Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-03
Strength OF Women.
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Chicago Tribune.
The universal belief that woman is
by Nature endowed with less physical
strength than man, is founded upon the
observation of civilized peoples from
time immemorial And yet there is an
abundance of persuasive evidence that
it is not Nature, but habit, that has rem
dered woman the inferior of man in
muscular force and endurance We
pass by the testimony bearing upon the
argument that mig ght be adduced. from
the history of savage races, and cite
merely that which is offered in the feats
of male and female gymnasts. Mr..
Charles keade incidentally furnishes
some important facts relating to this
point, in letter entitled The Coming
Man, and publishedin Harle,'s Weekly.
He is aiming to prove that The left hand
and leg are naturally as capable of skilled
and sustained effort as the right, and
lack an equal development simply from
persistent disuse. He quotes, as the
highest European authority on the sub
ject, the opinions of Farini, teacher of
scientific gymnastics.
Farinl began his career with thorough
study of anatomy and medicine; but af-
ter receiving his diploma, abandoned
the intention Of praclicing the healing
art, and devoted himself to the work of
training gymnasts. He is himself a
splendid athlete, and practical as well
as theoretical exponent of the science
of gymnastics. In the beginning he en-
tertained the common opinion that the
physical weakness OF women is due to
Nature, but he informs MIR. Reade that
he has been driren-in spite Of preju-
dice he shared with every man ITO con-
clude that Nature has less to do with
the matter than the defects of early ed
ucation. In no other way can he ac-
count for their endurance in the ball
room, and their powers and agility in
the arena wherever they train Wo-
men who practice dancing will continue
the exercise for hours together without
exhaustion; and, in the agile and grace
ful business of the gymnast, it is stated
by Farim that they can, as rule, sur
pass the mne. In those cases where
they train for feats of strength, they al
SO develop remarkable powers.
The French gymnast named Nathalie,
Won = j of not extraordinary build, can
take two nftyslxpound weights from
the ground, one in each hand, and put
them slowly above her head. Farini
says that the putting up of an agile
gymnast is but child's play compared
with this putting up OF a dead-weight
Another difficult act accomplished by
the same gymnast is called the cross,
which consists in putting the hands into
two rings lowered by ropes, and then
raising the body, then extending both
arms, and so sustaining the body by the
horizontal arms. a few gymnasts can
do the one-arm horizontal blanche,
This is effected by extending the body
from the bar, supported by only one
hand grasping the bar with the knuckles
downward But Nathalie can do this
with either hand, and then put the 9TH
er hand behind her, and take the bar
with it, and hold the body horizontal by
that hand. ''Farini does not know ii
male athlete that can do this; yet it is
not knack; it is complete either-hand
ness coupled with gigantic strength"
A sister of Nathalie has likewise ac-
quired amazing strength. She once
made test of her powers in competi-
tion with twenty sailors. The sailors
had slack rope; she had another. The
sailors had their choice of the ropes.
4 sailor went up as far as he could; the
gymnast went as high in her rope at the
same time. Sailor came down tired, the
lady fresh. Another sailor went up, the
lady ditto, and so on. She wore out the
whole twenty, having gone up an aggre-
gate of feet higher than St. Peters
Church at Rome This feat is due to
great strength. complete either-hand-
edness, and the athlete S power of pinch
ing a rope with the sinews Of the lower
limbs"
Madam Senyah, who weighs about 1SO
pounds, will do the ordinary business
of the trapeze, and then come down
the rope headforemost, twist one leg
round it, hang down by that leg, put
mouthpiece, with three leather straps
attached, in her mouth, and, in that po-
sition, head downward, and hanging by
one leg, hold three great hulking fellows
dangling in the air for ever so long by
her teeth" Mr.. Reade remarks that,
on witnessing this performance, there
came to his mind sentence from the
lesser Dumas, beginning with, Woman
is being so feeble" etc.
If women who have not an exception
al frame can, by training, equal or sur
pass men in the exploits OF the gymnast,
why cannot the entire sex be lifted, by
some system of judicious education,
combining exercise and hygiene, out of
Il, Il
ness? 1t is not desirable that they
should develop their powers wholly in
the direction of muscle, as the expert
gymnast must; aut it would put more
hopeful look on the present state and
the future prospects of the human race
if women were to develop an ability to
do their half of the work of life with
the same physical ease that men accom-
plish the rougher and more tasking
part. Health, vigor, robustness. strength
are perfectly compatible with the essen
tial sweetness, modesty and delicacy of
womanhood; and how important they
are as factors in the happiness and use
fulness of the female as we'll as of the
male being
Among the lower animals there is no
such difference in point of strength and
agility as has unfortunately been
brought about in the superior race
The mother bird, for example, more Of
ten than not performs the greater share
of the labor of building her nest and
rearing her young, while, in addition,
she fulfills her peculiar maternal func-
tions. Her mate wears the gayer dress
and has the more tuneful voice. He
makes more show and bluster; but the
wear and tear of life fall heavier on her,
and she is equal to the exaction through
superior strength of nerve and sinew.
Science is showing that if, in the lower
grades of organized beings, there is a
difference in the relative physical capac
tiles of the sexes, the advantage is not
on the side of the male.
The artificial habits of civilization
have effected the wide distinction which
now exists between the energy and en-
durance of men and women, and there
is little doubt that equality in this re-
spect might again be recovered were the
mothers and educators of the rising
generation to bend their efforts to the
accomplishment of the purpose.
Cope's Tobacco Plant asserts that
commercial statisticians estimate the
quantity of tobacco yearly consumed in
the world to be 100000 pounds.