Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-02-04
Gver-EXerciSe.

Gymnastic training has received II
temporary back-set by the death of
young Gushing from injuries sustained
in the gymnasium connected with the
Boston Institute of Technology. OF
course his case was somewhat exception.
al and abuse furnishes no argument
against use. But it seems to be law of
human development tapush particular
tendency to an extreme, regardless of
consequences, and then to push the OPP
posite tendency to similar extreme. A
few years ago the Graham fever swept
over the country and hundreds of people
dropped the eating of flesh as poisonous,
and starved themselves on hard bread
and cold water, with raw turnip now
and then by way of variety. The good
In the Graham system was turned into
evil by abuse. Hydropathy was an in
valuable discovery in itself, but no
sooner was it found that class of pecul-
lar cases might be benefited by treat
ment OF cold water than the extremists
set about soaking and bathing and
showering and packing and douching
everybody for all real and possible mala-
dies, and doubtless hundreds of people
had their vitality quenched and were
washed into their graves by the unrea-
soning application of method which is
admirably suited to particular cases and
constitutions
Half century ago systematic physi
cal exercise was hardly thought Of. and
students, clerks and people of sedentary
habits and quiet pursuits suffered Tor
want of muscular development and &C
tivity. Physicians and health reformers
preached exercise to people who could
not afford horseback riding and had not
time to walk enough to get the exercise
they required. The gymnasium grew out
Of necessity. But like other needful
and useful things it has been carried to
an extreme, in many cases, which has
proved injurious, if not fatal The no
ton has gained currency that exercise is
a good thing in and of itself, and when a
person has exhausted his vital forces by
brain work it is only necessary to eXer
else his muscles in vigorous way to re-
gain his equilibrium. Expenditure of
nerve power must be balanced by an
| equal expenditure in muscular activity,
| and if the time is shortened the action
must be correspondingly increased in
violence. The folly OF this notion is ap-
| parent when it is remembered that the
| system is "a unit, and the vital force eX-
| pended in one way cannot be recov-
cred by another expenditure in differ
ent way, any more than man regains
the money he expends out of one
pocket by spending an equal amount
from another 1t is constantly forgotten
that recuperatiOn requires rest as well
as exercise, and that every tension Of the
will should be followed by passive con
dition. Modern life is an aggregation of
activities Every body is on the jump
The faculties are strained to their ut
most tension. Study and business and
pleasure are done on the high-pressure
principle, and the same intensity of
movement is carried over into recreation
and appears in violent exercises in
climbing, rowing, ball-playing, and the
performances of the gymnasium. 1t
should be borne in mind that the anti
thesis of action is not action in another
way, but quiet and passive repose. The
vegetative processes must be respected
and the jaded faculties must be given
time for recuperation. The thing wanted
is not crusade on calisthenics and the
gymnasium, but wise discretion in
their use. We have learned how to make
perfect horse ana Cx and hound; we
have not yet learned how TO II axe a per
feet man or woman. In this respect the
wise old Greeks were far ahead of any