New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
BODILY EXERCISE.

The work of DIR. Lagrange Juso iS'"N" "
International Scientific Series, is very caieiu'
and thorough analysis of the important S"''0V
treated, and one which is calculated 10 ioNOi"
tioniye many long-hcld views. Inc au'hor has
approached his work in strictly sclehoii'c man
per. beginning with sketch OF the organs VI
physical work the physiological ehects ana causes
of movements, the processes oil heaU Plouuo''oN
and combustion, He next inquiries INTO INC phys
iolocy of fatigue. dividing his topic lh'o ioo"'
fatigue. breathessness, Stiffness oVer"orN' 'n0
theory of fatigue, and repose. Inc chapters ol
hrootblessncss are fine examples of analysis, and
are more illuminative than anything we nave SEE"
On This head The mechanism of breathlessness
is no doubt uncomprehended by most people
though the phenomena themselves are familiar
enough to all Why does rapid motion, and not
only rapid motion in walking or running, Out
.a,,or. nbvsical effort of any kind, produce
breatblessness9 1t is because, says DR.. Lagrange
ovortion Of muscular force so quickcns combustion
&C 70 nroduce carbonic acid in excess of the elm
;nating mower of the lungs. The result is auto
;rtoxication that is TO say, Self-asphyXatioh'
Tho runner poisons and stupefcs himself WIN
tho dcadlv cos evolved within himself by Vhe
v;o,ence and persistence of his efforts. But al
EXERCISES do not produce breathessness IN ike ue-
gree. There are many forms, especially among
ovmnastic exercises, in which the limit Oh eAel-
tion is fixed by muscular exhaustion alone. III
these exercises the respiration may DC hVtle Vi
NOT at all affected but the fatigue OF the muscles
renders il necessary TO stop WHAT men, aie 'iio
exercises which produce bIeathlessness' IRE
ciselv those. saws the analyst. which demand
vary creat expenditure of force in very shoIV
period of time
Tn Dr Ia0rance's own words: That whlch
oanses breathlessness after effort is the quantity OF
,,ort done and not the particular attitude when
this work demands, and the momentary INTERRUPT
.;on NJ resniration which results from II. III Is
booouse they have not analyzed these two elements
:, q comnlex action that many authors have al
,r;buted the breathessness produced Dy CERTAIN
exercises TO the momentary suspension OF resplI"
ton durinr effort. Even complete suspension
Of respiration cannot, acting alone, produce 'nc
nhcnomena we observe in persons VINO are ouO VI
breath. 1t produces respiratory distress, winch
lasts as long as the function is suspendeu' ouV Do
soon as the movements become free again lhe us
tress ceases and respiration Immediately RESUMES
,ts regular rhythm. Breathlessness, on the con-
trarv lasts fer a, long time after the exercise 10
over and this proves that it has more proIo"i'u
and more lasting cause than momentary aIIee'
of the respiratory functions" BreathIesshess Is
general effect: muscular fatigue is local erect
The first results from the sudden acceleratoh ol
the processes of combustion in the body Tie Sec
ond results from the temporary exhaustion oil INC
oortractible mower of the muscles Coordination
however. exists in a certain way For instance
oornrlote muscular exhaustion may occur without
hreathlessness, but complete breathlesshess III
yolves paralysis of the muscular force mus
runner who has asphyXated himself with MS OWN
rarbonio acid will at the crisis lose all coilihalu
nver his muscles, and fall to the ground IN sta'e
of swoon or collapse. So, too, breatheSshess Is
measure Of the work done when breathless-
ness has not been produced, we can say thaV Vhe
oxercse has been moderate or at least that it has
been taken if one may so express IT, Ill li"o'lo''
doses Whenever. on the contrary, respiratory
distress is promptly produced, we can alnrlh .''''O
a great quantity of work has been done In a shorO
time and consequently that the exercise Has "'oi'
taken in large doses.
The account of the methods by which the IN
creased production of carbonic acid during the
performance of work has been demonstrated is IN
torostinq but too extended for quotation. The
.oct however is established and forms the founda-
ton of the present ingenious and ably sustained
theory The study of the mechanism of running
bears it out very strongly, and the circumstance
that snrintrunners are far liable 10 collapse
than distance runners is directly in harmony with
II for in the one case violent and sudden WORK
has 10 be very quickly done, while IN the oUher IL
is possible 10 husband the resources so as 10 ac'
custom the system to meet the increased dendho
upon it-which is accomplished when the runner
GETS his second wind" Thereafter he may DC
reduced TO extremity by the need oil making
suurts but he is not likely to fail so long as he
can maintain the moderate pace which just brings
into balance the production OF carDohlc aclu alio
its pulmonary elimination. NO amount OF ualh
ing can ever guarantee an athlete oil any KING
AGAINST breathlessness, because no matter VIVA
the lung capacity developed ii is always possible
=, .xcecd IT, by the extent and suddenness of The
effort But there is a psychcal as well as phy
steal element in breathlessneSs and Dr. Lagrange
illustrates it appositely by contrasting the me
chanicaI effects of fencing-bout ana duel
Experiment shows that breathlessness occurs mucl
sooner in the serious encounter than IN the friend
" and harmless one, and this holds good ever
with veteran duellists Emotion here reacts upol
.ho rosniratorv organs Illustrations from tn
hunting field also support this view, as, for IN
stance the effect which the fright of the hare has
Facilitating its capture by the greyhound in cours
inc The wolf. on the other hand, and probabl
tho fox being bold and hardy animals, appear Z
feel little or no apprehension when hunted, AM
hence the VOLTS long gallop, which can tire I'LL
hounds deep hate and the hunter Ire
The next inquiry is as TO the nature OF sun
ness The phenomenon itself is common property
hut the physiology of it has never been dealc WIZ
as in this work. The usual explanation ma
been that stiffness was produced by Ihe prouuC
ton in the muscles Of an excess Oh lactic "olu
under the heightened combustion caused oS "oih
Dr. Lagrange, however, holds 'hau tnousn VI
presence of Tactic acid has much TO 90 WIN I'll
local phenomena Of stiffness, its action is tran
.;ont and il will not account for that generalize
stiffness which comes on with repose which
q largo nroportion of cases is not felt until Tn
dav after some violent or prolonged eXertlor
He maintains that the general phenomena
---...-s fa4i..l,a cannnt he eXnlainel mcchAI