SWIMMING collars indeed! Who ever, until lately, heard of such a thing as a swimming collar? One has heard of "grinning through a horse-collar," but to swim in a collar seems, at first sight, so great an absurdity that the idea alone suffices to raise a smile. Nevertheless, the utility of a swimming collar is now an established fact, and when the subject is scientifically considered it becomes no absurdity at all; whilst from its simplicity, portability, cheapness, and convenience, the only wonder is that no one ever thought of such a thing before.

So high an opinion, indeed, have we formed of its general utility, after our- selves trying one, that we firmly believe its -general adoption, when bathing, by persons who cannot swim, and by those who are indifferent swimmers, or even by the best swimmers if liable to cramp, would be the means of saving many lives.

The swimming colla'r is merely a very thin and light india-rubber circular, cylin- drical, inflated tube, which is placed round the neck by being drawn over the head before inflation, or, in those for the use of women, tied round the neck. It is then inflated through a small tube, long enough to reach the mouth.

As, however, the india-rubber cylinder would not, of itself, be strong enough to bear rough usage, it is inclosed in an outer cover or case of elastic cotton, similar in texture to a cotton stocking, which outer cover being smaller than the inner tube is tightly filled before the latter is so, and thus receives all the strain from any out- ward pressure or blow. This is the same principle as that on which the American inflated tubular boat was constructed which some time since crossed the Atlantic, from New York to Southampton, and a description of which was given in the 67th number of this Journal: the ingenuity of which arrangement is unquestionable.

We have implied, above, that this little instrument is of a scientific character, and such is the case, not only in the matter of its construction, but in its application. In former articles on life-belts, we have pointed out the importance of all such in- struments for providing artificial buoyancy being secured round the body as high as possible, all waist life-belts being secured close under the armpits. Yet it has never, to our knowledge, occurred to any one to place the buoyancy in a higher position still, ia the shape of a collar round the neck, until the idea happily occurred to Mr. H. MACINTOSH, the inventor of this little instrument.

Worn in that position, the head of the wearer cannot possibly remain under water, as the weight of the legs and lower portion of the body, if no exertion is made, naturally tend to bring the body into a vertical position, whilst the buoy- ancy of the collar, which will float an iron weight of 8 Ibs., will raise his head quite out of the water, and float him with his mouth about 4 or 5 inches above its surface.

It must, however, be borne in mind that the swimming collar is not intended to supersede the life-belt, nor is it fitted to do so, since a proper life-belt will have suffi- cient buoyancy to float a person with the shoulders and chest above the water, which no belt or collar round the neck could do; but then a life-belt is a comparatively large and cumbersome thing, whilst the neck-collar,- when uninflated and folded up, is no bigger than a large pair of gloves, or a thin stocking.

In recommending every one who is in the habit of bathing, to provide himself or herself with one, we need only further ad'.l that their cost is only 4s. or 5s., and their weight less than 2 ounces.

We think they might with advantage be made rather larger than some of those which are sold, so as to have more buoy- ancy, since persons unable to swim on getting out of their depth, especially if the water should be rough, as is often expe- rienced by bathers on the coast, would be likely to preserve their presence of mind, almost in exact proportion to the amount of support derived from the artificial buoy- ancy contained in the collar or belt worn.

A slight increase of diameter would in- crease its buoyancy to 12 Ibs. or 14 Ibs., which would thereby much increase the confidence of the wearer if unable to swim.

To such persons it may be well to suggest, that they should endeavour to float on their backs until help arrived, or at least with the head thrown back, when the face and chin would be raised higher above the water's surface than if perfectly upright or leaning forward.

It may be named as a further and great advantage of this little instrument, that even if the wearer should become insen- sible before the arrival of help, the body would not sink, and might be recovered even if death had taken place'; whilst in many cases, through the saving of the time lost in dragging for the body when out of sight, the wearer might by the use of the proper means be restored to consciousness and life.