[Practice this.]
If you see a person fall into the water and begin to drown, and you yourself are unable to swim, you must throw a rope, or an oar, or plank right over him, so that when he comes up again he may clutch at it and hold it.
Drowning.—To restore any one who is apparently drowned, it is necessary at once to clear the water out of his lungs, for which purpose, therefore, you should incline him face downwards and head downwards, so that the water may run out of his mouth, and to help it you should open his mouth and pull forward his tongue. After running the water out of the patient, place him on his side with his body slightly hanging down, and keep the tongue hanging out. If he is breathing, let him rest; if he is not breathing, you must at once endeavour to restore breathing artificially.
“If I can’t swim I have at least learnt how to fling a lifebuoy.”
There are several ways of reviving persons apparently drowned. You may find one person eager to do exactly the opposite of another, but do not fight over it; the best thing is to do quickly whatever you can. Probably “Schäfer’s system” is the simplest. Lay the patient down with his bent arm to support the forehead.
Place your hands on the small of the patient’s back, one on each side, with thumbs parallel and nearly touching, and the fingers reaching only to the lowest ribs.
Bend forward with the arms straight, so as to allow the weight of your body to fall on your wrists, and then make a firm, steady downward pressure on the loins of the patient, while you count slowly, one—two—three, to press the patient’s stomach against the ground and to force the air from his chest.
Then swing your body backwards so as to relieve the pressure, and without removing your hands, while you count slowly, one—two.