If the chest be irritable, it is neither salutary nor easy to skate
against the wind. In countries where these exercises are general,
inflammations of the chest are very common in winter. Skating sometimes
exposes to much danger. If the skater find that he cannot get away from
rotten ice, he must crawl over it on his hands and knees, in order
to reduce his weight on the supporting points. If he fall on it at
length, he must roll away from it towards ice more firm. If he fall
into a hole, he must extend his arms horizontally over the edges of the
unbroken ice, and only tread water, till a ladder or a plank is pushed
towards him, or a rope is thrown for his hold.