Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-08
Country Bred and City Bred.
THE ARM-UsER, THE LEG-UsRR, AND EXERCISE Fol
THE GOVT.


From the Popular Science Monthly.
II there Is one general physical difference be.
tween the country-bred and the city bred man. 1t
lies In the size and strength Of the mus
Giles OF the shoulder and arm. 1t Is almost impOs-
sbe for man to live In the country without using
the arms far more than the average city man
This use Of the arm has, in both men and women
an important bearing on the general health, since
1t increases the capacity OF the chest and thereby
the surface OF where the blood is spread
out In thin-walled vessels through which the oxy.
gen and carbon1c acid easily pass In opposite
directions, serving thus the double purpose OF
fee the body more abundantly and Of remov-
This richer blood is again driven with greater
force by increased heart and arteral action
through its circuit. The vital organs are better
nourished and the power to produce work is in
creased. Few will deny that WELL nourished body
can he trained to do more and better mental work
than the same organism In a feebler state. Walk
ing on an even surface, the only variety Of phys-
cal exercise which most business and professional
men get In town Is well known to be poor SUBJ
st1tute for arm exertiOn. The reason Is partially
plain, since walking Is almost automatic and in
voluntary. The walking mechanism is set in mo-
ton as we would turn an hour-glass and requires
discharges OF force from the brain surface with
each muscular contraction as In the case with the
great majority OF arm movements. The arm-user
Is higher animal than the leg-user. Arm-mo-
lions are more nearly associated with mental ac-
ton than leg movements A mans lower limbs
merely carry his higher centers to his food or
work The latter must be executed with his arms
A third way In which arm-exercise benefits the
organism Is through the nervous system. Whether
this Is due TO an increased supply OF richer purer
blood, or whether the communal discharge OF motor
impulses In some way stores up another variety OF
force, we DO not know. One thing Is certain, the
victim OF neurasthenia Is very seldom an individual
VINO daily uses his arms for muscular work: with
this the limit OF hurtful mental work is seldom
reached. 1t seems evident that arm rather than
leg movements are essential to increased produc.
tive power. IL these are neglected the man, as
social factor, degenerates and falls q prey to his
stronger fell0w-man In the race for supremacy and
can govt that condition OF the blood which causes
our English cousins pain In the feet, and Ameri-
cans universal pains andincreased irritabilty has
one sovereign remedy 80 simple that few viii take
natures sedative, for which she charges nothing
the next day, but gives US sleep instead OF insom
MIA, and cheerfulness In place OF discomfort
A man may walk In an hour miles, on q city
force, and better only for the open air and slight
Increase OF the circulation. Had ne spent half
that time In welLordered gymnasium, using
chest and rowtng-weights, and, after a sponge
he would have found his work OF very different
color easier TO do and taking less time to perform
It The view for some time held by Hartwell of
the Johns Hopkins University, Sargent, OF Har-
does away with nervous irritability, and at the
same time Increases the absolute capacity for
mental work, has not been sufficiently urged or
accepted The remedy for this state OF things Is
p0rtance OF arm exercise. Make it compulsory in
schools, and popular after leaving school II ones
occupation does not require 1t In ITSELF muscular
exertion OF some kind ought to be taken daily,
three are necessary 70 the fullest development OF
our p0werA