The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-10-12
A SEWING WoMAN's toll.
Nervous Power Consumed in One Day
An Interesting Comparison.

An interesting comparison.
IDr. l. J. Cherrington in Lowell Courier.l
The wonderful faculty of the human
body for developing nervous power, and
the extent to which bodily activities de-
prive the nervous system Of that power.
are illustrated by the following calcula-
tioh: A seamstress complaining of feel
ing tired after the days work, led the
writer to make an estimate of he bodily
power expended during the day.
Following are the data and calcula-
ton: First-The arm is played radially
at the shoulder and, together with the
hand, is lifted a varying distance in
taking every stitch, the distance lifted
being reduced as the thread becomes
shorter. Second-The weight of the
persons relaxed arm was found to be
pounds; Of separated from the
shoulder it would really weigh more
Third-The next day the number of
stitches taken in one hour of average
work was counted and found to be about
100, amounting in ten hours to ~, 600
stitches Fourth-The average length
of thread was estimated at II inches
Now the arm, if dead matter, would
have required an amount of power suf-
ficient to lift it's dead weight, 5 pounds,
every time stitch was taken. For it
is mechanical law that to move Ger
tain weight of living matter requires the
same amount of life-force that an equal
weight of dead matter requires of any.
force.
The figures would be thus: $4,000
times 81 pounds equals $1,000 pounds.
the total weight lifted. That is, the
amount of power expended in arm ex
ercise during the days sewing work, if
concentrated in a single lift, would raise
SO, 900 pounds Oh tons a distance of
4 inches in seconds, equivalent to 30
horse power. Furthermore, as the per-
son walked about 5000 feet, the dis,
tance from home to the work-room,
four times during the day, the compu
tation of power expended in walking
would be as per data thus First-3, 900
feet each way 4 times would be ,
600 feet. Second-Taking : lineal
feet to step, she would take
,06O steps in 5000 feet Third-Each
step was taken in one half second of time.
Fourth-The person weighed l28 pounds.
Fifth-According to formulated data on
the Mechanism of Walking, " the work
done by a person weighing 1913 pounds,
IN making p hori ontal step of two feet
is equal to that done in raising vertically,
to height of inches(1 -12x2-1 feet, a
weight of 1O3 pounds Q-12x128-1
pounds).
The figuring would be thus expressed:
times 5000 feet is Il, 600 feet; IL, 900
feet divided by , feet Ito each step
equals 5000 steps taken; 5000 steps
multiplied by los pounds Cto each step
equals Ga, 600 pounds, the total weight
lifted. This walking power, if concen-
trated in a single lift, would raise 81, 900
pounds (S2 tons) two inches high in
one-half second, equivalent to 80 78-10O
concentrated horse power, which added
to the 81 tons Of weight lifted in sew
ing, give total of 63f tons of vertically
calculated weight lifted during the day,
total of 70 78-1OO horse power.
In absence of figures this would seem
almost incredible. Is it wonder now
that she was tried? In view of this lat
ter estimate of nervous power expended
In walking, is it advisable or beneficial
for feeble persons to indulge in long
walks 'sas Can exercise" for the regain
of strength and health, and does it not
account for the fatigue so soon felt by
such persons? A moderate, short walk,
with occasional rests, or riding would
be better for them. Furthermore, this
is not all the power expended during the
day. For the vital organs, the stomach,
lungs, respiratory muscles, liver, etc.,
and every vital process consumed the
nervous power. The brain, which was
in guiding the work, is a great con
sumner of nervous force. So that, taking
all together, the sewing woman had
very exhaustive days work.
It is worthy of note here that the
: human complex machine, like all other
machinery, requires and consumes an
amount of power commensurate with
the work done, and there is no evading
this law nor the penalty of its violation.
A sewing machine operated by the foot
is more exhaustive, lin equal time, than
hand sewing, because it does moro work.
1t takes power from the spinal nervous
axis down the nerves of the leg, the
power so used being a loss to the body,
and tending specially to weaken the
organs and Iigaments of the pelvis. The
ordinary hand sewing, which is herein
shown to be very exhaustive of power,
usually effects a weakening of the
digestive organs, lungs and muscles of
the chest.
1t may be questioned by some, 'If
exercise is so exhaustive of nervous
force and SO fatiguing, how can it con-
duce to make person stronger This
is a very natural query, and it may be
thus answered: Exercise will strengthen
the body only by conforming to certain
laws and conditions, viz, Firstly, in re-
gard to power. In this the law of sup
ply and consumption must be observed,
which requires that the amount OF nerv-
Gus power acquired each day as result
or product of food digested and air in
spired, must be more than the power
expended in bodily activity. Food
and the air are the only sources of
bodily substance and power; the ele-
ment of air being quite as essential as
that of food. Secondly, in regard to
exercise itself. Herein three laws must
be recognized: First, all the muscles
must act together, as nearly as possible,
in a simultaneous cooperation move
ment, so that none gain strength to the
disparity of others which are Inactive;
second, such cooperative exercise must
be taken with gradual increase of bur
den imposed, and of effort applied from
time to time as the body gains general
strength; third, the time given to such
exercise should be brief, with longer in
terYals for rest and growth and the or
binary pursuits of life.
POlfteness and Courtesy.
FaH River Advanced
New York policemen are being in
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