Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-04-08

wv For the past two years it has
been impossible to pick up mag
azine whether grave or gay, without being confront
ed with pictures Of men showing tOrsos like those Of
Roman gladiators and biceps which stand up and
out like knots upon the gnarly pine. A common
salutation among rs has been "GOOd morning,
whose physical culture do you usei" and even the
ladies' bless them, have taken to bOssting Of their
muscular development. But now comes q physi-
clan, vOuched for by American Medicine, who de.
clares that the practice of physical culture is
attended by dangers which far oVerbalance all the
good 1t may do, and advising those who have been
training their muscles to give over the practice
which makes them grow and return to the ordinary
exercises which they were accustomed to before the
Couture" craze made its appearance. And Whyf
prolonged observation" says this doctor, "ccn.
viRces me that the muscles Of the professional
athlete or the blacksmith not only unnecessary
to men whose daily occupation requires no high de.
gree Of muscular development, but are absolutely
injurious. Not only is this true so far as exagger-
ated muscular development Is concerned, but it
applies with special force to the structural and
vsceral capacity Of the large.musced man. a capaci-
ty which has developed pari passu with the growth
Of muscle. Large muscles unused are perniciOus it
is true, but an immense unused viscera capacity is
still more so. Muscular degeneracy does not neCes-
sary produce serious results save in the case of the
heart; but visceral degeneracy is a much more
serious matter. big arm with fine biceps, triceps
and detOid development may be very pretty to look
at, but such arms have Ofttimes cost their owners
their lives"
And whyf Our doctor shows that when a man is
training his outward muscles, he also is enlarging
the capacity OF bis stomach and other functional
organs within. People taking considerable muscu-
lar exercise demand more food, and they take more
food. Proper digestion and assimilation depend
upon the usual amount of muscular exercise. 1t
might be supposed that when we left of our exer
cises we might also leave OF our extra ration but
wa In u0fd n aff faoaf rtnAf
some serious injury has been worked to our inter
nal machinery. ga high degree Of physical devel
Opment" be says, els often fatal if for any reason
the subject is compelled to cease his muscular work
and adopt a sedentary life. One of the greatest
pugilists that America ever produced John Dwyer,
Brooklyn, quit his regular occupation to enter a
counting rOom-he died within year of tuberculo-
sis. The explanation of this case was simple
enough; the immense lungs which were necessarily
an advantage in the prize ring fell into disuse in
the counting room. Disuse meant degeneration,
and degeneration meant a lack OF resistance Of
which tuberce bacillus was not slow to take advan.
tage have had under my professional Observa-
tiOn several lesser lights among professional
atletesr in whom q similar result occurred from the
cessati0p-oi training"
The doctor declares that he has often overstrained
himself, and that 'the training habit has been as
hard to break, when necessity has compelled me TO
do 80, as the habitual of narcotics and alcohol
seems to be in most individuals On seVeSel Occa-
siOns when have been compelled to cease training
for one reason or another, it has required many
months for my system to become adapted to the
new conditions. The times arrives in the lives Of
all athletic persons when the exigencies OF One's
occupation, OF advancing years, associated with the
lack Of enthusiasm incidental to the middle period
Of life, bring about cessation of active training
In many instances the result is disastrousU
The doctor says he is in favor OF exercise for all
persons If it is taken in moderation. But here he
leaves to construct for ourselves definition of
moderation" We may safely assume that man
who gOesOut in his back yard and turns hand
springs for an hour before breakfast Is not taking
his dose Of exercise with genuine moderation. But
what about the citizen who, having paid anywhere
from $3.50 to $50 for acoursev in physical culture
faithfully goes through the leg movement, the arm
movement, the stomach movement, and all other
movements according to directionsl Is he doomed
to an early grave through any Of the dread pro.
cesses described by the doctor9 Must he take in
the sanctity Of bis chamber an equal amout of the
'culturen every morning. knowing If he varies or
let's down he becomes at once gone goslingl
And to these questions science should give al
prompt answer, even if it brings to US only the
worst. Some Of rs, Of course are not personally
Interested having clung to the mild ancestral
habit Of cutting for breakfast appetite no more
than q cord oisw0od. But there are thousands
nay milli0ns-of our best citizens who are doing
their utmost lIy means Of hopping on one foot or
striking desperately at the air, to reproduce in