8 
SURVIVAL ON LAND AND SEA 
Sitting for long periods with wet feet tends to result in pain 
or numbness of the feet, followed by swelling and later by the 
formation of blisters or ulcers (“immersion foot”). To prevent 
this the following precautions have been found helpful: (1) 
Keep the craft bailed out and as dry as possible. (2) Keep 
your feet as dry as you can. (3) Loosen your shoe laces, 
remove garters, and avoid all constriction of clothing which 
would interfere in any way with circulation of blood from the 
legs. (4) Exercise your toes, move frequently, place the feet 
for a time at the level of the hips, lie on your back and hold 
your feet in the air for a few minutes at a time. If your feet 
and legs become numb and swollen, do not apply massage or 
heat but keep them elevated and as dry as possible. Remove 
your shoes if the swelling is at all severe. 
As a result of the very limited ration of food and water, 
your stools will tend to become hard and dry and the urine 
scanty and concentrated. Though every encouragement should 
be given the bowels to move, constipation is to be expected. 
The experience of most shipwreck survivors is that few diffi- 
culties result from it later on. As the urine becomes more 
concentrated it may tend to burn as if is passed. It may be 
found wise under these circumstances to empty the bladder only 
once or twice a day as the burning will probably last no longer 
after passing a large quantity of urine than after passing a 
small quantity. 
Remember that alcohol has no thirst-quenching value and is 
dangerous to drink under these circumstances. Heavy smokers 
find tobacco soothing, particularly during the long night 
watches, but it has no other virtue and increases thirst. 
