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Horses' Track N.B.—The large tracks represent the hind feet.



These are the tracks of two birds on the ground. One lives generally on the ground, the other in bushes and trees. Which track belongs to which bird? (From Sir Robert Baden Powell's book)



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The American Morse Telegraph Alphabet



Signals 4. Start me. 5. Have you anything for me? 9. Train order (or important military message)—give away. 13. Do you understand? {203} 25. Busy. 30. Circuit closed (or closed station). 73. Accept compliments. 92. Deliver (ed).

Abbreviations Ahr—Another. Ans—Answer. Ck—Check. Col—Collect. D H—Dead head. G A—Go ahead. G E—Good evening. G M—Good morning. G N—Good night. G R—Government rate. N M—No more. Min—Wait a moment O B—Official business. O K—All right Opr—Operator. Pd—Paid. Qk—Quick. Sig—Signature.

Rememberable Morse or Re-Morse Alphabet



By this method it is possible to learn the Morse alphabet in less than an hour.

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From A to B in both figures, illustrates method of making a dot.

A complete swing from A to C in both figures indicates method of making a dash.

Wig-Wag or Myer Code

Instructions for Using the System

The whole number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that letter or numeral.

A 22 B 2112 C 121 D 222 E 12 F 2221 G 2211 H 122 I 1 J 1122 K 2121 L 221 M 1221 N 11 O 21 P 1212 Q 1211 R 211 S 212 T 2 U 112 V 1222 W 1121 X 2122 Y 111 Z 2222 tion 1112

Numerals 1 1111 2 2222 3 1112 4 2221 5 1122 6 2211 7 1222 8 2111 9 1221 0 2112

Conventional Signals

End of word 3 Wait a moment 1111 3 End of sentence 33 Repeat after (word) 121 121 3 22 3 (word) End of message 333 x x 3 numerals follow (or) numerals end. Repeat last word 121 121 33 Repeat last message 121 121 121 333 sig 3 signature follows. Error 12 12 3 Move a little to right 211 211 3 Acknowledgment, or "I understand" 22 22 3 Move a little to left 221 221 3 Cease signaling 22 22 22 333 Signal faster 2212 3

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Abbreviations a after b before c can h have n not r are t the u you ur your w word wi with y yes

Rememberable Myer Code

The elements—a thick and a thin, i. e. 2 and 1



To Signal with Flag or Torch Wig-Wag

There is but one position and three motions.

The first position is with the flag or other appliance held vertically, the signalman facing squarely toward the station with which it is desired to communicate.

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The first motion ("one" or "1") is to the right of the sender and will embrace an arc of 90 degrees, starting with the vertical and returning to it, and will be made in a plane at right angle to the line connecting the two stations.

The second motion ("two" or "2") is a similar motion to the left of the sender.

The third motion ("front," "three" or "3") is downward, directly in front of the sender, and instantly returned upward to the first position.

Numbers which occur in the body of a message must be spelled out in full. Numerals may be used in signaling between stations having naval books, using the code calls. To break or stop the signals from the sending station, make with the flag or other signal 12 12 12 continuously.

To Send a Message

To call a station signal its letter until acknowledged; if the call letter be not known, signal "E" until acknowledged. To acknowledge a call, signal "1 understand," followed by the call letter of the acknowledging station.

Make a slight pause after each letter and also after "front." If the sender discovers that he has made an error he should make 3 followed by 12 123, after which he begins the word in which the error occurred.

The Semaphore Signal Code

The scout may learn the correct angles at which to hold the flags from the diagram. The easiest method of learning the alphabet is by grouping the various letters together as follows:

For all letters from A to G, one arm only is used, making a quarter of a circle for each letter in succession.

The letters from H to N (except J)—the right arm stands at A while the left moves round the circle for the other letters.

For O to S, the right arm stands at B—the left arm moves round as before.

For T, U, Y and the "annul," the right arm stands at C, the left moving to the next point of the circle successively.

The numerical sign J (or alphabetical sign) and V—the right arm stands at position for letter D the left arm only being moved.

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W and X—the left arm stands at position for letter E, the right in this case moving down 45 degrees to show letter X.

For the letter Z, the left arm stands at the position G—the right arm crosses the breast taking the position F.



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The letters A to I also stand for the figures 1 to 9 (K standing for 0), if you make the numerical sign to show that you are going to send numbers followed by the alphabetical sign (J) when the figures are finished. They will be checked by being repeated back by the receiving station. Should figures be wrongly repeated by the receiving station the sending station will send the "annul" sign (which is answered by the same sign) and then send the group of figures again.

The sender must always face the station to which he is sending. On a word failing to make sense, the writer down will say, "no," when the reader will at once stop the sending station by raising both arms horizontally to their full extent (letter R). This demand for repetition the sending station will acknowledge by making J. The signaller receiving the message will then send the last word he has read correctly, upon which the sender will continue the message from that word.

Whistle Signs

1. One long blast means "Silence," "Alert," "Look out for my next signal." Also approaching a station.

2. Two short blasts means "All right."

3. A succession of long, slow blasts means "Go out," "Get farther away," or "Advance," "Extend," "Scatter."

4. A succession of short, sharp blasts means "Rally," "Close in," "Come together," "Fall in," "Danger," "Alarm."

5. Three short blasts followed by one long one from scout master calls up the patrol leaders—i.e., "Leaders, come here."

Any whistle signal must be instantly obeyed at the double—as fast as you can run—no matter what other job you may be doing at the time.

Hand or Flag Signals

Hand signals, which can also be made by patrol leaders with their patrol flags when necessary:

Hand waved several times across the face from side to side or flag waved horizontally, from side to side opposite the face, means "No," "Never mind," "As you were."

Hand or flag held high, and waved as though pushing forward, at full extent of arm, or whistle a succession of slow blasts means "Extend," "Go farther out," "Scatter."

Hand or flag held high, and waved rapidly from side to side, at full extent of arm, or a succession of short, quick blasts on the whistle, means "Close in," "Rally," "Come here," "Danger," "Cattle on track."

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Hand or flag pointing in any direction means "Go in that direction."

Clenched hand or flag jumped rapidly up and down several times means, "Hurry," "Run."

The movement, pushing or beckoning, indicates whether "Hurry here" or "Hurry there."

Hand (or flag) held straight up over head, palm forward, means "Stop," "Halt."

When a leader is shouting an order or message to a scout who is some way off, the scout, if he hears what is being said, should hold up his hand level with his head all the time. If he cannot hear, he should stand still, making no sign. The leader will then repeat louder, or beckon to the scout to come in nearer.

The following signals are made by a scout with his staff when he is sent out to reconnoitre within sight of his patrol, and they have the following meaning:

Staff held up horizontally, that is, level, with both hands above the head, means, "I have found."

The same, out with staff moved up and down slowly, means, "I have found, but a long way off."

The same, staff moved up and down rapidly, means, "I have found, and close by."

The staff held straight up over the head means, "Nothing in sight."

Indian Signs and Blazes

Shaking a blanket: I want to talk to you.

Hold up a tree-branch: I want to make peace.

Hold up a weapon, means war: I am ready to fight.

Hold up a pole horizontally, with hands on it: I have found something.



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WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY

The Boy Scout Wireless Club Y. M. C. A., Newark, N.J.

The following directions are given for an up-to-date wireless apparatus for stationary use in the home or at the meeting place of each patrol.

We will consider the receiving apparatus first:



The first thing to do is to build an aerial. First find out how long your location will allow you to build it, and how high. It ought to be at least 50 to 60 feet high and about 70 to 100 feet long. The main point in building an aerial is to have it {211} well insulated from the ground, and all connections in wire perfectly solid. It is advisable to solder every connection and to make your aerial strong as it has a great deal to do with the working qualities of the station.

After this is completed, the inside work on instruments should begin.

1. A pair of watch-case receivers having a resistance of 1,000 ohms each, manufactured by a reliable firm.

2. A loose coupler tuning coil of about 800 meters.

3. One of Mordock's metal detectors or one of similar design.

4. A variable condenser of about 5-10 plates.

5. A fixed condenser so arranged that its capacity can be changed if desired.

With these instruments the receiving set is complete, so we next take up the sending apparatus.

1. A two-inch induction coil.

2. A heavy spark gap (zinc preferable).

3. One wireless key with heavy contacts.

4. A plate condenser which can be easily made by any scout. Good glass is the main point.

5. A triple pole, double throw aerial switch. (Can be made by scouts.)

Now you have everything necessary to go ahead and assemble your station. The next thing is to connect them up.

Above is a diagram which will make a good station for a scout. This station, if the aero is of the proper height, is capable of sending messages from 8 to 10 miles.

The Receiving Set

Perhaps the most fundamentally important part of a wireless telegraph station is the aerial. Its construction varies with each station, but a few general suggestions may be of use.

The builder should aim to get as high and as long an aerial as possible, height being the more important factor. In a stationary set the aerial may be fastened to a tree or pole or high building while in a field set a tree or an easily portable pole must be used.

The aerial itself should be made of copper wire and should be hung between spreaders as long as convenient and insulated from them by two cleat insulators in series at each end.

The experimenter should see that his leading-in wire is placed conveniently and comes in contact with the walls, etc., {212} as little as possible. All points of contact must be well insulated with glass, porcelain, or hard rubber.

The tuning coil is very simple in construction. A cardboard tube, about three inches in diameter, is mounted between two square heads. This tube is wound with No. 24 insulated copper wire and very well shellaced to avoid loosening of the wire.

Two pieces of one quarter inch square brass rod, to be fastened between the heads, are secured, and a slider, as shown in drawing, is made. The rods are fastened on the heads and the insulation in the path of the slides is then well scraped off. Binding posts are then fastened to rods and coil ends.



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The detector, although the most important of the instruments, is perhaps the simplest. It is constructed of a hardwood base with a small brass plate fastened on by means of a binding post. On the other end of the base is fastened a double binding post which holds a brass spring, as in the drawing. On the end of this spring is fastened a copper point made by winding a few inches of No. 36 or 40 wire on it and allowing about three sixteenths of an inch to project. This completes the detector but, for use in this instrument, lead sulphide or Galena crystals must be secured.

The condenser is made of two pieces of tin-foil, four by ten, and three pieces of waxed paper a little larger than the foil. A piece of wire is twisted into the end of each piece of foil, and then one sheet of foil is laid on a sheet of paper. This is then covered by another sheet of paper upon which is laid the second sheet of foil. On top of this is laid the third sheet of paper and the whole is folded into a convenient bundle. The sheets of foil must be well insulated from each other and the wires must project from the condenser.

The ground connection is made by soldering a wire to a cold water pipe. In the case of a portable set the ground may be made by driving a metal rod into the ground or sinking metal netting into a body of water.

The telephone receivers cannot well be made and must therefore be bought. The type of phones used will therefore depend entirely on the builder's purse.

The Sending Set

The same aerial and ground are used for sending as were used for receiving, and for the experimenter, it will be far cheaper to buy a spark coil for his sending set than to attempt to make one.

For a field set there will be very little need of a sending helix, as close tuning will be hardly possible; but for the stationary set this is very useful.

The helix is made by building a drum with square heads fastened together by six or eight uprights, arranged on the circumference of a circle. On this then are wound ten or twelve turns of No. 10 or 12, brass or copper wire. Binding posts are fastened to the ends of the wire and variable contact made on the turns by means of metal spring clips.

The spark gap is made of a hard-wood base with two uprights to which are fastened strips of brass. Under these strips are {214} placed two pieces of battery zincs so as to make the gap between their ends variable. Binding posts are fastened to the strips for contact.

The sending condenser is the same as the receiving in construction, but different in material. The dielectric is glass while the conducting surfaces are tin-foil, arranged in a pile of alternate sheets of glass and foil. The foil is shaped as in drawing and alternate sheets have their lugs projecting on opposite sides, all lugs on same side being connected together. For a one-inch coil but a few of these plates are needed, but for higher power a greater number are necessary.



All that now remains is the setting up of the instruments. They are arranged as in the drawing, a double-point, {215} double-throw switch being used to switch from sending to receiving.

After having connected up the receiving instruments, the receiver is placed at the ear and the point of the detector placed on the various parts of the mineral until the signals are heard clearly. Then the tuning coil is adjusted until the signals are loudest.

The sending apparatus is set up, the key and batteries having been bought or made, and used to call some other station. The clip is put on various twins of the helix until the other station signals that the signals are loudest. The station is then ready for actual operation.

NOTES

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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CHAPTER V

HEALTH AND ENDURANCE

George J. Fisher, M. D. Secretary, Physical Department International Committee Young Men's Christian Association

Fitness

Two things greatly affect the conditions under which a boy lives in these days. One is that he lives in-doors for the greater part of the time, and the other is that he must attend school, which is pretty largely a matter of sitting still. Two things therefore are needs of every boy: out-door experience and physical activity.

To secure endurance, physical power, physical courage, and skill, the first thing needful is to take stock of one's physical make-up, put the body in the best possible condition for doing its work and then keep it in good order.

Proper Carriage

Head up, chin in, chest out, and shoulders back is a good slogan for a boy scout who desires an erect figure. One can scarcely think of a round-shouldered scout. Yet there are such among the boys who desire to be scouts.

There is no particular exercise that a boy can take to cure round shoulders. The thing to remember is that all exercise that is taken should be done in the erect position, then the muscles will hold the body there.

An erect body means a deeper chest, room for the important organs to work and thus affords them the best chance to act.

A few setting-up exercises each day in the erect position will help greatly to get this result.

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Position: Heels together, arms down and at sides, palms in. Movement: Swing arms, sideways, upward to vertical, and return.



Same as Exercise I, except that arms are swung forward, upward to vertical.



Position: Arms extended to side horizontal. Movement: Swing forward and return. (Emphasis upon backward movement.)



Position: Arms at side, horizontal, back slightly arched. Movement: Circle arms backward.

Setting-up Exercises

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Position: Forearms flexed at side of chest. Movement: Thrust arms forward and return.



Position: Arms at front, horizontal, forearms flexed, fingers on shoulders. Movement: Swing backward to side, horizontal in position.



Position: Same as Exercise 6. Movement: Swing downward, forward, bringing arms beyond sides of body. Rise on toes with end of backward swing.



Position: Arms at vertical, thumbs locked, head fixed between arms.



Movement: Bend forward as far as possible, without bending knees, and return.

Setting-up Exercises

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Position: Arms at vertical. Repeat exercise 8b



Movement: Arm circles, downward, inward, across chest. Reverse the movement.



Position: Arms on hips. Movement: Forward bend.



Position: Same as Exercise 10. Movement: Backward bend.



Position: Same as Exercise 10. Movement: Sideward bend, right and left.

Setting-up Exercises

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Position: Same as Exercise 10. Movement: Rotate body of waist.



Position: Same as Exercise 10. Movement: Raise high on toes. (Hold shoulders back firmly)



Position: Same as Exercise 10. Movement: Full knee bend.

Setting-up Exercises

Growth

The chief business of a boy is to grow. He may have other affairs, but this is his chief concern. He should, therefore, have a few simple rules for living and make them a part of his daily life.

Out-door Exercises

Each day should have its out-door exercises. Walking is a splendid form of exercise. Walk to school or business; don't ride unless absolutely necessary because of unusual distance. Walk with a good, swinging stride with chest well up and spine fairly straight. Slow running across country is great; it lacks strain and yet affords splendid stimulation to heart and lungs. Cross-country running and hiking should be favorite sport for scout patrols and troops. A boy ought to have at least two hours of sport daily in some good, vigorous game, such as baseball or tennis, and, if he can possibly afford it, at least two periods a week, of an hour each, in a gymnasium, where he can receive guidance in body building. Boys under sixteen should avoid exercise of strain, such as weight lifting, or sprint running over one hundred yards, or long distance racing. They should have careful guidance in all gymnastic work. Work on apparatus may prove harmful unless of the right sort. The horse {224} and parallel bars should be used largely to jump over rather than perform upon. Exercises demanding a sustained support of the body with the arms are not helpful, but may be harmful. The chief activity should be of the legs, to strengthen heart and lungs. A boy should be careful not to overdo. In his excitement to win in a contest he is likely to do this unless cautioned. A boy should never try to reduce his weight. Now that there are weight classes in sports for boys there is a temptation to do this and it may prove very serious. Severe training for athletics should be avoided. All training should be in moderation.

Medical Examinations

Every boy ought to have, as he takes up his boy-scout work, a thorough medical examination. Some physician who is interested in boys will be willing to act as examiner for a patrol or troop. A boy should know the condition of his heart and lungs before entering any contest. If he has any defects in his breathing apparatus—nose, throat, or lungs, these should be attended to or they will seriously interfere with his endurance tests.

Baths

Beside exercises a boy should have simple, workable rules for living. A boy ought to take a good soap bath at least twice a week and always after he has played a hard game or performed work of a nature that has caused him to perspire freely.

Each morning a quick sponge bath should be the first order of the day, in water as cool as he can stand it, followed by a good rub with a coarse towel. If there is a feeling of warmth after the bath, it is helpful, if not, the water should be slightly warm or only a portion of the body should be bathed at a time.

Pain

One thing that should be regarded seriously is pain in any form in any part of the body. If there is a dull headache frequently, find out what causes it. Pain in the knee, the arch of the foot, or at any point, should be taken seriously. Pain means something wrong. It may be brave to bear it, but it {225} is not wise. It may mean something serious. Remember that pain felt in one part of the body may be the result of something wrong in another part. See a wise doctor about it.

Eating

And now in reference to what one shall eat. The average boy ought to have and usually does have an appetite like an ostrich. Three points to remember are; don't eat too much, most healthy boys do; don't eat meat more than once a day; and, third, don't eat anything that you always taste for several hours after you have eaten it, even though you like it.

Digestion

The fact that you taste it is an indication that your stomach is having a wresting match with the food. Some people can't digest onions, others thrive upon them. Some can't eat cucumbers, others can do so readily. The one must give them up; the other can continue to eat them. Each person has some peculiarity of diet and must observe it to be happy. Many a race has been lost through failure to obey this rule. A simple diet is best. Most boys eat too much of a mixed nature. They mix pickles, soda water, frankfurters, and chocolate without fear or favor. No wonder there is so much stomach ache. In boys' camps the chief trouble is indigestion caused by this riot of eating. Such boys are laying up for themselves for the future some beautiful headaches and bilious attacks, which, when they become chronic later, will cry out against them and seriously impair their value. Don't eat when very tired; lie down a while and get rested. Don't eat heavily before exercising, or, better, put it the other way around, don't exercise immediately after eating. Never eat when excited or angry and very lightly when worried or when expecting to study hard. We should learn to eat slowly and chew the food thoroughly remembering that all food before it can be taken up in the blood must be as thin as pea soup. Chewing well will help the digestive organs greatly. Always wash the hands before eating. Be careful about eating food that has been exposed to the dust unless it has been washed. Drink freely of clean water between meals. Never use a public drinking cup without thoroughly rinsing it. Don't touch your lips to the rim of the cup.

Boys who cook their own meals when in camp should be {226} careful to have their food well done. Half-baked and soggy food proves indigestible.

Coffee and Tea

Should a boy drink coffee or tea? This is a question often asked by boys. Coffee and tea are the greatest stimulants known. But does a strong boy need a stimulant? What is a stimulant and what does it do? A stimulant is a whip, making the body do more at a given time than it ordinarily would. It doesn't add any fibre to the tissues, doesn't add any strength, isn't a food, but merely gets more out of the tissues or nervous system than they would ordinarily yield. Of course there is a reaction, because the tissues have had nothing to feed on. Herbert Fisher says that Peary's men, who drank lots of tea on their voyage north, during the most trying time of their trip showed it in their haggard faces and loss of tissue. Their own tissues had turned cannibal and fed on their own material. Stimulants are not foods. They add no strength to the body. They exact of the body what ought not to be exacted of it. There is always a reaction and one is always worse off as a result. Growing boys especially should have nothing to do with tea, coffee, or any stimulant.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Alcohol is not a stimulant, but is really a narcotic that is very depressing. It dulls rather than stimulates. The same is true of nicotine in tobacco. No growing boy should use either. The first athletes to drop out of a race are usually drinkers and all trainers know that smoking is bad for the wind.

Constipation

Those boys who find their digestion sluggish and are troubled with constipation may find the following plan helpful in overcoming the condition:

Drink a cool, copious draught of water upon arising. Then take some body-bending exercises. Follow this with the sponge bath. Then, if possible, take a walk around the block before breakfast. After school, play some favorite game for at least an hour. In the absence of this, take a good hike of three or four miles or a longer bicycle ride. At least twice a week, if possible, enter a gymnasium class and make special emphasis of body-bending exercises.

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Have a regular time for going to stool. A good plan is to go just before retiring and immediately upon arising. Go even though you feel no desire to do so. A regular habit may be established by this method. Always respond quickly to any call of nature. Toasted bread and graham bread and the coarser foods and fruit will be found helpful.

The Teeth

Closely related to the matter of eating is the proper care of the teeth.

Perhaps—without care—the mouth is the filthiest cavity of the body. We spend a great deal of energy trying to keep food clean and water pure, but what is the use if we place them in a dirty cavity as they enter the body. Full 90 per cent. of the children examined in our schools have decayed and dirty teeth. These decayed teeth provide cavities in which food particles decay and germs grow, and through which poisons are absorbed. These conditions need not exist. Now just a few suggestions about the care of the teeth. Every boy should own his own tooth brush. The teeth should be scrubbed at least twice a day. At night they should receive most careful cleansing, using a good tooth paste or powder. Then again in the morning they should be rinsed at which time simply clean water is sufficient. Time should be taken in the cleansing of the teeth. The gums should be included in the scrubbing, as this acts as a good stimulant to the circulation of the blood to the teeth. Not only should the teeth be brushed with a backward and forward stroke, as we ordinarily do, but also upward and downward the length of the teeth. In addition to the scrubbing, particles of food which are lodged between the teeth should be removed after meals, or at least after the last meal of the day. This is most safely done by the use of a thread of a fair degree of thickness. Dentists and druggists furnish this thread in spools. Hard toothpicks often cause bleeding and detach fillings. A dentist should be visited once every six months so as to detect decay immediately. Never have a tooth pulled unless absolutely necessary.

Care of the Eyes

Most troubles with the eyes come from eye strain. Styes and red lids are usually due to this cause. See how foolish, therefore, it is to treat these conditions as causes, when really {228} they are only the result of something else. Of course there are exceptions. Sometimes wild hairs and skin disease affect the eyes. Eye strain should be removed by wearing well-fitting glasses and then these other conditions will disappear. If constant headache is experienced or the eyes itch or become tired easily, there is possibly eye strain.

One way to test the eye is for vision. Place the following letters fifteen feet from you. If you cannot read them clearly with both eyes and with each eye separately, consult a first-class oculist.

C L V F O T

E A C F D L O T

D V C L A E O T F

Never buy eye-glasses unless fitted by an expert. Such glasses should be worn in proper relation to the eyes. They should not be permitted to slide forward on the nose or tilt. They may need to be changed often as the eyes grow better.

For reading, a good, steady light is needed. Never sit in front of a window facing it to read. Always have the light come from the rear and over the left shoulder preferably. The book should be held on a level with the face and not too close. Sit {229} erect. Reading when lying down or from the light of a fireplace is unwise.

Care of the Ears

Affections of the ears are exceedingly serious and may lead to grave results. Any trouble with them should be given very prompt attention and a good specialist consulted. Pain in the ear, or ringing or hissing sounds, and particularly any discharge from the ear, should not be neglected. Any sign of deafness must be heeded. Sometimes deafness occurs in reference to some particular sounds while hearing is normal to others. No matter what the degree of deafness may be do not neglect to see a physician about it. Ordinarily the tick of a watch can be heard at a distance of thirty inches. If you cannot hear it at that distance and can hear it say at fifteen inches then you are just one half from the normal in your hearing. The test should be made with one ear closed.

Ear troubles are often caused by sticking foreign objects in the ear, such as hair pins, pins, matches, toothpicks and lead pencils. Never pick the ear with anything. Often the ear drum is pierced in this way. The normal ear does not require anything more than the usual cleansing with the wash rag over the end of the finger.

If wax to any extent accumulates in the ear it should be removed by syringing, but ought to be done by a physician.

In camp an insect might crawl into the ear and if alive cause pain. Putting oil or other fluids in the ear to drown it is unwise. If a foreign body should get in the ear it should not cause great alarm unless attended with severe pain. If a physician is not available at once such objects may remain for a day or two without serious results. Syringing usually removes them, but it should be remembered that some objects like peas or beans swell if made wet. In swimming water is apt to get into the ear and cause annoyance. A rubber ear stop can be secured and placed in the ear at the time of swimming, thus keeping the water out. Cotton should not be stuffed into the ear to keep water out, as it may get inside.

One thing to keep in mind is that catarrh of the nose and throat often extends into the ear passages through a tube which reaches from the throat to the ear and that syringing of the nose and throat frequently causes trouble in the ear.

Care of Nose and Throat

Always breathe through the nose. Air passing through the nose is warmed and moistened and cleansed; thus it gets to {230} the lungs in a better condition. If you cannot breathe clearly through the nose, have it examined. There may be a growth present which needs to be removed. To become a good runner this is important. Adenoids, which are growths far back in the mouth, often interfere with nose breathing and are serious in other ways. Don't stick anything in the nose; and nose picking is not cleanly. If crusts form in the nose, use a little vaseline to soften them. Don't blow the nose too vigorously. It may cause trouble.

Frequent sore throat may be due to enlarged tonsils which either need treatment or removal. To one who has frequent colds in the head, the out-of-door life and morning sponge bath and moderate eating will be of help.

Care of the Feet

This is an important matter with scouts, as they will make frequent hikes and tramps. The first thing to do is to walk right. The straight foot is the normal foot. The normal foot is broad at the ball with space between the toes. How different from the awful feet we see with toes twisted upon each other and crowded together. Walk with feet pointing straight forward. The feet that turn outward are weak feet. Shoes therefore should be straight on the inner border, broad across the ball, and have a low, broad heel. The shoe adopted by the scout movement is a good design.

When a foot is normal, the inner border does not touch the floor. By wetting the foot one can see readily whether he is flat-footed by the imprint made. The following exercises are good to strengthen the arches of the foot if there is a tendency to flat feet: (1) Turn toes in, raise the heels, and come down slowly on the outer borders of the feet; (2) Walk with heels raised and toes pointing inward, or walk on the outer borders of the foot, inner borders turned up.

Shoes should fit the feet comfortably. Tight shoes, or shoes that fit loosely, will cause callouses or corns. The way to get rid of these is to remove the cause—namely, the badly-fitting shoes. Soft corns are due to pressure between the toes. The toes in such cases should be kept apart with cotton. Pointed shoes should be avoided. Patent-leather shoes are non-porous and hot. Ingrown toe nails are exceedingly painful. The pain comes from the nail piercing the soft parts. Allowing the nail to grow long and beyond the point of the tender spot will help; {231} and on the side of the nail and under it cotton should be inserted to protect the soft parts.

Hot foot baths will generally relieve tired feet. Boys should be very careful in trimming corns for fear of blood poisoning. Never buy plates at a store for flat feet. They may not be adapted to your needs. Always consult a foot specialist for treatment and buy plates if needed on his order. Only severe cases need plates.

Many boys are troubled with perspiring feet and are frequently annoyed by the odor resulting. Those who are thus troubled should wash the feet often and carefully, especially, between the toes. By dusting the feet with boric acid the odor will disappear. At first it may be necessary to change the stockings daily. In severe cases two pairs of shoes should be used, changing alternately.

Care of the Finger Nails

The chief thing in the care of the finger nails is to keep them clean. Each boy should possess and use a nail brush. Always wash the hands thoroughly before eating, and use the end of a nail file to remove the accumulation still remaining under the nails. Keep the nails properly trimmed. They should not be too long nor too short. If long they are liable to break and if short to be sensitive. Biting the nails is a filthy practice and mutilates the fingers dreadfully and makes them unsightly. It is a very hard habit to overcome ofttimes and will require persistent effort in order to succeed. By keeping the nails smooth the tendency to bite them will to some extent be overcome. A bitter application to the nails will often remind one of the habit, as often the biting is done unconsciously. The nails should never be pared with a knife; a curved pair of scissors is better as the cutting should be done in a curved direction; but the best method is to use a file. The skin overhanging the nails should be pressed back once a week to keep them shapely. Rubbing the nails with a nail buffer or cloth will keep them polished.

Sleep

One thing a growing boy wants to be long on is sleep, and yet he is most apt to be careless about it. It is during sleep that a boy grows most and catches up. During his waking hours he tears down and burns up more tissue than he builds. Good, sound and sufficient sleep is essential to growth, strength, {232} and endurance. A boy scout should have at least nine or ten hours sleep out of every twenty-four. If you lose out on this amount on one day, make it up the next. Whenever unusually tired, or when you feel out of trim, stay in bed a few hours more if it is possible. A boy should wake up each morning feeling like a fighting cock. When he doesn't he ought to get to bed earlier that night. Sleep is a wonderful restorative and tonic. It helps to store up energy and conserve strength.

Sleeping Out of Doors

The conditions under which one sleeps are as important as the length of time one sleeps. Many people are finding it wonderfully helpful and invigorating to sleep out of doors. Often a back porch can be arranged, or, in summer, a tent can be pitched in the yard. But, by all means, the sleeping room should be well ventilated. Windows should be thrown wide open. Avoid drafts. If the bed is in such relation to the windows as to cause the wind to blow directly on it, a screen can be used to divert it or a sheet hung up as protection. Good, fresh, cool air is a splendid tonic. In winter open windows are a splendid preparation for camping out in summer.

Conservation

In this chapter much has been said of the active measures which a boy should take in order to become strong and well. We should be equally concerned in saving and storing up natural forces we already have. In the body of every boy, who has reached his teens, the Creator of the universe has sown a very important fluid. This fluid is the most wonderful material in all the physical world. Some parts of it find their way into the blood, and through the blood give tone to the muscles, power to the brain, and strength to the nerves. This fluid is the sex fluid. When this fluid appears in a boy's body, it works a wonderful change in him. His chest deepens, his shoulders broaden, his voice changes, his ideals are changed and enlarged. It gives him the capacity for deep feeling, for rich emotion. Pity the boy, therefore, who has wrong ideas of this important function, because they will lower his ideals of life. These organs actually secrete into the blood material that makes a boy manly, strong, and noble. Any habit which a boy has that causes this fluid to be discharged from the body tends to weaken his strength, to make him less able to resist disease, and often unfortunately fastens upon him habits which later in life he {233} cannot break. Even several years before this fluid appears in the body such habits are harmful to a growing boy.

To become strong, therefore, one must be pure in thought and clean in habit. This power which I have spoken of must be conserved, because this sex function is so deep and strong that there will come times when temptation to wrong habits will be very powerful. But remember that to yield means to sacrifice strength and power and manliness.

For boys who desire to know more of this subject we would suggest a splendid book by Dr. Winfield S. Hall, entitled, "From Youth into Manhood." Every boy in his teens who wants to know the secret of strength, power, and endurance should read this book.

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CHAPTER VI

CHIVALRY

By John L. Alexander, Boy Scouts of America

Ancient Knighthood

A little over fifteen hundred years ago the great order of knighthood and chivalry was founded. The reason for this was the feeling on the part of the best men of that day that it was the duty of the stronger to help the weak. These were the days when might was right, and the man with the strongest arm did as he pleased, often oppressing the poor and riding rough shod without any regard over the feelings and affections of others. In revolt against this, there sprang up all over Europe a noble and useful order of men who called themselves knights. Among these great-hearted men were Arthur, Gareth, Lancelot, Bedivere, and Alfred the Great. The desire of these men was "To live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the king." Of course in these days there also lived men who called themselves knights, but who had none of the desire for service that inspired Arthur and the others. These false knights, who cared for no one but themselves and their own pleasure, often brought great sorrow to the common people. Chivalry then was a revolt against their brutal acts and ignorance and a protest against the continuation of the idea that might was right.

Nowhere in all the stories that have come down to us have the acts of chivalry been so well told as in the tales of the Round Table. Here it was that King Arthur gathered about him men like Sir Bors, Sir Gawaine, Sir Pellias, Sir Geraint, Sir Tristram, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Galahad. These men moved by the desire of giving themselves in service, cleared the forests of wild animals, suppressed the robber barons, {238} punished the outlaws, bullies, and thieves of their day, and enforced wherever they went a proper respect for women. It was for this great service that they trained themselves, passing through the degrees of page, esquire, and knight with all the hard work that each of these meant in order that they might the better do their duty to their God and country.



Struggle for Freedom

Of course this struggle of right against wrong was not confined to the days in which chivalry was born. The founding of the order of knighthood was merely the beginning of the age-long struggle to make right the ruling thought of life. Long after knighthood had passed away, the struggle continued. In the birth of the modern nations, England, Germany, France, and others, there was the distinct feeling on the part of the best men of these nations that might should and must give way to right, and that tyranny must yield to the spirit of freedom. The great struggle of the English barons under King John and the wresting from the king of the Magna Charta, which became the basis of English liberty, was merely another development of the idea for which chivalry stood. The protest of the French Revolution, and the terrible doings of the common people in these days, although wicked and brutal in method, were symptoms of the same revolt against oppression.



The Pilgrim Fathers

When the Pilgrim Fathers founded the American colonies, the work of Arthur and Alfred and the other great men of ancient days was renewed and extended and fitted to the new conditions and times. With the English settlements of Raleigh and Captain John Smith we might almost say that a new race of men was born and a new kind of knight was developed. All over America an idea made itself felt that in the eyes of the law every man should be considered just as good as every other man, and that every man ought to have a fair and square chance {239} at all the good things that were to be had in a land of plenty. It was this spirit that compelled the colonists to seek their independence and that found its way into our Declaration of Independence as follows:

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The fight of the colonists was the old-time fight of the knights against the oppression and injustice and the might that dared to call itself right.



American Pioneers

No set of men, however, showed this spirit of chivalry more than our pioneers beyond the Alleghanies. In their work and service they paralleled very closely the knights of the Round Table, but whereas Arthur's knights were dressed in suits of armor, the American pioneers were dressed in buckskin. They did, however, the very same things which ancient chivalry had done, clearing the forests of wild animals, suppressing the outlaws and bullies and thieves of their day and enforcing a proper respect for women. Like the old knights they often were compelled to do their work amid scenes of great bloodshed, although they loved to live in peace. These American knights and pioneers were generally termed backwoods men and scouts, and were men of distinguished appearance, of athletic build, of high moral character and frequently of firm religious convictions. Such men as "Apple-seed Johnny," Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark, Simon Kenton and John James Audubon, are the types of men these pioneers were. They were noted for their staunch qualities of character. They hated dishonesty and were truthful and brave. They were polite to women and old people, ever ready to rescue a companion when in danger, and equally ready to risk their lives for a stranger. They were very hospitable, dividing their last crust with one another, or with the stranger whom they happened to meet. They were ever ready to do an act of kindness. {240} They were exceedingly simple in their dress and habits. They fought the Indians, not because they wished to, but because it was necessary to protect their wives and children from the raids of the savages. They knew all the things that scouts ought to know. They were acquainted with the woods and the fields; knew where the best fish were to be caught; understood the trees, the signs and blazes, the haunts of animals and how to track them; how to find their way by the stars; how to make themselves comfortable in the heart of the primeval forest; and such other things as are classed under the general term of woodcraft. And, with all this, they inherited the splendid ideas of chivalry that had been developed in the thousand years preceding them, and fitted these ideas to the conditions of their own day, standing solidly against evil and falsehood whenever they lifted their head among them. They were not perfect, but they did their best to be of service to those who came within their reach and worked conscientiously for their country.



Modern Knighthood

A hundred years have passed since then, and the conditions of life which existed west of the Alleghanies are no more. Just as the life of the pioneers was different from that of the knights of the Round Table, and as they each practised chivalry in keeping with their own sur-roundings, so the life of to-day is different from both, but the need of chivalry is very much the same. Might still tries to make right, and while there are now no robber barons or outlaws with swords and spears, their spirit is not unknown in business and commercial life. Vice and dishonesty lift their heads just as strongly to-day as in the past and there is just as much need of respect for women and girls as there ever was. So to-day there is a demand for a modern type of chivalry. It is for this reason that the Boy Scouts of America have come into being; for there is need of service in these days, and that is represented by the good turn done to somebody every day. Doing the good turn daily will help to form the habit of useful service. A boy scout, then, while living in modern times, must consider himself the heir of ancient chivalry {241} and of the pioneers, and he must for this reason give himself to ever renewed efforts to be true to the traditions which have been handed down to him by these great and good leaders of men. The boy-scout movement is a call to American boys to-day to become in spirit members of the order of chivalry, and a challenge to them to make their lives count in the communities in which they live—for clean lives, clean speech, clean sport, clean habits, and clean relationships with others. It is also a challenge for them to stand for the right against the wrong, for truth against falsehood, to help the weak and oppressed, and to love and seek the best things of life.

Abraham Lincoln



Perhaps there is no better example of chivalry than the life and experience of Abraham Lincoln, the greatest of all our American men. Every boy ought to read the story of his life and come to understand and appreciate what it means. Lincoln was born in the backwoods of Kentucky. He was a tall, spare man of awkward build, and knew very little of the school room as a boy. He fought for his education. He borrowed books wherever he could. Many long nights were spent by him before the flickering lights of the log cabin, gleaning from his borrowed treasures the knowledge he longed to possess. He passed through all the experiences of life that other scouts and pioneers have experienced. He split rails for a livelihood, and fought his way upward by hard work, finally achieving for himself an education in the law, becoming an advocate in the courts of Illinois. Wherever he went, he made a profound impression on the lives and minds of the people and won over his political opponents by his strength, sympathy, {242} and breadth of mind. At the period when storms threatened to engulf our Ship of State, he became President of our country. Although Lincoln was an untried pilot, he stood by the helm like a veteran master. A man of earnest and intense conviction, he strove to maintain the glory of our flag and to keep the Union un-broken. Hundreds of stories are told of his great heart and almost boundless sympathy for others. The generals of the Civil War were deeply attached to him, and the rank and file of the sold-iers who fought under these generals loved and revered him. He was familiarly known as "Honest Abe." He could always be relied upon to give help and encouragement. His smile cheered the defenders of the Union, and his wise counsel gave heart to the men who were helping him to shape the destinies of the nation. At the close of the war which saw the Union more firmly established than ever, he fell by the hand of the assassin, mourned deeply both by his own country and by the world at large.

The further we get from the scene of his life and work the more firmly are we, his countrymen, convinced of his sincerity, strength, wisdom, and bigness of heart. The two men who stand out preeminently in history among great Americans are Washington and Lincoln, the former as the founder of the Union and the latter as the man who gave it unbreakable continuity and preserved it, as we hope and believe, for all time.



Lincoln's life and career should be the study and inspiration of every boy scout. He became familiar with all of the things for which the Boy Scouts of America stand. He was a lover of the wild things in the woods, and loved and lived the life of the out-of-doors. He had a high sense of honor and was intensely chivalrous, as the many hundred stories told about {243} him testify. He did many times more than one good turn a day; he sincerely loved his country; he lived, fought, and worked for it; and finally he sealed his loyalty by giving his life. The path that he travelled from the log cabin to the White House clearly shows that an American boy who has well defined ideas of truth and right, and then dares to stand by them, can become great in the councils of the nation. The life, then, of Abraham Lincoln should be a steady inspiration to every boy who wishes to call himself a scout.

Challenge of the Present

Thus we see that chivalry is not a virtue that had its beginning long ago and merely lived a short time, becoming a mere story. Chivalry began in the far-distant past out of the desire to help others, and the knights of the olden days did this as best they could. Later the new race of men in America took up the burden of chivalry, and did the best they could. Now the privilege and responsibility comes to the boys of to-day, and the voices of the knight of the olden time and of the hardy pioneers of our own country are urging the boys of to-day to do the right thing, in a gentlemanly way, for the sake of those about them. All of those men, whether knights or pioneers, had an unwritten code, somewhat like our scout law, and their motto was very much like the motto of the boy scouts, "Be Prepared."



Good Manners

The same thing that entered into the training of these men, knights, pioneers, and Lincoln, then, must enter into the training of the boy scouts of to-day. Just as they respected women and served them, so the tenderfoot and the scout must be polite and kind to women, not merely to well-dressed women, but to poorly-dressed women; not merely to young women, but to old women: to women wherever they may be found— {244} wherever they may be. To these a scout must always be courteous and helpful.

When a scout is walking with a lady or a child, he should always walk on the outside of the sidewalk, so that he can better protect them against the jostling crowds. This rule is only altered when crossing the street, when the scout should get between the lady and the traffic, so as to shield her from accident or mud. Also in meeting a woman or child, a scout, as a matter of course, should always make way for them even if he himself has to step off the sidewalk into the mud. When riding in a street car or train a scout should never allow a woman, an elderly person, or a child to stand, but will offer his seat; and when he does it he should do it cheerfully and with a smile.

When on the street, be continually on a quest, on the lookout to help others, and always refuse any reward for the effort. This kind of courtesy and good manners is essential to success. It was this unselfish desire to protect and help that made these men of olden time such splendid fellows.

Good manners attract and please, and should be cultivated by every boy who expects to win success and make his life interesting to others. In the home, on the street, in the school, in the workshop or the office, or wherever one may be, his relationship to others should be characterized as gentle, courteous, polite, considerate and thoughtful. These are virtues and graces that make life easier and pleasanter for all.

Cheerfulness

As has been said, whatever a scout does should be done with cheerfulness, and the duty of always being cheerful cannot be emphasized too much.

Why don't you laugh, and make us all laugh too, And keep us mortals all from getting blue? A laugh will always win. If you can't laugh—just grin. Go on! Let's all join in! Why don't you laugh?

Benjamin Franklin said: "Money never yet made a man happy, and there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness, One's personal enjoyment is a very small thing, but one's personal usefulness is a very important thing." Those only are happy who have their minds fixed upon some object other and higher than their own happiness. Doctor Raffles once said, {245} "I have made it a rule never to be with a person ten minutes without trying to make him happier." A boy once said to his mother, "I couldn't make little sister happy, nohow I could fix it, but I made myself happy trying to make her happy."

There was once a king who had a tall, handsome son whom he loved with his whole heart, so he gave him everything that his heart desired—a pony to ride, beautiful rooms to live in, picture books, stories, and everything that money could buy. And yet, in spite of this, the young prince was unhappy and wore a wry face and a frown wherever he went, and was always wishing for something he did not have. By and by, a magician came to the court, and seeing a frown on the prince's face, said to the king, "I can make your boy happy and turn his frown into a smile, but you must pay me a very large price for the secret." "All right," said the king, "whatever you ask, I will do." So the magician took the boy into a private room, and with white liquid wrote something on a piece of paper; then he gave the boy a candle and told him to warm the paper and read what was written. The prince did as he was told. The white letters turned into letters of blue, and he read these words; "Do a kindness to some one every day." So the prince followed the magician's advice and became the happiest boy in all the king's realm.

To be a good scout one must remain cheerful under every circumstance, bearing both fortune and misfortune with a smile.



Character

If a scout is cheerful, follows the advice of the magician to the king's son, and does a good turn to some one every day, he will come into possession of a strong character such as the knights of the Round Table had; for, after all, character is the thing that distinguishes a good scout from a bad one. Character is not what men say about you. A great writer {246} once said, "I can't hear what you say for what you are," and another one said, "Your life speaks louder than your words." It was not the words of the knights of old that told what they were. It was their strong life and fine character that gave power to their words and the thrust to their spears.

It is necessary that a boy should live right and possess such a character as will help him to do the hardest things of life. Every boy should remember that he is in reality just what he is when alone in the dark. The great quests of the knights were most often done singly and alone.

Will

Another thing that entered into the make-up of a knight was an iron will. He had staying powers because he willed to stick; and the way he trained his will to do the hard things was to keep himself doing the small things. Not long ago, there was a lad whom the boys nicknamed "Blockey" and "Wooden Man." When they played ball in the school play ground, Blockey never caught the ball. When they worked together in the gymnasium, Blockey was always left out of the game because he couldn't do things, and was slow and unwieldy in his motions. But one day, a great change came over Blockey and he began to train his will. He worked hard in the gymnasium: he learned to catch the ball, and, by sticking to it, was not only able to catch the ball but became proficient. Then there came a time when the first one chosen upon the team was Blockey; and it all came about because he had trained his will so that when he made up his mind to do a thing, he did it.

Thrift

Another thing which entered into the training of a knight was his readiness to seize his opportunities. The motto of the scout is "Be Prepared." He should be prepared for whatever opportunity presents itself. An interesting story is told by Orison Swett Marden. He says that a lad, who later became one of the millionaires of one of our great Western cities, began his earning career by taking advantage of an opportunity that came to him as he was passing an auction shop. He saw several boxes of a kind of soap which his mother was accustomed to buy from the family grocer. Hastening to the grocery store he asked the price of the soap. "Twelve cents a pound" was the reply. On being pressed for a lower figure the shopkeeper remarked in a bantering tone that he would buy all that the boy could bring to his store at {247} nine cents a pound. The boy hurried back to the auction and bought the soap at six cents a pound. It was in this way that he made his first money in trade and laid the foundation of his fortune.

The knight never waited for opportunity to come to him. He went out looking for it, and wore his armor in order that he might be ready for it when it came. There is a story of a Greek god who had only one lock of hair upon his forehead. The remainder of his head was shining bald. In order to get this ancient god's attention, it was necessary to grip him by his forelock, for when he had passed, nothing could check his speed. So it is with opportunity, and the hour of opportunity. A good scout is ready for both and always grips "time by the forelock."

Individuality

If the foregoing qualities enter into a scout's training, an individuality will be developed in him, which will make itself known and felt.

Every scout should read over the following list of scout virtues, and should strive at all times to keep them before him in his training, thus making them a part of his life:

Unselfishness: The art of thinking of others first and one's self afterward.

Self Sacrifice: The giving up of one's comfort, desires, and pleasures for the benefit of some one else.

Kindness: The habit of thinking well of others and doing good to them.

Friendliness: The disposition to make everyone you meet feel at ease, and to be of service to him if possible.

Honesty: The desire to give to every one a square deal and the same fair chance that you yourself wish to enjoy. It means also respect for the property and rights of others, the ability to face the truth, and to call your own faults by their right name.

Fair Play: Scorning to take unfair advantage of a rival and readiness even to give up an advantage to him.

Loyalty: The quality of remaining true and faithful not only to your principles but also to your parents and friends.

Obedience: Compliance with the wishes of parents or those in places of authority.

Discipline: That self-restraint and self-control that keep a boy steady, and help him in team work.

Endurance: A manly moderation which keeps a boy fit and strong and in good condition.

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Self Improvement: The ambition to get on in life by all fair means.

Humility: That fine quality which keeps a scout from boasting, and which generally reveals a boy of courage and achievement.

Honor: That great thing which is more sacred than anything else to scouts and gentlemen; the disdain of telling or implying an untruth; absolute trustworthiness and faithfulness.

Duty to God: That greatest of all things, which keeps a boy faithful to his principles and true to his friends and comrades; that gives him a belief in things that are high and noble, and which makes him prove his belief by doing his good turn to some one every day.

This list of virtues a scout must have, and if there are any that standout more prominently than the others, they are the following:



Courage

It is horrible to be a coward. It is weak to yield to fear and heroic to face danger without flinching. The old Indian who had been mortally wounded faced death with a grim smile on his lips and sang his own death song. The soldier of the {249} Roman legions laughed in the face of death, and died often with a "Hail, Imperator!" for the Roman Caesar upon his lips.

One of the stories connected with the battle of Agincourt tells us that four fair ladies had sent their knightly lovers into battle. One of these was killed. Another was made prisoner. The third was lost in the battle and never heard of afterward. The fourth was safe, but owed his safety to shameful flight. "Ah! woe is me," said the lady of this base knight, "for having placed my affections on a coward. He would have been dear to me dead. But alive he is my reproach."

A scout must be as courageous as any knight of old or any Roman soldier or any dying Indian.

Loyalty

Loyalty is another scout virtue which must stand out prominently, because it is that which makes him true to his home, his parents, and his country. Charles VIII, at the Battle of Foronovo, picked out nine of his bravest officers and gave to each of them a complete suit of armor, which was a counterpart of his own. By this device he outwitted a group of his enemies who had leagued themselves to kill him during the fight. They sought him through all the ranks, and every time they met one of these officers they thought they had come face to face with the king. The fact that these officers hailed such a dangerous honor with delight and devotion is a striking illustration of their loyalty.

The scout should be no less loyal to his parents, home, and country.

Duty to God

No scout can ever hope to amount to much until he has learned a reverence for religion. The scout should believe in God and God's word. In the olden days, knighthood, when it was bestowed, was a religious ceremony, and a knight not only considered himself a servant of the king, but also a servant of God. The entire night preceding the day upon which the young esquire was made knight was spent by him on his knees in prayer, in a fast and vigil.

There are many kinds of religion in the world. One important point, however, about them is that they all involve the worship of the same God. There is but one leader, although many ways of following Him. If a scout meets one of another religion, he should remember that he, too, is striving for the best. {250} A scout should respect the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.



A Boy Scout's Religion

The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no boy can grow into the best kind of citizenship without recognizing his obligation to God. The first part of the boy scout's oath or pledge is therefore: "I promise on my honor to do my best to honor my God and my country." The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe, and the grateful acknowledgement of His favors and blessings is necessary to the best type of citizenship and is a wholesome thing in the education of the growing boy. No matter what the boy may be—Catholic, or Protestant, or Jew—this fundamental need of good citizenship should be kept before him. The Boy Scouts of America therefore recognize the religious element in the training of a boy, but it is absolutely non-sectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the organization or institution with which the boy scout is connected shall give definite attention to his religious life. If he be a Catholic boy scout, the Catholic Church of which he is a member is the best channel for his training. If he be a Hebrew boy, then the Synagogue will train him in the faith of his fathers. If he be a Protestant, no matter to what denomination of Protestantism he may belong, the church of which he is an adherent or a member should be the proper organization to give him an education in the things that pertain to his allegiance to God. The Boy Scouts of America, then, while recognizing the fact that the boy should be taught the things that pertain to religion, insists upon the boy's religious life being stimulated and fostered by the institution with which he is connected. Of course, it is a fundamental principle of the Boy Scouts of America to insist on {251} clean, capable leadership in its scout masters, and the influence of the leader on the boy scout should be of a distinctly helpful character.

Work, Not Luck

Life, after all, is just this: Some go through life trusting to luck. They are not worthy to be scouts. Others go through life trusting to hard work and clear thinking. These are they who have cleared the wilderness and planted wheat where forests once grew, who have driven back the savage, and have fostered civilization in the uncultivated places of the earth. The good scout is always at work—working to improve himself and to improve the daily lot of others.

The thing that is to be noticed in all of these men, those of the Round Table, and those of American pioneer days, is the fact that they were ever ready to do a good turn to some one. The knights of the Round Table did theirs by clash of arms, by the jousts and the tourney, and by the fierce hand-to-hand fights that were their delight in open battle. The old scouts, our own pioneers, very often had to use the rifle and the hatchet and the implements of war. However, those days have passed, and we are living in a non-military and peace-loving age; and the glory of it is that, whereas these men took their lives in their hands and by dint of rifle and sword did their part in helping others, our modern civilization gives the Boy Scouts of America an opportunity to go out and do their good turn daily for others in the thousand ways that will benefit our American life the most. Sometimes they will have to risk their lives, but it will be in case of fire or accident or catastrophe. At other times they will be given the privilege of showing simple deeds of chivalry by their courteous treatment of their elders, cripples, and children, by giving up their seats in street cars, or by carrying the bundles of those who are not as physically strong as themselves. And in it all will come the satisfying feeling that they are doing just as much and perhaps a great deal more than the iron-clad men or the buckskin clothed scouts in making their country a little safer and a little better place to live in. Chivalry and courtesy and being a gentleman mean just as much now as they ever did, and there is a greater demand in these days to live pure, to speak true, and to help others by a good turn daily than ever before in the world's history.

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CHAPTER VII

FIRST AID AND LIFE SAVING

Major Charles Lynch, Medical Corps, U. S. A. Acting for the American Red Cross

PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS

General

Considerably over a million persons are seriously injured in the United States each year. The enormous loss of life and the great suffering involved certainly demand that every boy scout do what he can to improve conditions in this respect. Some accidents happen under all circumstances, but, on the other hand a great many accidents are avoidable and probably quite one half of the injuries which occur in the United States yearly could be prevented if common care were exercised.

Panics and Their Prevention

In case of a panic, at an in-door assembly, scouts, if they live up to their motto, "Be Prepared," will be able to save hundreds of lives. There is usually plenty of time for people to get out of a building if the exits are not blocked by too many crowding them at once. One should, if possible, try to arrange to have the performance go on, and the others could reassure the people and get them to go out quietly through the exits provided. Almost all scouts know how quickly and safely our school buildings are cleared by means of the fire drill.

Fires

Fires constitute a danger as great as panics, and scouts should be equally well informed what to do in case of fire. It is the duty of a scout to know how to prevent fires. Many fires are caused by carelessness. Never throw away a lighted match, for it may fall on inflammable material and start a fire. Reading in bed by the light of a lamp or candle is dangerous, for if the reader goes to sleep the bed clothing is likely to catch fire. {256} A scout may often have to dry his clothes before a fire and if so, they should be carefully watched. Hot ashes in wooden boxes, or in barrels, are responsible for many fires. In camp, dry grass should be cut away from the locality of the camp fire; and not to put out a camp fire on leaving a camp is criminal. Many of the great fires in our forests have been due to carelessness in this respect. Fires also result frequently from explosions of gas or gunpowder. A room in which the odor of gas is apparent should never be entered with a light, and in handling gunpowder a scout should have no matches loose in his pockets.

How To Put Out Burning Clothing

If your own clothing should catch fire do not run for help as this will fan the flames. Lie down and roll up as tightly as possible in an overcoat, blanket, or rug. If nothing can be obtained in which to wrap up, lie down and roll over slowly at the same time beating out the fire with the hands. If another person's clothing catches fire, throw him to the ground and smother the fire with a coat, blanket, or rug.

What To Do in Case of Fire

A fire can usually be put out very easily when it starts, and here is an occasion when a scout can show his presence of mind and coolness. At first a few buckets of water or blankets or woollen clothing thrown upon a fire will smother it. Sand, ashes, or dirt, or even flour, will have the same effect.

[Transcriber's note: Flour dust suspended in air is explosive.]

If a scout discovers a building to be on fire, he should sound the alarm for the fire department at once. If possible he should send some one else, as the scout will probably know better what to do before the fire-engine arrives. All doors should be kept closed so as to prevent draughts. If you enter the burning building, close the window or door after you, if possible, and leave some responsible person to guard it so it will not be opened and cause a draught. In searching for people, go to the top floor and walk down, examining each room as carefully as possible. If necessary to get air while making the search, close the door of the room, open a window, and stick the head out until a few breaths can be obtained. Afterward close the window to prevent a draught. If doors are found locked and you suspect people are asleep inside, knock and pound on doors to arouse them. If this produces no results, you will have to try to break down the door. While searching through a burning building it will be best to tie a wet handkerchief or cloth {257} over the nose and mouth. You will get a little air from the water.

Remember the air within six inches of the floor is free from smoke, so when you have difficulty in breathing, crawl along the floor, with the head low, dragging anyone you have rescued behind you.

If you tie the hands of an insensible person together with a handkerchief and put them over your head, you will find it fairly easy to crawl along the floor dragging him with you.



Never jump from a window unless the flames are so close to you that this is the only means of escape.

If you are outside a building, put bedding in a pile to break the jumper's fall, or get a strong carpet or rug to catch him, and have it firmly held by as many men and boys as can secure hand holds.

In country districts, scouts should organize a bucket brigade which consists of two lines from the nearest water supply to the fire. Scouts in one line pass buckets, pitchers, or anything else that will hold water from one to another till the last scout {258} throws the water on the fire. The buckets are returned by the other line.

Drowning

Drowning accidents are very common. Every scout should know how to swim and to swim well, but this is not all that is necessary. He should also know how to prevent accidents that may result in drowning. In summer, boating and bathing accidents are common. Remember a light boat is not intended for heavy seas; do not change seats except in a wide and steady boat; and above all things do not put yourself in the class of idiots who rock a boat.

At the sea-shore, unless you are a strong swimmer, do not go outside the life line, and if the undertow is strong be careful not to walk out where the water is so deep it will carry you off your feet. Very cold water and very long swims are likely to exhaust even a strong swimmer and are therefore hazardous unless a boat accompanies the swimmer.

Rescue of the Drowning (See pages 279 to 285)

Ice Rescue

To rescue a person who has broken through the ice you should first tie a rope around your body and have the other end tied, or held, on shore. Then secure a long board or a ladder or limb of a tree, crawl out on this, or push it out, so that the person in the water may reach it. If nothing can be found on which you can support your weight do not attempt to walk out toward the person to be rescued, but lie down flat on your face and crawl out, as by doing this much less weight bears at anyone point on the ice than in walking. If you yourself break through the ice remember that if you try to crawl up on the broken edge it will very likely break again with you. If rescuers are near, it would be much better to support yourself on the edge of the ice and wait for them to come to you.

Restoring the Drowning and Artificial Respiration (See pages 286 to 288)

Electric Accidents

For his own benefit and that of his comrades, the scout should know how to avoid accidents from electricity. The third rail is always dangerous, so do not touch {259} it. Swinging wires of any kind may somewhere in their course be in contact with live wires, so they should not be touched.

A person in contact with a wire or rail carrying an electric current will transfer the current to the rescuer. Therefore he must not touch the unfortunate victim unless his own body is thoroughly insulated. The rescuer must act very promptly, for the danger to the person in contact is much increased the longer the electric current is allowed to pass through his body. If possible, the rescuer should insulate himself by covering his hands with a mackintosh, rubber sheeting, several thicknesses of silk, or even dry cloth. In addition he should, if possible, complete his insulation by standing on a dry board, a thick piece of paper, or even on a dry coat. Rubber gloves and rubber shoes or boots are still safer, but they cannot usually be procured quickly.

If a live wire is under a person and the ground is dry, it will be perfectly safe to stand on the ground and pull him off the wire with the bare hands, care being taken to touch only his clothing, and this must not be wet.

A live wire lying on a patient may be flipped off with safety with a dry board or stick. In removing the live wire from the person, or the person from the wire, do this, with one motion, as rocking him to and fro on the wire will increase shock and burn.

A live wire may be safely cut by an axe or hatchet with dry, wooden handle. The electric current may be short circuited by dropping a crow-bar or poker on the wire. These must be dropped on the side from which the current is coming and not on the farther side, as the latter will not short circuit the current before it is passed through the body of the person in contact. Drop the metal bar; do not place it on the wire or you will then be made a part of the short circuit and receive the current of electricity through your body.

What To Do for Electric Shocks

Always send for a doctor, but do not wait for him. Treatment should be given even if the man appears to be dead. Loosen the clothing around neck and body. Proceed to restore breathing by artificial respiration as in drowning. (See pages 286, 287.)

Gas Accidents

The commonest gas encountered is the ordinary illuminating gas. To prevent such gas from escaping in dangerous {260} quantities, leaks in gas pipes should be promptly repaired. Be careful in turning off gas to make sure that gas is actually shut off. It is dangerous to leave a gas jet burning faintly when you go to sleep: as it may go out if pressure in the gas pipe becomes less, and if pressure is afterward increased gas may escape into the room.

Coal gas will escape through red-hot cast-iron, and very big fires in such stoves are dangerous, especially in sleeping rooms. Charcoal burned in open vessels in tight rooms is especially dangerous. In underground sewers and wells other dangerous gases are found. If a lighted candle or torch will not burn in such a place, it is very certain the air will be deadly for any person who enters.

To rescue an unconscious person in a place filled with gas, move quickly and carry him out without breathing yourself. Take a few deep breaths before entering and if possible hold breath while in the place. Frequently less gas will be found near the floor of a building, so one may be able to crawl where it would be dangerous to walk.

What To Do for Gas Poisoning

Proceed to restore breathing by artificial respiration as in drowning. (See pages 286, 287.)

Runaway Horses

The method for checking a horse running away is not to run out and wave your arm in front of him, as this will only cause him to dodge to one side and to run faster, but to try to run alongside the vehicle with one hand on the shaft to prevent yourself from falling, seizing the reins with the other hand and dragging the horse's head toward you. If when he has somewhat slowed down by this method, you can turn him toward a wall or a house he will probably stop.

Mad Dog

The first thing to do is to kill the mad dog at once. Wrap a handkerchief around the hand to prevent the dog's teeth from entering the flesh and grasp a club of some kind. If you can stop the dog with a stick you should hit him hard over the head with it, or kick him under the jaw. A handkerchief held in front of you in your outstretched hands will generally cause the dog to stop to paw it before he attempts to bite you. This will give you an opportunity to kick him under the lower jaw.

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Another way suggested is to wrap a coat around the left arm and let the dog bite it; then with the other hand seize the dog's throat and choke him.

FIRST AID FOR INJURIES

General Directions

Keep cool. There is no cause for excitement or hurry. In not one case in a thousand are the few moments necessary to find out what is the matter with an injured man going to result in any harm to him, and of course in order to treat him intelligently you must first know what is the matter. Commonsense will tell the scout that he must waste no time, however, when there is severe bleeding, or in case of poisoning.

If possible, always send for a doctor, unless the injury is a trivial one. Don't wait until he arrives, however, to do something for the injured person. A crowd should always be kept back and tight clothing should be loosened. If the patient's face is pale, place him on his back with his head low. If his face is flushed, fold your coat and put it under his head so as to raise it slightly.

In case of vomiting, place the patient on his side. Do not give an unconscious person a stimulant, as he cannot swallow, and it will run down his windpipe and choke him.

If the injury is covered by clothing, remove it by cutting or tearing, but never remove more clothing than necessary, as one of the results of injury is for a person to feel cold. Shoes and boots should be cut in severe injuries about the feet.

Shock

For example, a scout is riding on a trolley-car. The car runs into a loaded wagon. The wagon is overturned and the driver thrown to the pavement. Part of the load falls upon his body and when you reach him he is unconscious. So far as you can find out, nothing else is the matter with him. This is called shock. It accompanies all serious injuries and is itself serious, as a person may die without ever recovering from shock. Of course, there are different degrees of shock. In severe shock the person is completely unconscious or he may be only slightly confused and feel weak and uncertain of what has happened.

In shock always send for a doctor when you can. Before he comes, warm and stimulate the patient in every possible way. Place him on his back with his head low and cover him with {262} your coat or a blanket. Rub his arms and legs toward his body but do not uncover him to do this. If you have ammonia or smelling salts, place them before the patient's nose so he may breathe them.

This is all you can do when unconsciousness is complete. When the patient begins to recover a little, however, and as soon as he can swallow, give him hot tea or coffee, or a half teaspoonful of aromatic spirits of ammonia in a quarter glass of water.

Warning: Remember always that a person with shock may have some other serious injuries. These you should always look for and treat if necessary.

Injuries in Which the Skin is Not Broken—Fractures

A fracture is the same thing as a broken bone. When the bone pierces or breaks through the skin, it is called a compound fracture, and when it does not, a simple fracture.



A scout is in the country with a comrade. The latter mounts a stone wall to cross it. The wall falls with him and he calls out for help. When the other scout reaches him, he finds the injured scout lying flat on the ground with both legs stretched out. One of these does not look quite natural, and the scout complains of a great deal of pain at the middle of the thigh and thinks he felt something break when he fell. He cannot raise the injured leg. Carefully rip the trousers and the underclothing at the seam to above the painful point. When you have done this the deformity will indicate the location of the fracture. You must be very gentle now or you will do harm, but if one hand is put above where you think the {263} break occurred and the other below it and it is lifted gently you will find that there is movement at the broken point.



Send for a doctor first, if you can, and, if you expect him to arrive very soon, let your comrade lie where he is, putting his injured leg in the same position as the sound one and holding it there by coats or other articles piled around the leg. But if the doctor cannot be expected for some time, draw the injured limb into position like the sound one and hold it there by splints. Splints can be made of anything that is stiff and rigid. Something flat like a board is better than a pole or staff; limbs broken off a tree will do if nothing else can be found. Shingles make excellent splints. In applying splints remember that they should extend beyond the next joint above and the next joint below; otherwise, movements of the joint will cause movement at the broken point. With a fracture of the thigh, such as that described, the outer splint should be a very long one, extending below the feet from the arm pit. A short one extending just below the knee will do for the inner splint. Splints may be tied on with handkerchiefs, pieces of cloth torn from the clothing, or the like. Tie firmly but not tight enough to cause severe pain. In a fracture of the thigh it will also be well to bind the injured leg to the sound one by two or three pieces of cloth around both. The clothing put back in place will serve as padding under the splint, but with thin summer clothing it is better to use straw, hay, or leaves in addition. Fractures of the lower leg and of the upper and lower arm are treated in the same way with a splint on the inner and outer sides of the broken bone. A sling will be required for a fracture of the arm. This may be made of the triangular bandage, or of a triangular piece of cloth, torn from your shirt.

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The Red Cross First Aid Outfit is very convenient to use in fractures as well as in other injuries. The gauze bandage may be used for the strips to tie on the splints and the triangular bandage for an arm sling; or, if a sling is not needed, for strips to fix the splints firmly in place.

Compound Fractures

The edges of a broken bone are very sharp and may cut through the skin at the time of an injury, but more often afterward, if the injured person moves about or if the splints are not well applied so as to prevent movement at the point where the bone is broken. If a compound fracture has occurred, the wound produced by the sharp bone must always be treated first. The treatment is the same for any other wound.

Warning: You will not always be able to tell whether or not a fracture has occurred. In this case do not pull and haul the limb about to make sure, but treat as a fracture. There will always be a considerable amount of shock with fracture and this must also be treated.



Bruises

Everybody has suffered from a bruise at some time in his life and knows just what it is. A slight bruise needs no treatment. For a severe one, apply very hot or very cold water to prevent pain and swelling.

Sprains

A scout slips and twists his ankle and immediately suffers severe pain, and in a little while the ankle begins to swell. {265} The sprained joint should be put in an elevated position and cloths wrung out in very hot or very cold water should be wrapped around it and changed very frequently. Movement of any sprained joint is likely to increase the injury, so this ought not to be permitted. Walking with a sprained ankle is not only exceedingly painful but it generally increases the hurt.



Dislocation

A dislocation is an injury where the head of a bone has slipped out of its socket at a joint. A scout is playing foot-ball. He suddenly feels as though his shoulder has been twisted out of place. Comparison with the other side will show that the injured shoulder does not look like the other one, being longer, or shorter, and contrary to the case with fracture there will not be increased movement at the point of injury but a lessened movement. Do not attempt to get a dislocated joint back in place. Cover the joint with cloths wrung out in very hot or very cold water, and get the patient into the hands of a doctor as soon as possible.

Injuries in Which the Skin is Broken

Such injuries are called wounds. There is one very important fact which must be remembered in connection with such injuries. Any injury in which the skin is unbroken is much less dangerous, as the skin prevents germs from reaching the injured part. The principle to be followed in treating a wound is to apply something to prevent germs from reaching the injury.

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All wounds unless protected from germs are very liable to become infected with matter, or pus. Blood poisoning and even death may result from infection. To prevent infection of wounds, the scout should cover them promptly with what is called a sterilized dressing. This is a surgical dressing which has been so treated that it is free from germs. A number of dressings are on the market and can be procured in drug stores. In using them, be very careful not to touch the surface of the dressing which is to be placed in contact with the wound. The Red Cross First Aid Dressing is so made that this accident is almost impossible. In taking care of a wound, do not handle it or do anything else to it. Every one's hands, though they may appear to be perfectly clean, are not so in the sense of being free from germs; nor is water, so a wound should never be washed.



It will be a good thing for a scout always to carry a Red Cross First Aid Outfit, or some similar outfit, for with this he is ready to take care of almost any injury; without it he will find it very difficult to improvise anything to cover a wound with safety to the injured person. If no prepared dressing is procurable, boil a towel if possible for fifteen minutes, squeeze the water out of it without touching the inner surface, and apply that to the wound. The next best dressing, if you cannot prepare this, will be a towel or handkerchief which has been recently washed and has not been used. These should be held in place on the wound with a bandage. Do not be afraid to leave a wound exposed to the air; germs do not float around in the air and such exposure is much safer than water or any dressing which is not free from germs. Of course you can bind up a {267} wound with a towel not boiled or piece of cotton torn from your shirt, but you cannot do so without the liability of a great deal of harm to the injured person.

Snake Bites

While snake bites are wounds, the wounds caused by venomous snakes are not important as such but because the venom is quickly absorbed and by its action on the brain may cause speedy death. The rattlesnake and the moccasin are the most dangerous snakes in the United States.

In order to prevent absorption of the poison, immediately tie a string, handkerchief, or bandage above the bite. This can only be done in the extremities, but nearly all bites are received on the arms or legs. Then soak the wound in hot water and squeeze or suck it to extract the poison. Sucking a wound is not dangerous unless one has cuts or scrapes in the mouth. Then burn the wound with strong ammonia. This is not aromatic spirits of ammonia, but what is commonly known as strong ammonia in any drug store. Aromatic spirits of ammonia should also be given as a stimulant.

If you have nothing but a string to tie off the wound, be sure to do that and to get out as much poison as you can by squeezing or sucking the wound. A doctor should of course always be sent for when practicable in any injury as severe as a snake bite. Leave your string or bandage in place for an hour. A longer period is unsafe, as cutting off the circulation may cause mortification. Loosen the string or bandage after an hour's time, so that a little poison escapes into the body. If the bitten person does not seem to be much affected, repeat at the end of a few moments, and keep this up until the band has been entirely removed. If, however, the bitten person seems to be seriously affected by the poison you have allowed to escape into his body, you must not loosen the bandage again, but leave it in place and take the chance of mortification.

Wounds Without Severe Bleeding

These constitute the majority of all wounds. Use the Red Cross Outfit as described in the slip contained in the outfit. The pressure of a bandage will stop ordinary bleeding if firmly bound into place.

Wounds With Severe Bleeding

A scout must be prepared to check severe bleeding at once, and he should then dress the wound. Bleeding from an {268} artery is by far the most dangerous. Blood coming from a cut artery is bright red in color and flows rapidly in spurts or jets. As the course of the blood in an artery is away from the heart, pressure must be applied on the heart side just as a rubber pipe which is cut must be compressed on the side from which the water is coming in order to prevent leakage at a cut beyond. The scout must also know the course of the larger arteries in order that he may know where to press on them. In the arm the course of the large artery is down the inner side of the big muscle in the upper arm about in line with the seam of the coat. The artery in the leg runs down from the centre of a line from the point of the hip to the middle of the crotch, and is about in line with the inseam of the trousers. Pressure should be applied about three inches below the crotch. In making pressure on either of these arteries, use the fingers and press back against the bone. You can often feel the artery beat under your fingers, and the bleeding below will stop when you have your pressure properly made. Of course you cannot keep up the pressure with your fingers indefinitely in this way as they will soon become tired and cramped. Therefore, while you are doing this have some other scout prepare a tourniquet. The simplest form of tourniquet is a handkerchief tied loosely about the limb. In this handkerchief a smooth stone or a cork should be placed just above your fingers on the artery. When this is in place put a stick about a foot long under the handkerchief at the outer side of the limb and twist around till the stone makes pressure on the artery in the same way that your {269} fingers have. Tie the stick in position so it will not untwist.



Warning: When using a tourniquet remember that cutting off the circulation for a long time is dangerous. It is much safer not to keep on a tourniquet more than an hour. Loosen it, but be ready to tighten it again quickly if bleeding re-commences.

Another method to stop bleeding from an artery when the wound is below the knee or elbow is to place a pad in the bend of the joint and double the limb back over it holding the pad in tightly. Tie the arm or leg in this position. If these means do not check the bleeding put a pad into the wound and press on it there. If you have no dressing and blood is being lost very rapidly, make pressure in the wound with your fingers. Remember, however, that this should only be resorted to in the case of absolute necessity as it will infect the wound.

Blood from veins flows in a steady stream back toward the heart and is dark in color. From most veins a pad firmly bandaged on the bleeding point will stop the bleeding. If a vein in the neck is wounded, blood will be lost so rapidly that the injured person is in danger of immediate death, so you must disregard the danger of infection and jam your hand tightly against the bleeding point.

Keep the patent quiet in all cases of severe bleeding, for even if it is checked it may start up again. Do not give any stimulants until the bleeding has been checked unless the patient is very weak. The best stimulant is aromatic spirits of ammonia, one teaspoonful in half a glass of water.



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Unconsciousness and Poisoning

Unconsciousness, of course, means lack of consciousness, or, in other words; one who is unconscious knows nothing of his surroundings or of what is happening. A person may, however, be partially, as well as wholly, unconscious.

Unconsciousness may be due to so many causes that, in order to give the best treatment, the scout should first know the cause. Always try to find this out if you can. If you cannot do this, however, you should at least determine whether unconsciousness is due to poison, to bleeding, to sunstroke, or to freezing; for each of these demand immediate, special treatment. If it is not due to one of these causes, and the patient is pale and weak, have him placed with his head low, and warm and stimulate him in every possible way. If the face is red and the pulse is bounding and strong, that patient should have his head raised on a folded coat. No stimulants should be given him and cold water should be sprinkled on his face and chest.