The times., 1899-04-03
Exercise and Overexercise.

Hrom the HospitaL)
If we accept the broad fact that eXer-
else is good and that its effect is TO in
crease muscular strength and bodily de-
yelopment we have to ask, Why does
still further exercise cease to be good, and
what do we mean by overexereise?" First,
We must draw broad distinction between
the effect of constantly maintained eXer-
tion which is required in certain trades,
and the alternating contraction and relax
alton of all the muscles of the body. which
is the characteristic of games and athlet-
! les of all kinds. That constantly maintain
ed effort or monotonous repetition of the
same movement tends to exhaustion Tath-
er than nutrition goes without saying; but
taking ordinary so-cslled healthy exercise
by what is its limit set? The limit ap-
pears to be set by three factors: First
| the capacity of the digestive organs to
keep up the quality of blood; second, the
capacity of the excretory organs to get rid
of the waste products which result from
muscular action, and third, the power of
the heart to drive a constant stream of
blood through every corner of the organ
ism.
Interference with digestion is by no
means uncommon effect of excessive ex-
ercise and so far as training is concerned
ii is one OF the most destructive. The blood
cannot flow in full stream TO every part
| at once. AS DIR. Lauder Brunton says,
| Everyone knows that while moderate eX-
| ercise tends to produce appetite, a long
and exhausting exertion tends to destroy
/ the appetite. and even to produce actual
| sickness, as one finds in mountain climb
| ing" People differ greatly in this respect,
but in some-great, ponderous men as they
may seem-the digestion is so easily up
| set by muscular exercise that although
| they may be giants for a momentary eX-
ertion, anything like sustained effort dis
turbs digestion, and cuts at the very root
of their nutrition. In many cases how
ever. the limit to exercise lies in dimin-
ished excretion.
Unless the eXcretory organs are thor
oughly efficient the tissues become
crowded with products which cannot BE-
got rid of, the senses become dimmed. and
effort becomes mere automatism in con-
sequence of self-poisoning by the prod
ucts of muscular waste.
So far we have dealt with wha. may
| be fifty termed the automatic checks 10
oVereXercise. Interference with digestion
so lowers nutrition, while accumulation OF
waste products poisons the system, that
in either case further exertion becomes
impossble-the very will to make it passes
away. But II is different in regaSl to the
heart The heart, although strained may
yet be driven on to its own destruction.
Every muscular effort not only demands
from the heart an increased flow of b ood
! but also drives an increased quantity to-
ward it. So long as the heart can pass
this forward all is well, but when it fai 5
not merely is the circulation of the b ood
rendered imperfect. but serious damage is
done to the heart itself. II when the heart
was oyerdriven it merely struck, the en-
feebled circulation would soon put a stop
to further effort. The willing art. how
ever, taking at each beat a wider sweep
and driving into the vessels larger guam
tity of blood, so meets the call that the
| athlete can struggle on. perhaps to n
his race. But the strained heart suffers.
the stretched muscle does not quite come
back, the dilated cavity does not quite
close at each contraction. and permanent
mischief is set up Thus 1t is that exsI-