Now, if a person afflicted with this
Involuntary fear of getting under wa?
ter will thrust the whoie face gently
Into an ordinary basin full of water
every day and stay there as long as
possible it will be only a short time be?
fore the gasping sensation begins to
disappear.
Then the bathtub should be used, so
that the bather, lying full length, can
Immerse the entire head. At first this
will briug back all the old frighteniL-,*
sensations of suffocation, but the at?
tacks will be of short duration, aud
within a few days it will be found that
the total Immersion can be maintained
for almost a full minute without dis?
comfort of any kind.
Once a person has learned how per?
fectly comfortable one can be under
water the first great step has been
taken toward learning to swim.
Many otherwise good swimmers hnve
never realty acquired this calmness
under water. The result ls that when
such a swimmer is caught in an under?
tow or a swirling current his confi?
dence leaves him as soon as lie feels
himself dragged under the surface. In?
stead of diving or remaining motion?
less end so preserving his breath he
gasps involuntarily and naturally swal?
lows water, and the choking sensation
at once forces bim to exhale what
breath he has left and gasp again. ?
Confidence under water should be
the first lesson in swimming.
AN OFFER DECLINED.
Attempt of the Tweed Kins; to Brilia
Mast, the Cartoonist.
