The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-08-25
Catching the Train.

train. But he had scarcely set his foot
firmly on the platform when he threw
up his hand, and would have fallen, had
he not been caught. Before the train
arrived ut the next station he was dead.
The Coroner's Jury brought in verdict
to the effect that death arose from syn
cope of the heart, brought on by run
ming, after hearty meal. There is in
this simple narrative, taken from an
English sanitary periodical, a lesson
which many may proftably learn and
remember. How many business men of
the large cities, whose residences are
much Of the year in the country, have a
run every morning to catch the train!
Breakfast is swallowed at a gulp; clothes
are dOnned with a spasmodic effort; the
distance is walked or run over with
breathless anxiety and haste; the train
is at the depot on time, and its platform
is gained as it is moving away. The
belated passenger takes his seat out of
breath, feels that his heart is beating
with great violence, his head feels over
distended. But after few minutes of
rest his heart regains its normal stroke,
his breathing becomes natural, and he
resumes his wonted composure. Has
his system received no damage by this
disturbance of the vital organs? Appa-
rently it has not. He did not fall in q
faint, it is true; he did not drop dead.
Still, was his heart as sound after as be-
fore the exertiOn? We think not. 1t
had suffered from overstrain. 1t may
perform its function for many years, if
not further severely taxed; but the foun-
dation is laid for future trouble.
1t is we'll stated, in the commentary
upon this accident in the article referred
to, that the number of persons who sys-
tematically delay to the last moment
and then make a rush for the train is
to be counted by hundreds on each of
the great lines. A large majority of
these persons are not trained or other
wise prepared for such efforts. Their
pursuits are sedentary; there is no prep
aration on the part of the internal Or
gans to undergo sudden strain, as in the
case of laborers. The hearty meal di-
minished the space in which the heart
beats; and that organ, taxed by sudden
effort at the same time, stopped, and the
gentleman died. He was young man
and apparently in perfect health. He
had run in the same way many times be-
fore, without harm. Why should he
not repeat the experiment every morn
ing? Evidently he repeated it one too
many times. Every repetition made
him more and more liable to the acct
dent. The heart was becoming enfee-
bled by the overstrain. 1t only requir-
ed that this organ should be compressed
Ivy distended stomach, and then put
on the pressure to paralyze it. This ac-
cident, though rare, is one to which any
of those persons who habitually tarry to
the last minute and then have to make
a sudden effort are liable.
The following suggestions from the
same source are eminently judicious:
The dangers of such sudden strain arc
not confined to failure of the heart upon
the spot. Very commonly in those cases
where apparently healthy old people
are found dead in bed there may be
traced out q history of sudden effort
made during the preceding day. The
overstrain so put upon the heart does
not manifest itself fully at the time; but
during the sleep of the ensuing night.
With elderly people sudden exertion
during the day is undoubtedly one cause
of failure of the hearts action during
the night. Nor are these fatal results
the only untoward consequences of sud-
den demand upon the powers. Much
more commonly the effort is followed by
incapacity to undergo any violent effort,
and even by enfeeblement Of the powers
for some considerable time after the eff
fort which produced these consequences
has been made. A chronic condition of
impaired wind is often brought about
by undue. effort. even in the young and
comparatively robust, who are accus-
toned to demands upon the powers. It
is impossible, perhaps, to impress upon
business men the risks that they run
from their habits Of delay until 1t be-
comes necessary to make 9 severe effort
to catch the train. Doubtless, it - done
g.- .fa4.f