Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-07-12
State Board of Health
Issues Summer Warning
PRECAUTIONS GIVEN BY STATE
BOARD AS THE SUMMER
SEASON COUNTS VICTIMS

OFFICIALS III d UuIl6l1n 5FlH6 SOhAPIOLC
instructions for rescuing and first aid.
The best interests of the drowning
person are served when practical by
holding out or throwing something in
to the water on which he can support
himself until he can be pulled ashore
or rescued in a boat, the bulletin said.
Last year POI persons died by
drowning more than the deaths from
railroads, streetcars and gunshots
combined. The total drowning toll was
26S lives; in 1920, 17S in 1919, 204
and in 1918, 1913. The five year toll is
1O49.
In case of absolute necessity for
entering the water to save drowning
person the board gives the following
explicit directions:
l. When you approach person
drowning in the the water assure him
in loud and firm voice that he is
safe.
2. Before jumping in to save him
divest yourself as far and as quickly
as possible of shoes and outer cloth
ing tear them off if necessary but if
there is time at all events loosen the
foot of your trousers if they are tied
for if you do not do so they will fill
with water and drag you down.
8. On swimming to a person if he
is struggling be careful how you APP
proacb and seize him. If possible fix
your hold when the person becomes
quiet for 1T is frequently dangerous
to take hold man who is struggling
in the water.
4. Then get close to him and take
fast hold of the hair of his head turn
him as quickly as possible onto his
back give him sudden pull and
this will cause him to float; then
throw yourself on your back also and
swim for the shore having hold of
his hair, you on your back and he
also on his, and of course his back
to your stomach In this way you will
get sooner and safer ashore than by
any other means, and you can safely
swim thus with one, two or three
sons. One great advantage of this
method is that it enables you to keep
your head up, and also to hold up his
head. 1t is of primary Importance
that you take fast hold of the hair
and throw both the person and your
self on your back. After many expert
ments, it is usually found preferable
to other methods.
5. 1t is said that there is no such
thing as a death grasp on the part
of a drowning person. This is doubt
full. The rescurer should always re
aIize that a drowning man immed-
lately prior to what is known as a
death grasp frequently exerts unusual
strength These possibilities should
be taken into consideration while res
cuing.
6. After a person has sunk to the
bottom, if the water is smooth, the
exact location where the body lies
may be shown by the air bubbles
which will occasionally rise to the
surface, allowance being made of
course for the motion of the water,
have carried the bubbles out Of a
perpendicular course in rising to the
surface Oftentimes body may be re-
gained from the bottom before it is
too ate for recovery, by diving for it
in the direction indicated by these bub
bles.
Z. On rescuing a person by diving
to the bottom, the hair of the head
should be seized by one hand only
and the other used in conjunction
with the feat of raising yourself and
the drowning person to the surface.
8. If in a lake long distance from
shore, it may sometimes be a great
error to try to make land. If you have
hold of a person who cannot SWIM
get on your back and float until help
comes. MANY q SWluIuSI hdS SAuduoI-
ed himself trying to make shore and
has sunk in the effort, while if he had
floated boat or other aid might have
reached him. If there be a strong out
going tide or undertow these precau-
tions should be especially observed.
g. These instructions apply alike
to all circumstances, whether in
toughest sea or smoothest water
The board said that the popular
idea that drowning person rises to
the surface three times is apparently
incorrect" Some persons never come
to the surface at ali, the board claim
ed, while others come up but once.
mo assumption should be made
that the rule of coming UP three times
will always hold true" the board
warns.
The person who gets in precari
Gus place in the water should above
all, keep a cool head. The support
of a paddle or board will keep per
son from going down, it was pointed
out.-Associated Press.
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