one of twelve volumes by John SAM
eul Halle, printed in Vienna in 1898,
that Father Odenbach found the &C.
count of De Bernard's experiments.
The noted Jesuit scientist is extremely
modest concerning his part in the dis
covery.
The exact figure of specific gravity
of the human body is given by him.
| He found many authorities who con-
ceded that the human body was slight
ly lighter than water, but none who
said how much-none, that is, except
De Bernardo.
A free translation from the German
work follows:
1T was in the 'nineties of the Eight
eenth Century that Oronzio de Bernar
di, Neapolitan servcnt, was ordered
to stop his work and take sea baths.
In doing so he carried on expert
ments concerning the specific gravity
of the human body and found to his
satisfaction that it was lighter the'
water and that he could take any posi-
ton he desired in the water by adjust
ing his center of gravity and oscilla
ton, using for this purpose, first of all
his neck .and head, then also his arm
and legs.
He taught this art to others and /
was demonstrated to thousands in th'
Bay of Naples and in surroundin!
streams"
This German book is illustrated will
old engravings, showing how the ltal
ian stood, or sat, in water.
To convince person that he canno
sink, De Bernardo gave the followin
instructions, which Father Odenbac
has successfully put into practice a
st. Ignatius' College:
Take a subject out into increasin
depth and when the water has reache
his armpits, let him extend his arm
in cross form and take an upright, eas
position.
The instructor will now stand b.
hind him, place his hands under hi
arms near the shoulders and ask th
subject to move forward slowly. 500
the instructor, seeing that position
an upright and easy one, moves th
subject forward beyond his depth an
quietly removes his supporting hand
If everything has been properly a
tended to, the subject will find himse
standing in and on water as though c
terra firma.
Caution-The surprise of this move
ty may cause slight motions in ii
subject and he may turn over. The i
structor must, therefore, be ready
relpace his supporting hands befol
the subject takes fright. Confden'
and coolness are indispensable.