The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-06-05

AdAS VI BbHuy many co.'s
lege girls have so realized the vicious
ness of tight lacing that the custom Il
rapidly losing many Of its devotees.
The comparative development Of the
sexes has also been accurately traced.
The first five years OF both boys and
girls are found to he those of the most
rapid growth. During the following
five years boys grow more rapidly, but
girls gain later and are actually taller
from the 18th to the 14th year. Women
stop growing at 20 while men do not
reach their full height till % or soma.
times 30. The records of anthropometr1
have furnished much more information
of interest. For example the curious
fact that light complexioned people ars
more easily subject to disease than
others is said to have been verified.
Inherent weaknesses Of the body and
the tendencies t. disease. geographical-
ly, et~hnologically and otherwise con-
sidered, have been studied with
inductive accuracy and complete
ness as was never dreamt Of IS
end 20 years ago. In fact every
branch Of medical science has been fur
nished with newly discovered facts to
prove or disprove the mere speculations
with which practitioners had been
forced to content themselves. "On this
very subject of measurements" DR..
Sargent remarked to me about a mouth
ago, there were all sorts of theories.
Some one suggested a scheme of meas
uring the whole body by the thumbI
4bara x.,a~a Io,a or5 1no-,oJ a~~n,,,o,+.
as to whether any exact proportions
between the length of the thumb andof
other parts of the body would hold, but
it never seemed to occur to people to un-
dertake the actual measurements. To-
day when we want to make sure of soma
medical theory we get at the bare facts,
we undertake the actual measurements
and aim to make them so accurate that
scientists may be perfectly safe in bas-
ing any deductions upon the results"
AS a means to the fostering of atha
%letics, especially of college athletics,
anthropometry has been of inestimable
value. In the first place physical in
structors have learned to judge with
accuracy every pupils condition. They
nc longer rely upon mere opinion OF
guess work, but by actual measure.
ment and strength tests. with appa-
ratus and by comparison with the sta.
tistics before them, they learn precisely
in what respects the boy or man in their
care is equal to, in what respects a su,
perior to the average OF normal. Fur.
thermore anthropometry has shown
that the tendency among athletes to de-
velop exclusively those functions in
which they already excel while failing
to cultivate the rest Of the body il
positively dangerous. 1t is in fact often
the real cause of that uncanny reputa.
ton for being subject to heart troubles
and other ills which attaches to many
of the greatest athletes. By a modern
scientific system of athletic training
all this is obviated when a mans meas,
urements have been taken and his de.
1~iciencies aseertained. certain athletic
exercise is first prescribed for his
weaker organs, as one might prescribe
quinine or diet. Then, and not till
then, comes the time. to develop the
record-breaker particular powers. The
measurements are of further value to
athletes, inasmuch as they give each in.
dividual a chance to trace his develop.
ment in the course Of a seasons train.
ing and to compare his progress with
the work of others. Incidentally an
interesting feature is the so-called to.
tai strength record, This is an honor