The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-06-12

OF the tin cup, where liquids were
dealt with, it was practicable to dc.
termine exactly the quantity of food
consumed.
Whenever practicable sample was
taken from each lot Of food purchased
or prepared, and when necessary, it
vas anaiyzed, so as to find out how
much muscle-making stuff and how
much fuel stuff it contained. With
fruits and certain other articles this
was not necessary inasmuch as their
average composition is we'll known.
One point carefully observed by the
trainers was to furnish the riders with
foods of kinds that are easily digested,
and the observations showed that the
best results in circumstances where
excessive muscular exertion for long
periods is required are obtained by a
diet rather spare in fat and starch,
(the prime fuelmaking substances, J
but rich in the material that goes to
make muscle and blood. This might
sccm strange, were it not understood
that under certain conditions the mus
cle-forming stuff is utilized by the
blood as fuel, being simply burned to
keep the engine running.
1t appears that under such circum-
stances the muscle-stuff stored in the
body is utilized as fuel, andit was ap-
parent that the riders in the bicycle
race supplied in this way large stores
OF such material from their own It's
sues. This, Of ooulse, could not be
continued indefinitely, but it served
admirably for while, and hence the
foods provided by the trainers could
be selected with view to easy diges.
tibility rather than to the proportions
of fuel-making and muscle-forming
stuff contained in them. In other
words, during the period Of the con-
test the question of we'll ll-balanoed
ration became subordinate to that Of
an easily-digested and agreeable one.
On the other hand, any serious dis
turbance of the digestive apparatus
would have been fatal to the chances
of any competitor.
The man who came in second, Gov
ering more than / 300 miles in the six
days, consumed good deal of sugar,
which was taken principally in the
form of ginger ale. Whether this was
judicious or not is a question. The
use of sugar in the diet Of soldiers and
other persons at heavy work is being
much discussed, though it has been
recommended by some authorities for
other athletes whose exertions are in
tense. but Of short duration. For
such cases, however, it is believed by
the Government experts that diet
consisting largely Of animal food, and
furnishing large percentage of mus.
cle-forming stuff, is preferable.
Why the body should use it's own
substance under such conditions as
thooe Of the bicycle race is question
that cannot be answered satisfactorily
at present. The fact that such was
the case, each of the contestants who
finished the race making considera-
BILE contribution Of this nature, (esti-
mated as equivalent to two or three
pounds of lean fesh,) and that no
injury resulted, would seem to indi-
cate tha. the men had stores OF mus
cle-stuff, which could be converted
into fuel for meeting demands put
upon the body by the severe exertion,
without robbing any Of the working
parts-at the same time relieving the
system Of some of the labor of diges-
tion. Possibly the ability to carry
such store Of muscle stuff available
for fuel is one of the factors making
for physical endurance.
Mathematical conditions most care
fully made showed that about one
fourth Of the total work done by each
bicycle rider was expended in over
coming the resistance Of the air
through which he passed. By meas
uring shadow areas and in other ways
it has been ascertained that an aver.
age man on wheel exposes to the
wind 6 4-10 square feet. When sit
ting half upright on the saddle this is
reduced to little less then square
feet, and when 'scorching'' to 5 2-1O
square feet. However, the body is
rounded in form, which makes good
deal of difference, and thus it is esti-
mated that the resistance offered TO
the air is about equal to that which
would be offered by q plane of one =.
half the same dimensions. Thus the
exposed surface Of rider in q semi
upright posture would be enn;valapt