The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-01-11
WHEN GOLF is DEADLY.
This Midd,e.Aged Man Takes Exercise
Ni.h Risk to himssf.

Said DR.. A. c. Bernays. OF St. Louis.
who ranks high among American sur
geons: "Wayman McCreery was a vic
tim OF golf, sacrifice to the golf fad"
The subject Of this expression was a
prominent citizen Of St. Louis, a man
Of unusual mental and physical quail
ties, who had been an all-around ath
lete. At the age OF fifty he showed
tendency toward obesity. with short
ness Of breath when taking exercise.
Some stupid person told him there
was an accumulation of fat about his
heart and that the remedy was strenu
Gus physical action. He was told that
he ought to play golf. In truth the
trouble was weakening OF the coats
OF the arteries, which was probably due
to the strain of too violent exertion.
Mr.. McCreery took enthusiastically TO
the golf idea. He often made two
continuous rounds of the links. and
sometimes he made three. At the
same time he di-ted himself and rigid.
ly cut off his usual beverages. Last
May Nc shocked lis physician by say
ing that he had taken off thirty-eight
pounds. With his weight thus reduced
and resistance in the vessels to the ac-
tion Of the heart diminished, that or
gan worked more rapidly and at last
ruptured a tiny artery in the brain.
causing death by apoplexy.
Dr. Bernays expressed what IS prob
ably the opinion Of most medical men
Of large experience when he said: II
do not think there is more dangerous
thing for man OF fifty or over to do
than to change radically his mode Of
life in any way that will involve more
work, either physical or mental. To
professional or business men who have
reached the middle age l should say:
DO less than you have been doing and
do not take off weight rapidly The
golf fad for busy men who have be-
come corpulent while doing hard work
is dangerous experiment."
1t is the teaching OF common sense
as we'll as Of experience that a man
who has reached middle age should
never take physical exercise to the
point of WEAKNESS, and that any exer-
tion which he may make should be less
violent t,:an the training to which he
was used to in his earlier years. xlt is
not we'll that man at any age should
attempt to maintain the highest de-
gree OF bodily strength and agility, ex-
cept as a preparation for an event
which Will tax his powers to the ut
most. The prizefghter puts himself
into the best condition 10 a contest.
but it is never his aim to Keep in that
State. Experience has taught Kim that
there is limit beyond which a reduc-
ton OF weight is unsafe. Men who use
their brains cannot carry muscular de-
velopment far. The greatest minds
and their greatest efforts have not been
associated with severely trained bodies.
When men are guided in their physi-
cal exercises by theory, or by the
rules OF trainer, or by anything ex-
cept their own sense of comfort. thew
are indaHger Of over-exertion, which is
always worse than underdoing. Wall
ing at a moderate gait to the tired
point. but beyond, with plenty Of fresh
air. will usually accomplish all that is
needed for most men and women.
There are persons whose organs have
tendency toward sluggi,hness, and
who require special forms OF exercise
to stimulate healthy action; but they
are proper subjects for the physician.
Stout people are too often and too
positively urged to reduce their weight
by strenuous exercise. especially since
the fields have become crowded with
golf enthusiasts OF both sexes and al
ages.-Phladelphia Record.