Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-05-03
PHYSICAL STRAIN.
PERlLS RESULTING FROM EXCESS
OF BODILY ACTIVITY.


Race - sedentary or Brain Pursuits
OveTwork.
Nothing is more absolutely necessary t.
the well being Of man-not only physical, but
mental and even moral-than the bodily ac
tivity involved in u proper degree OF exercise
But, on the other hand, undue strain put
upon the physical forces is a potent source OF
danger. 10 is a case for the application OF
the Horatinn maxim in regard 10 moderation.
Exactly 10 define the proper mean is an ex
tremely difficult task. We can, however
offer sumo suggestions ON this point that
may prove Of use and we will also touch
upon some of the perils resulting from ex'
cess, The ancient Greeks have for many
centuries supplied the world, among other
things, with models of physical culture The
climate permitted them to live largely in the
open air; their dress was UNDERSTANDING, and
Troy paid great attention to athletic sports
and the development and care Of the body.
They were, as n people, patterns Of manly
and womanly beauty; their average of health
was high, and their longevity good.
The observations made, however, by the
physicians of the Greek and Roman schools go
conclusiyely 10 show that, wherever physical
activity WINS carried TO undue excess among
them--as In the case of professional athletes,
etc-the invnriable result was premature
decay and early death. Excessive physical
culture duriag the age of chivalry furnished
the same results. Study Of the vital statistics
of England, France and Prussia in modern
times leads 10 a similar conclusion. Not only
does the point we are urging hold true in the
lives of individuals, but it is true Of nations
and races. Perhaps, as regards tenacity of
existence as displayed by "A race, the most
striking argument in favor of our position to
be found in history is the negative testimony
furnished 10y the Jews This people, since its
dispersion, has never in any general, system
attic way cultivated its physique. 1t has
never voluntarily borne arms. 1t has taken
no shane in the athletic pursuits of the ma
tions among whom it has been placed. IL
has never exhibiteda high physical standard.
Its worst prosecutions have, probably, been
due, more than anything else, to lbs apparent
corporal fcebleness. Vet today this race,
for tcnncity and vitality, probably stands
first on earth, and even at this late stage of
its history still shows a capacity for produc-
ing results in literature, science, art. politics
and commerce that ranks with the best.
Full vigor of intellect is only properly
based upon yigor of body, and this vigor of
body results only from proper exercise. 1t
is no unusual thing in colleges to find stu
dents standing well both in their studies and
in athletics. President Eliot has always been
stanch friend of physical sports, and him
self when in college pulled an oar in the uni
versity crew. No one can ever look at 10
seph Cook, or could ever have looked at
AgassiZ or Bryant, without at once recogniZ-
ing the development and sOlidity of the phys
ical man Such instances are almost iunu-
merable But one thing is certain: no man
can continually use both his physical and
mental powers at anything like their full ca
pacity without soon coming to grief. HUI
man nature was not made for this sort of
thing. 1t is burning the candle at both ends
1t is not given to one man to he both All EN-
erson and Sullivan.
A man should decide which half of his
nature is to have the lead, and then exercise
the other half just sufficiently to keep the
former in condition aud to preserve the
proper general balance. If he lives by his
brain, let him take physical exercise sufficient
to keep his bodily faculties, and by conse-
quence his brain at their best-but not too
much If he lives by his body, certain adj
mixture of brain occupation will make him
not only larger, but even actually physi-
cally healthier man A body worker should
use this and every other possible precaution
against undue physical strain. In both and
in all cases overwork of the bodily forces
must result in serious harm. The outside may
be fair, and the external appearance all that
could DO desired, but inside there will be de-
cay. Wilkie Collins, in enc of his stories,
most truly showed how deusive are the
seeming soundness and vigor of even the
trained athlete, when the call upon his vi
tality has been too prolonged or too great or
when his physical development has been alb
normally forced-hOw suddenly his apparent
robustness disappears, and is replaced by
Or nx-tr
tension of work or emotion The case of the
all conquerine but finally foiled Sullivan,
which has lately attracted SO much attention,
seems clearly one exactly in point
For the sake of emphasis we again say: In
the case of the man of sedentary or brain
pursuits, he should employ his body only
enough to keep it active and vigorous, and
hence his spiritual faculties bright and keen,
without taxing his reserve of vitality. The
object is not to use himself up as fast as pos
sible. 1t is wasteful and fatal mistake
to keep the entire endowment at high pres
sure As regards the man employed in bod
lily labor, it is seldom within his power to
control its amount 1t may, however, be
said that, as soon as he finds the equipoise of
his system is being dist,Tbed--a fact which
will generally reveal itself to him through
some pain or feeling of strain in some local
ity, the unnatural action of some organ or
some sensation somewhere that he recognizes
as not natural-or as soon as he finds that
his physical strength is gradually lessening
he may know that he has passed the limit.
Ia all cases, by systematic and severe physi-
cal competition-such either calls for the
exertion of sudden and tremendous force or
for prolonged endurance, as occurs in prize
fights, rowing matches, walking or running
races, etc-is physiologically unsafe, and
from the standpoint of health and longevity
should be abolished.
The danger in physical overwork is princi-
pally to those portions of the body which are
concerned in the involuntary acts of life
that is to say, to the muscles and nervous APP
paratus employed in circulation, digestion
and respiration. At the best these never
rest and when undue labor devolves upon
them, they become more or less deranged
They belong to vital organs, and injury TO
those is of the grayest import Again, when
one or more of the vital organs are in any Of
its parts seriously affected all the other por-
lions of our complex bodies which depend
upon it or them suffer also. Generally, the
heart fails first, and, of all vital organs, it,
together with the whole circulatory system,
is most likely to suffer from undue physical
strain; but sometimes the respiratory organs
go as soon, or even earlier. Either way, the
digestive apparatus soon follows, and when
ruin SO vital as this has taken place, death
cannot be put off.-Boston Herald.
To fasten knife handles that have become
loosened take powdered resin and mix with
it small quantity of powdered chalk or
whiting Fill the hole in the handle with
the mixture, heat the tang of the knife or
fork and thI-us: in When cold it will be
securely fastened.
Madman at Large!
He is a well known citizen, and his