The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-03-23


DIR. w. A. Hammond hollis pronounc-
ed views in regard to:.the science Of
health, and the extelt aud. kind Of
physical culture tlats essential 10 it.
He says that physical xe,cise, for the.
mere sake Of exercise. is one Of the
dullest and most narrowing TIL 1gs II at
a man can lend himself to. Dumb
bells and Indian clubs and chamber
exercise machines may be all very well
for Il while. but the mind becomes In.
sufferably weary of them In the ma.
jority Of cases, for tile brain insists on
having something to do mt the same
time us the body. Dr. Hammond tells
how, when he was once stationed us a
medical officer ut New Mexican vii.
lage, the favorite punishment for the
minor 0ffenses of the soldiers was TO
e. use the offender to AIRY stones from
one pile to another, distan ~ of rossi..
bly, fifty feet, and when tn one was
cleared off and the other piled I'D, t6-
carry them back again, and thus to
continue for period presumably com.
Mensurate with the brea Ii Of discipline
committed. Nothing was SO much
dreaded Dy the men as this punishment.
they would have prefer red almost any.
thing else, bread and water for week,
deprivation Of liberty, stoppAge Of nav.
or even ''butkfng Aid gagEing.'@' And
yet It, was merely i0rdinaiy. physical
exercise. not cfa0l COR .even severe, but
painful from its mon0tony and. object
less character. Fatigue rnsues mu6li
more slowly and is nfnth less pro-
nounced when the mind is exercised
simultaneously with the. body. A ycuhgs
woman. will go through an amcpnt of
muscular exercise in ball room tfat.
would be impossible for her In the
performance Of :, some .laborious task
In which. she took no. pleasure, and:
as DIR. Hammond points out, every
prlze-fighter knows he is more fatigtled.
after an hours contest with a dummy
In the shape Of u hollow rubber bail,
than he.is after a stapd-up fight with
the gloves for the same period with an
active antagonist whom lie. has TO feMii:,
ploy not only hfs muscles IN all theirne.
tivity and strength, but his perc options.
his intellectual faculties: his emotions
aud his will all under Intense strain.
DIR. HAMMOND places OF, record his. lIu.
qualified support Oh fencing us the, fin.
est exercise it is,possible for man to
spend his ttmes on. 1t gives ease and
freedom Of gesture a1d physical endur-
ance and agility, While teaching lessons
Of patience and selfacomlnand and dis.
ciplininS the tempex.s .''ltiding, walking,
sparrins. wrestling. running and pitch.
ing the bar are all Of them certainly
highly beneficial, but beyond all quest
ton there is no single excfcise which
combines SO many advantages, ms fenc.
ing. 1t brings every muscle into play.
expands the chest and quickeis &c eli.
culation of the blood. Affections OF
the lung and u tendency to cOnsIm6tidn.
have been entirely removed by occS,i
sional practice with the foil" The next
best thing 10 fencing, according to. Dr:!
Hammond. il to take q walk Of three
Or four miles IN the open air every day.
Whatever form Of exercise Il man may
decide to indulge in, the first lesson lie
should learn is to ascertain: just ilosw
much Is good for his special physical
requirements, and having ascerfained
that point, never go beyond 1t.
/.