Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-07
Is Dancing Harmful !?
Several Detroit Physicians asked to
Give Reply to the Query.
The Majority OF Them Do Not Believe
Dancing to be Unhealthy.
But, of Course, it Must Not be Carried
to Excess in Any Way.
Detroit Free Press.


| In view of the recent statements made
from a Detroit pulpit in regard TO dane
ing, number of prominent physicians
were seen ana asked their opinions, based
upon their professional experience, as to
whether the waltz in particular, and dane
ing generally, was pernicious from 8
sanitary point of view.
DR.. G. Il. Leonard said: Dancing NAV
or may not be injurious. The way ii is
carried on at present, it certainly is harm
full. A good deal of pulmonary trouble
and weakness is the result Women who
dance are usually laced pretty tightly and
| this has tendency to cause congestion
and disease is the result"
II fully believe that dancing, as it is
now practiced, is HARMFUL" said DR..
Edwin Lodge. "In this climute the ordi-
nary dress of women is SO warm that the
exposure necessitated in a fashionable
bali room results in lung troubles aud a
variety of complaints. I am sure that
the ladies might regulate their dress, if
they would, SO that 10 bad results would
ensue. While most of the harm results
from the imprudence of the person in
! iured, l don't believe there is so much
harm in ordinary dancing as people are
inclined to think"
DR.. VIM. Brodie said: 81 favor Waiting
and dancing within proper bounds.
Parents need to exercise care as to who
their children dance with. When I speak
of dances l mean private parties and not
hotel balls. If dancing is INDUCED in in
moderation I don't think any physical
harm results. 1t can be abused; but you
wouldn't think of doing away with roast
| beef because someone makes glutton of
himself. There was no dancing in Detroit
! forty five years ago." continued DR.. Bro
die. "PrOf. A. Couse tried to get up a
class in dancing and failed. He finally
organized class in calisthenics, and sub
| sequently square dances were introduced.
| The physicians generally approved the
introduction of dancing, among them DIR.
Pitcher. In 1856, [ remember, Joined q
dancing class, and among the members
were Samuel Mandelcaum, Thomas Hart
| we'll, j.. NJ. Mason and Wilbur T. Storey
1 am sure that great many of us were
! i'm proved in manners by Prof. Couse.
| The fact that dancing remains a popular
diversion is sufficient to show that it has
merit. Daring the roller skating craze
great many young women had their spines
permanently injured by the exercise. It
L.
Dancing, on the contrary, when per
formed under proper restrictions and
safeguards, is heal lhful diversion"
81 haven't any patience with clergymen
who denounce dancing or the basis OF
injury TO health" said DR.. David Inglis.
"a person can abuse 8altzing, the same
IS he or she can abuse liquor, tobacco or
tea. l. is possible for a person to dance
themselves into vlolenG cold; so may
man digging a ditch. As for dancing
producing weakness, have never known
of it. The clergy seem to take up some
popular amusement, and, because some
people go to excess in II, denounce the
amusement itself. A young man at the
University, | remember, became so infat-
ueteG with lawn tennis that he spent all
his time at the game and failed of gradu
alton. In that case lawn tennis was to
blame"
my opinion is that dancing would be
healthy if done properly, but it is not
under the present system" said DR.. R. G.
DIN. ct cannot, in any sense, be con-
sidered healthful. The weakly condition
of women is largely to be attributed to
their methods of dress and models of
life"
DR.. Leseure is in bed with pneumonia,
but his wife said: His opinion on this
matter, know, is much the same as mine
there is nothing harmful in dancing in
itself, but the trouble arises from late
hours, scanty clothing and tight lacing."
Dancing is like all forms of exercise"
said DIR. G. G. jennings. "Any exercise
may be made injurious by indulging in
it TO excess. The same may apply to
waltzing. I have not known of an in
stance where da 1cing has been INDUCED
in to such an extent as to have produced
illness or injury of any kind. l think
dancing is a nice pastime when INDUCED
III moderately"
Dancing, like any other form of exer-
else, may be made injurious by excessive
indulgence in the pastime," said DR.. S. &.
Miner. SIN fact, any kind of exercise
when overdone becomes harmful. Too
much gymnasium work, for instance is
liable to strain some portion of the anat-
omy and prodcce injury. The argument
is that any kind of exercise INDUCED in
to excess is liable to prove harmful, but
dancing no more than any other FORM"
"There are often many indiscretions
committed by young women and men in
dancing" said DR.. E. L. Tappy. "Es-
peciaIly is this tru in the matter of ex-
in warm and overheated rooms and a
sudden change is made to the cold air.
In the art or exercise itself, I do not
| think any physical in Jury is neoessitated.
Those who are delicate may be injured.
Anyone may be injured by carrying the
pleasure to extremes. It is not unwhole
some for those who indulge in the exer-
else moderately. That indiscretion in
dress is not incidental to dancing alone
either. No, do not find many ailments
that are attributed to dancing. A great
deal is said against it recklessly and par
TALLY from prejudice"
DR.. 7. A. McGraw said: Dancing is
not harmful in itself. Only when excess
lively INDUCED in does it become physi-
caIly harmful. There are few cases in
my experience in which disease is trace
able to it. These come from exhaustion
caused by excessive exercise, and to car
ry1ng on the pleasure into the early hours
of morning"
Dancing is on the same footing with
her exercises" said DR.. e. W. Long
year. 81 think it can be encourages in
all propriety. Does it need any check or
reform as carried on at present? Well,
I'm not u on the fine points of the art.
Dancers need to be cautioned against
violent indulgence, the dangers of sud
den changes, and the kindred dangers of
the ball room"
Bringing Up Children.
One day 1 halted at the cabin of
North Carolipian named N1sbit, and see.