CAUSES OF DEATH BY DROWNING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3362, 12 January 1884, Page 2

CAUSES OF DEATH BY DROWNING.

The following statement and footnote on obscure causes of death by drowning appeared in “Knowledge" of November

16:—“It has often happened to me (as to all swimmers, I suppose) to swallow a mouthful of salt water, in spite of every care not to do so. I have also often been near swallowing some small object—a bit of cork or wood, a blot of bladder.wrack, &c. Now, it might happen that such a thing wedged itself in the windpipe, producing suffocation. The doctors finding that the cause of death, would never think of cutting open the throat in search of the cause, supposing the water sufficient. But may not some such accident account for the many cases where good swimmers have perished without any exhaustion to account for it? It might be prudent to wear a net tied over the mouth. Also lives might be saved if men when swimming far had a small flask of brandy round the neck. Sudden failure of the heart’s action could then be met by a pull at stimulant, which is also an antidote to cramp. — Hallyaeds,— [A mouthful of salt water, catching in the throat— i.e. not swallowed, but taken in in breathing—may cause even the best swimmer some trouble. Last summer, bathing from a boat, and happening to speak at the wrong moment to the boatman, I was caught that way, and if he had not happened to look my way, I might have been drowned close by him. For I could not call out, nor breathe except by gasps, which would not have done in the water. Fortunately he saw my signals of distress, and shoving an oar under me gave me a chance of gasping my breath back.—K.P.]”