Bibbero Life-saving

Professor Marquis Bibbero, Trainer to Captain Webb and Many Other Famous Swimmers: Life-Saving. With an Appendix on Swimming and the New Archimedean-Screw Stroke, The Strand, London Health and Strength Ltd 1885

Slim 8vo 7.75 - 9.75 Inches Soundly bound in pale-blue paper-covered boards, red titles, lightly soiled, rubbed at the spine, no inscriptions, text clean throughout, pp.24 inc. brief publisher's catalogue, illustrated. The Archimedean-Screw stroke doesn't seem to have caught on despite the author's belief that it would enable the breaking of all speed and endurance records in the very near future. Perhaps not surprising as the author describes a complete rotation of the body with the face going complete into the water and out again at each stroke, and each leg describing a completely different motion (difficult!). Perhaps a lack of mastery of this new wonder-stroke is why the author's pupil Captain Webb failed to successfully negotiate the rapids at Niagara... Very scare title.

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