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 TM 55-1905-219-14-2
2-209. LIFE BOATS (Cont).
8. Repeat the above steps 12 times a minute until victim revives (20 times a minute for children).
RADIO
If the boat carries a voice radio, the International Distress Call is the word MAYDAY, repeated three times, followed by
the message, also repeated three times.
FURTHER MEDICAL ASPECTS OF SURVIVAL
As a survivor, you will find it difficult to get dry after you get aboard a lifeboat from the sea. It is more difficult to remain
so because of almost continuous condensation of moisture on the inner surface of the canopy and on the buoyancy
tubes. The air inside becomes saturated to almost 100 percent relative humidity. The canopies, tubes, and floor
condense the moisture and water drips like rain. The bottom of the boat and the buoyancy tubes are from 5 to 15
degrees below air temperature. Frequent massage and warming of the feet in your shipmate's lap or under his arms are
measures which should be taken to prevent immersion foot. Sleeping in a loaded boat is next to impossible because of
the crowded quarters, the changes in temperature, and the tossing and pitching of the boat. You will lose some weight
but the loss should not be excessive. Your urine output will be greater in cold weather than in warm because in warm
climates more water is lost by evaporation. In cold weather there will be an increase of oxygen consumption and in warm
weather a decrease. The effect that food has on dehydration is difficult to measure. However, proteins use more water
than carbohydrates. Because of need for water conservation, protein foods are not included in the rations. There should
be very little decrease in strength with the rations on hand.
EXPOSURE TO COLD
In northern waters your greatest danger after abandoning ship will be from the various effects of cold, the most serious
immediate effect being excessive body cooling which may result in death caused by a failure of the heart. Fatal cooling
is more apt to occur in water than in air because wetting greatly decreases the insulating effect of clothing and because
water displaces the layers of still air that normally surrounds the body and holds the heat inside. Therefore, ordinary
clothing gives you no protection against cold if you are immersed in water.
The secondary but still serious danger is that of local injury by cold (frostbite, immersion foot, etc.).
Death from immersion in very cold water at 50 (10 ) and below has been reported to occur within a very few minutes
F
C
after abandoning ship. Possibly cold causes death in these cases by some mechanism other than the generalized body
cooling that has been studied in laboratories.
2-767
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