Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-14
AMERICAN STAMINA.

A writer in one of the magazines has
recently contended that Americans are
constantly growing weaker physically,
and that they are altogether inferior
to their ancestors Of a century ago, and
even of seventy years ago. This al
legged inferiority he attributes to the
greater sedentary habits of the people,
and to the fact that they are less in the
open air than they were formerly. He
suggests that Americans should spend
more time out of doors; that there
should be more gymnasiums, and that q
systematic effort should be made
in the public and other schools to de-
velop the children physically as we'll as
mentally. While no fault ban be found
with these suggestions, which are good
as to any people, it is to be observed
that the idea that Americans are dete-
riorating physically is quite common
one which is not supported by the facts.
The writer referred to has probably
fallen in with the general impression
without having taken the trouble to
ascertain whether it was well founded.
At any rate his position has been chal-
lenged by another writer, who goes to
the statistics for support of his views
and presents facts which will be pleas
antly reassuring to Americans. He says
that if stamina means the strength and
vitality required to carry one through
the trials of life, rather than mere mus
cular power, there has certainly been
no decline among Americans. Indeed,
if stamina tends to long life, Americans
possess more than other people. In evil
| dence of this table is given prepared
by DR.. Billings, of Washington, an ex-
pert on such subjects, which shows that
for a given period OF years the death
rate per one thousand of the popu-
latlon was less in the United
States than IN any other country from
which vital statistics were obtainable,
and the life average expectancy greater
than in any other country. DR.. Gihon,
of the United States navy, is quoted as
saying, speaking generally, that the
death rate Is diminishing, and the aver
age length of human life and the dura-
| tion of a generation on the earth pro-
portionately increasing. According to
uiilS UtSIo 10 1888 SlChICSS pcE
capita than when observers began to
keep record OF such matters.
1t would be to give little
| credit to science for what it
has accomplished in improv-
ing methods of living, in providing
| better sanitary conditions and in in
creaslng the popular knowledge of how
to care for health, to assume that the
average length of human life had di-
minished, even were there no we'll at
tested statistics to prove the contrary.
Every intelligent man knows that the
| people Of to-day live better, particularly
the people of the United States, than
| ever before, and improved living must
! necessarily contribute to the average
| prolongation OF life. Statistics show
( that in all advanced countries the aver
age expectation OF life has increased dur
| ing the last hundred years from sixty to
one hundred per cent, the United
States, so far as the limited facts OBJ
tanned show, having kept pace in this
| respect with most other countries.
When the next census. which is to in
clude vital statistics, Is completed. 1t
will doubtless show that Americans are
not behind the people OF any other
country in average longevity, which
will be sufficient to establish their
equality OF stamina with any other
pcopte.
1t is not easy to determine whether
the American OF to-day possesses less
muscular strength than his fore
fathers, but it may reasonably be
| supposed that he is fully
the equal Of the men OF
old in this respect. Why should it be
otherwise when every college in the land
| gives attention to physical training,
when the national game furnishes exer-
| else for tens Of thousands Of young men
who do not play it as business, and
when every city has its gymnasium and
athletic clubs2 Surely the forefathers,
hardy and rugged as they were, had no
such opportunities for the development
of muscle as are afforded to-day, and
very widely taken advantage Of. 1t is
undoubtedly true that too many Ameri-
cans who pursue sedentary lives
take less exercise than is
necessary TO maintain good
health. Comparatively few avail them
| selves as much as they should do of
natures inexpensive and most health
| fu1 aynoa;,a x1aIlysno IT,nann., ~ b,,ui