The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-03
snL1ARDs-MED1CALLY CONSIDERED.
Use Of the Game in Families.

Use Of the Game In Families.
The November number of the North American
,JoUrnol OF Hongop0thy contains the following
interesting article, which, we understand, was
written by DR.. ". Il. Marcy, of New York,
one OF the most eminent practitioners OF the
homeopathic SCHOOL,
''Nolhing contributes more to the physical,
moral, and intellectual development and health
fUiness OF a community than suitable recreation.
Man is made up OF great variety OF organs ana
faculties, all destined to perform certain innc,
tons, ana propertexercise and development OF
them is essential to the highest degree OF health
and usefulness This vital fact Is not duly ap-
preciated by the American people, In all paris
o. our country the chief END OIL lie appears 10
Cons ,st In the acquisition OF riches; and all OF
the faculties of the mind, yea, even heatn ltselI,
are rendered subservient to this obJect In our
LARGO cities, especially, violations OIL laws OF
hea,,b are almost universal. The amount OF
rec. alton and amusement INDUCED in by our
professional, literary, and business men is en-
Irelv inadequate to secure that degree OF physl-
cal aud mental vigOr which properly belongs to
them Scarcely man OF them can examine
carefully the mortal tabernacle in which his
soul dwells, without 6nding some arrangement,
some source OF pain, depression OF spirits, or
1--WE claim that large portion of these evils
Is due to excessive devotion to business, and to
a neg ect OF those mental and physical diversions
when Conduce so materially 10 health and nap
pness. On re urning home from business, our
cltizens indulge III rich dinners, with ylnous
aud other potatlons. After the meal is ended,
majority Of them nope over IUelf bNtuNuB JOul
nals, poI.der upon the prices OF merchandise,
stocks, and the profits and losses OF the day, and
then retire to an unretreshing sleep, with a
stomach full of Ich Niands and exciting stlmu-
lants, aud a mind oppressed with perpleXing
cares and thoughts of business. Another portion
pass large part of The night at crowded parties,
baIls, theatres, clubs, and late suppers, and call
this recreation. But is the inhalation, for hours
in success ion, of a poisonous atmosphere, or an
indulgence IN game suppers, punches, wines, 1ce5
and other abominations at two or three O'Clock
in the morning, and then going from heated
apartments with open pores into cold atmo-
sphere, in sober reality amusing, or conducive
TO health or moralsY Let the next mornings
hesdache, nausea, and mental and bodily lassi-
tuuP, which even SeltZer water fails to remove,
answer. Later, let the sallow skin, the dyspeptc
stomach, the torpid liver, the shakY nerves and
the blue devils, respond to the query. Later
still, let apoPlexy, paralysis, sottenlng OF the
brain, Oh Brieht's disease, give the final answer.
"Wnat, then, can be suggested as suitable
modes Of recreation? Z? How can we present that
exercise and diversion to both mind and body
which will result in recruiting them from the
perplexing tolls and cares of business. We
answer by directing the thoughts and muscles
into new and agreeable channels; by taking
me mind from care, anxiety, and severe applt-
cation, and diverting 1t by pleasurable exercise
and excitement; by setting aside disagreeable
and depressing emotions, and substituting in
their place those which are cheerful and eXhila-
rating; BY giving to the dormant muscles of the
limbs and OF the whole body that gentle and
heslthful exercise which they SO much require,
but Of which they are so much deprived in the
Ordinary avocations OF city life.
zone of the modes bv which these desirable
objects may be accompl shed, is to in rod ice
into priv ate hous a 0lllard-, able, and to pre-
sent 1t TO the entire family, mon, women, and
children, as a means OF daily exercise and
recreation. The most indolent and stupid will,
by practice, soon acquire tondness tor the
game; and the improvement in the sanitary
condition of those who habtually indulge in 1t,
will commend IL in the strongest manner to the
heads of families.
''We also advocate the game of billiards in
families from q moral as we'll as sanitary point
of view. Young America is naturally 'frisky,'
naturally enthusiastic, exuberant, and fond Of
excl ement and fua. Condne hun in the house
without diversion aud excitement, aud he mopes,
sulks, pines, and sooner or laser breaks from
wholeso ne parental restraints, sni insiInctively
seeks tor AZ aseE'e1Gss sxciieDsnts- &nd plea
sures slsE 4sEe- 81 tAe cl2ea tie pasF-Ao-s7, Tie
rss: tr4ll- s-5. -r,o cs1e-- ies EB11 ezEAsll Sd
lr.lpsA These 1B1iE-8a izs5rc.is s1- divers s0u
-.B} " iF-,a.:tsG IL s1.t maine. .Y r,s-slls Es
.. ~ lI-Et c2 7I,lfi aTs -1FE5,iEl z.ofBl- E11
-It..lHginIaA l41tsitl, IT r1IssEE-.g 11oJs ia .
the HTurIHi5iluH VlI.n cfftiE9C them =-s=-
-y'nn-s. EsNg rilGu gi.m6sr-BslE tdlSBrv5-,1'o 1s
Put baltlr,f Etiiaf fllEi iGGh sa.Y Er3 mind
if amused EIt -I'T-E.rElsi. Ill. iEs Eitrsc-
-lDlH mt JisInsT1as u h.r,E VII @s Ezlsr.gE 10
sl!HF it9y,n,t gYf nl,I-Ds LrIsss-
E Lr.E II naE.ils11 bI1.iEl EE-zs- ard affords
scoS% All s1srrIFs sss 1z1sss l&czlizea which
discipline and ssfElEJ.@1 liz Eln1. A steady
hand, q clear h5s1 QIcE perceptions, aud q
pleae ant exercise Of iAE cslclIzFT1g LOWEFz, are
the requisites Tor an accOn pllgne1 bsliiaY1-
player. The practical oeyelopznezt Of these
qualities must naturally Be protective u good
results.
''The game of billiards ssinTeute5 Ia France.
The name is derived from blls, ban.
"Charles TX of France married Elizabeth of
Austria in 1870, and the wedding vas signalized
by the serving up at the table Of the drst turkeys
ever seen in France. A year after this event,
andia year before the death Of this young Queen,
the game OF billiards was invented by Henrique
de VIgne, French artist in 1871. The new
game became Immediately popular at the French
Court, and was soon known to the Germans, the
Dutch, Italians, and the various nations of
Europe. Burton, the author of the Ana tomy of
Melancholy mentions billiards among the if-
teen popular winter recreations' in vogue in
England at the end of that century. or some
other amusements he thus speaks:-' Cards, dice
hawkes., and hounds, are rocks upon which
men lose themselves when they are improperly
handled and beyond their fortunes Hunting
and hawking he regards as honest recreations.
and 1T for some great men, but not for every
base or inferior person. for while they main
tam their faulkoner, and dogs, and hunting
nags, their wealth runs away with their hounds
and their fortunes fly away with the ha wkes.'
'ln more recent times various improvements
have been made in the construction of billiard
tables.
'Tables made of slate were introduced into
England in 1927 The skill OF American manu-
iacturers now leaves nothing further to be
desired"