The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-04

Muscles and their appuF- =,
tenances a.....,e..'.-..'.' ZONES ~
Skeleton ...'.........,-.-.--.. =
Skin ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ........ 1ouIl9s' ~
Fat .,...,,......... ..''' Z ouIluS' -
brain ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Pounds,
Thoracic viscera ......-...... Pounds, 35a
Abdominal Viscera .--..-.... POUNDS, IL
Blood which drains the body q
Heat beats per minute......T Times, rs
Air inhaled and eXhaled per
minute ............-..-.--....I lInes' 10
The skin throws off eighteen ounces !
of water, four hundred grains of solid
matter and four hundred grains Of
carbonic acid every tWenry-four hCurs, |
the total eliminations of the body dur
ing this time being six pounds of water
and little over TWO pounds Of other
matter.
Whether tall or short, those who
most nearly approximate to such rela-
tive values in bodily organization
stand the best chance for health,
beauty and happiness.
Were the laws of eating, caring for
the skin. exercise and dress better UNI
derstood and more faithfully followed
we should have no occasion to study
the laws Of disease, treatment and
cure.
A more advanced civilization viii set
the same seal of disapprOval upon
physical infirmity and disease that we
now attach to immortality Both are
proof of disobedience. Of indifference
10 divine law. Prevention is higher
science than correction.
The practical results of constantly
Increasing sanitary, physiological and
hysienic knowledge are already seen in
a decrease in certain forms of con-
ta.gious and other diseases. Whatever.
physically improves the race will in
crease bodily attractiveness. Beauty
hG nc a & 11r.ii-
ness now is.
While there are certain positive tests
Of beauty. individual variations will
always be found in size and type. A
woman is well proportional and of
Handsome figure. whatever her height
if sac stands well-when her body is
sufficiently rounded TO suggest delicate
curves Fat is destitute Of all beauty
of outline and grace of motion.
a woman OF five feet and six inches
IN height may weight from 1876 to s45
pounds The most pleasing pEopor
tons for this height. however, are:
Weight, 1S5 pounds; bust measure. IS
inches; waist measure, % inches; hips,
rs inches The woman who weighs
more must carry herself with great
care to avoid a look of heaviness.
Correct poise of the body has much
to do with a graceful and youthful ap-
pearance. Did women generally know
how much, few there would be who
would not acquire the power to stand
and walk with the weight poised firm
ly upon the balls of the feet, and the
chest lightly raised.
Those who think to gain good fig
ure and appearance of standing
straight by pushing the bust up artifi-
cially and throwing the shoulders back
fail signally. Perfect poise Of the body
depends entirely upon muscular eXer-
ton. Two women may be exactly the
same weight, the one given to stand
ing and walking correctly, the other in
correctly, with the chest depressed and
abdomen pushed out, and the latter
will appear ten pounds heavier than
the former.
Correct poise of the body can be ac-
CURED by any one--not deformed-who
will take the trouble. But those who
will not must pay the penalty of actual
loss Of height and increasing heaviness
of figure with the passing years. When
the vital organs are low, the figure
spreads out at the hips the head settles
upon the neck, the neck line loses curve
and becomes shortened. a double chin
appears-and beauty disappears
Forever? Not necessarily if one will
work, work, work! But it is a good deal
easier to prevent than TO cure these
distressing conditions. However. the
woman who has a protruding abdomen,
sIHhGH CHEST, SHOT, neck ana double
chin may take comfort from the fact
that persistent work with the muscles
viii greatly modify, if not entirely cor
rect, these defects
Muscles are plastic material Exer-
else Will develop muscles at any time
of life by generating heat which burns
away SuperfiuouS fat. Obesity was
regarded with such horror by the an
Gent Greeks that preventive exercises
were enforced as a law of the state.
When l see man or woman sitting
upon the end Of the spine. with the
chest sunk into the stomach and the
abdomen vulgarly distended / wish
that the old Greek statute We're in force
with US.
Teaching children to stand and walk
steadily and gracefully should begin
early. The habit would then become
firmly established. Standing and
walking are the A of the alpbabet
Of physical improvement-more espe-
cially with girls. The size of the pei
Wis in woman has a tendency to render
the gait irregular and Vacillating. For
this reason, dancing and skating are
invaluable exercises for girls and Wo-
men. These exercises tend to lnuscu-
lar control of the legs and the habit of
balancing the body. Much more work
is generally necessary with the left
than with the right leg, to acquire equal
motion Of the hips in movement
Breathing has nothing to do with the
chest movements which bring the body
into perfect poise. Raising the chest
is a purely muscular 8 BORT independ-
ent of the breath. YeC habitual deem
breathing is Indispensable to good
health and looks, and the tendency to-
ward fully initiating the lungs is far
greater in a perfect position of the
body than when the vital organs are
depressed. Perfect breathing greatly
influences the quality of the blood and
the general vitality.
My advice to women who wish to be-
gin system Of physical Improvement
is first to learn how to stand. Never
relax effort until control Of the mus
Giles OF the legs, hips. chest, neck and
head has been achieved.
Practice standing on each foot separ-
ately with the chest up and the heel
barely touching the floor until facility
has been acquired to hold the position
without a tremor of the body for a
length Of time sufficient to count 100
The success Of this movement is
much Influenced by the character of