HEALTH NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1928, Page 6

HEALTH NOTES

THE ART OF SWIMMING. A HEALTHY EXERCISE. (Contributed by the Department of Health.) For the healthy child, under suitable conditions, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise that he can practice, both in school days and subsequently. It is throughly enjoyable in itself; it provides vigorous exercise for the whole body without the risk of over-development of any group of muscles; it promotes the full physiological activity of the heart and lungs; a good swimmer has always a wellbuilt, healthy body. But swimming is an art which must, be learned. As with every other physical activity, there is a good and a bad technique, and if a bad technique is adopted, there is a risk of converting a beneficial form of exercise into a harmful one. In instructing beginners, confidence should be established first, and various devices may be used to ensure this. Proper balance in the water and good limb. action should be aimed at before speed or distance swimming is encouraged. To attempt either too soon, establishes habits of a slipshod and laboured movement difficult to eradicate later, and also is apt to causa incorrect breathing, thus producing excessive fatigue which may lead to a definite physical harm. The importance of correct breathing, i.e., a regular intake of breath at every stroke, should be emphasised and taught from the outset. In a report of the Medical Officer of the London County Council, the physiological value of the breast-stroke, the trudgeon stroke, and the crawl stroke is reviewed. The report states that it was the unanimous opinion of all the school doctors in attendance at certain competitions that the “crawl” stroke should hot. be allowed in races for children under the age of 12. This opinion was based on the observation that owing primarily to insufficient aeration of the lungs, "the strain, both cardiac and muscular, is too severe to be borne safely by young children, and in view of the danger of collapse due to partial asphyxia, it should be prohibited in school organised competitions before the age of twelve.” The above opinion might indeed bo expressed in reference to any stroke used for distance or competition where the habit of regular breathing had not been established in the early stages of instruction. Any type of swimming where the intake of air is insufficient or irregular, or where the head is under water, may be harmful if there is undue attempt to cover a certain distance or to obtain a maximum speed. The rule without exception should be a breath for every stroke, and any stroke which does not permit of this is not being correctly performed. Regular breathing during swimming should be as feasible as it is in other forms of sustained exercise.

The first stroke taught to children should be the breast stroke, largely because regulated breathing and the required limb action thus come more readily. SAVING LIFE. During midsummer no better way of spending the hot hours of the day can be advised than by devoting them to bathing and to learning the art of swimming. Not only are the muscles of the body exercised thereby, but the breathing apparatus is developed and the skin with its myriads of fine pores and nerve endings is purified and toned up. The salt or fresh water inadvertently taken into nose or mouth acts as a douche to the mucous membranes of the cavities. Cases of enlarged tonsils and adenoidal growths are undoubtedly benefited by the tonic effect of salt water.

It is important to remember that swimming should not be indulged in less than two hours aftei’ meals. A point of importance in sea-bathing is not to stay in too long. Though swimming will manufacture heat, it does so by draining muscular and so. bodily energy.

Not only as a form of physical exercise and a means to maintain healthy growth and vitality of the human body is swimming invaluable, but as a means of saving life. The annals of our country are rich with many a record of heroism performed by some efficient swimmer. Therefore, every expansion of facilities for swimming instruction should bo welcomed and every recognition of its value and practical usefulness as a recreational activity for both adults and children should be encouraged. It should be the ambition of every young person as opportunity occurs to belong to a life-saving club, where, from experienced members, the principles of life-saving and the right ■way of restoration of animation to the apparently drowned can be learned by demonstration.

The following instructions have been issued by the Department of Health for restoring animation to the apparently drowned:

Don’t Waste Time. —Immediately after removal from the water, try to clear fluid from the patients lungs by turning him face and head downwards, so that it may run out of his mouth or nose.

Open mouth and clear it of any weeds or foreign matter. Draw the tongue forward.

Loosen or remove all clothing; round his chest, waist; and throat, but no time should be lost in doing so. If he begins to breathe, take off the wet clothing and wrap him in ahy dry clothing or blankets. Rub briskly and move the limbs to promote circulation of the blood.

Keep patient warm and quiet for some hours to avoid collapse. To Artificially Restore Breathing.— If breathing doos not quickly commence, do as follows, and send for a doctor:—

Turn patient on his front, with the arms extended. Turn his face to one side. Kneel astride, or to one side, facing his head. Place your hands on the small of his back, one on each side, with the thumbs parallel and • nearly touching. Bend forward, to bring your weight to bear on your wrists; make steady,, firm, downward pressure thus, while you count, slowly, one, two. Continue this pressing and easing, counting one, two, for each movement, until patient begins to breathe. Meanwhile send assistance to nearest house for blankets or hot bottles to

apply to limbs and over region of heart, or get assistant to remove patient’s clothing, rub limbs, and do whatever else is advised herein. Do not give up trying this method of performing artificial breathing until a doctor arrives, oc for an hour or even more.