New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-07

KENEALY ANSWERED BY DR.. HARRIETTE
c. KEAT1NGE. OF THIS CITY.
While the summer maid and the summer
from ns well were busy getting their golhng and
wheeling suits their tennis racQuets and croquet
sets all in order for the summer. meanwhile dream
ing dreams and seeing visions OF the beautiful mus
cular development and store OF health that indul-
gence IN plenty OF exercise In the fresh air was
sure 10 bring to them. there fell ike bomb into
the peaceful camp the widely exploited opinions Of
DR.. Arabella Kenealy.
MANY women" said the doctor raising the
hammer OF an iconoclsst unwilling OF com
plex sympathetic nervous system and OF an i'm
portant tract OF involuntary muscle tissue con-
scientiously believe and scrupulousy act upon the
belief that in pushing their muscle powers 10 an
extreme they indirectly developing the po-
fsntial limbs OF unborn babes. have before me
O. 7 write a review OF patients. friends and &C
pualntances at one end whereof stand the two
mos, beautiful children. physically, intellectually
and morally I know. and these are the children
Of a quiet, emotional but intensely womany
woman whom the w"rld would call delicate,
though she Is not at all delicate In the sense OF
lacy Of health but delicate only in the absence OF
chat robustness which is degeneration from the
womanly type.
.I contrast the straight beautiful limbs and
the beautiful faces. the fine physical health and
mental attributes OF these two children with the
puny sickness. the specialized. knock-kneed
nhysiuues OF the children Of that woman / have
placed at the other end OF the scale, handsome
muscular person, who IS an adept with her tennis
racquet and Jealous cyclst. II anything, the
father OF my types beautiful is somewhat less
strong than is the father OF the poor little de-
generates for whom my Amazon mother is re-
snonsible Between these two extremes my eX-
ampes fall into their places with an almost logical
sequence.
in every instance the children Of the less
muscular and less robust woman carry OF the
in iu- ellf
nigh mental moral development That the chill
dren OF the more robust mothers are not all Knock
kneed and puny 1 need scarcely say but they
ore IN every instance inferor-if not always
physically certainly in mental quality or in human
charm-to those Of the more womanly type
.Tndeed were Il true that the habit OF muscular
activity conduces 10 the welfare Of the race. the
children of the working classes would be as much
superior In brain and physique 70 those OF theH
more Ieisured neighbors as they are IN iac' III
ferior" ,.
Now. II stands 10 reason that no woman WISHES
- ,r,neru the welfare OF her race and scores OF
moor creatures anxious 20 do the right reel 'heni
selves tossed between the ScyIa OF What hea'''
cuturists have been preaching for the Ias' ne
sde and the Charybdis Of what Ut A'aOe"'
terms Robustness when is roI,nass MAI
while subscribing heartily 10 Josh BILLINGS p pa
form I'D ruther know less than know so many
things that amt So.
DIR. KEATINGE'S REPLY.
m ua-rte,te c. Keatinge. well known phys
ian OF New-York. member OF the sorosis anu ~,
,vo-,.r ubose Kindness Of heart and medlca4 skill
tav. ron the confidence OF large number OF
N.r.vork.s most prominent women, being asked
n give her opinion on this mooted subject says
As fear these recent anathemas against eA-
.rc.. NAV Ar. with terror the hearts OF some OF
our women who love tennis cycling and similar
celebrating and health giving sports "Hc" DII.e
into nlav every muscle. fills their lungs WIN
cod.s ,r-A air. enriching their blood and send
ing II from brain extremity feeI mus
cbsr,nion their side Of the question. Statements
thar the less muscular and robust women carry OF
the palm, some in beauty, some IN lH'ei''se"
some in high mental moral developmen' are
contrary 10 all We read In history 70 a.! scIeht'io
Investigations OF the laws Of heTedity' ana e"'I'
~ against the laws OF nature OoesI'S mus NV'
be COMPOUNDED with muscular exercise OOes''y
always carries with II physical and olteh inei'"i
weakness and is in excess, always u4s'"'
condition; while muscular development Is pHySi0"'
strength Therefore II the lGw hoios soou' w
naturally nave right 20 expect from parents "a
fine pbysioue similar children. We ADMIT ina.
there is a tendency among our young men anu
women 10 carry their physical exercise TO excess
BY doing this our baseball, rowing cychhs anu
athletic clubs have many members surier'Hs 4'oN
overtrsined muscles and overworked hearts COM
pressed lungs 0mpeding the circulation ana curVeu
spines
Exercise producing the highest muscular de-
velopment II used scientifically. can. only result !"
benefit 70 the persons taking ana theii 0hiiui q"
Two things should be considered before beginning