Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-03-29
PERIL in ATHLETICS
PHYSICAL EXERCISE SHOULD BE
TAKEN IN MODERATION.

Once beyond tne UouhuS VI "ouSAo
ton, physical exercise and physical
training not only weaken the heart for
a lifetime. predispose to pneumonia,
cause pulmonary tuberculosis and make
extra possible dozen other Ills, but
they unfit a man from being the ideal
husband and father.
Dr. Robert e. Coughlin Of Brooklyn,
saws the New York Times, has been
collecting statistics upon and follow
ing the careers Of athletes for years.
He examined the contestants In anna
-teur boxing matches, and the abnormal
development Of the best of them struck
him. Magnificently developed as TO
their muscles, they were far from be-
ing men of normal health and strength.
Beyond a certain point the muscular
training was at the expense OF their
vitality. 1t took away from the heart
and lungs. There was scarcely an or
gan .of the system not affected ana
made less efficient 1t seemed worth
while to explore further Into the cause
In regard to the benefit to be de-
rived from athletics" says the doctor,
zone has only to remember the physloi.
ogy of exercise to become convinced
of the fact that exercise. per Sc, may
be very beneficial. The point to bear
in mind is to advise the person to stop
before fatigue becomes evident. we
can do this readily when the athlete is
interested IN games for the mere exer'
else. but such advice cannot be offered
when his aim is to excel In an athletlc
contest. Here Is where athletics do
great harm, and it would be safe rule
to advise against all forms of athletics
in the nature of a. contest.
."Athletics may .be~said to be bene-
fetal until the heart begins to be mark
edly hypertrophied. This is the dan
ger signal"
Hypertrophied is the medical mans
way of saying enlarged-that is' the
walls or muscles of the heart increase
in size, Though this Is the danger
signal" there Is no real danger here,
only warning. The danger comes
when, In consequence Of additional ex-
ertion, the heart dilates, its interior
grows larger, displacing the delicate
machinery, causing the valves to leak.
Then come "murniurs," and though a
man may live for years with weakened
valves he may die any day and any
moment. 49,,
Does physical exercise, then, build
ND the general health and make q
|. better man out Of a man! Tnere
seems to be question, with, some
scientific men saying today very en-
phatically, "Not unless that physical
exercise Is very moderate indeed. :.
Health. one of the big English au'
thorities (Sir Michael Foster) puts IT.,
does not exist. 1t Is like happiness.
Each has a goal or limit which, while
seemingly: attainable, eludes perfect
possession. The body consists of a
number of mechanisms which have the
closest and most exact relations, and
as they approximate to harmony there
Is health. but when disordered there Is
ill health.
Not necessarily does man by phys
zeal training and much exercise be-
come better man, nor does he even
get better health. Here Is the striking
evidence of 1t in scientific statements
of the day,
To obtain good health. muscle build
ing Is not necessity. One cannot
Judge of a persons health by the size
and hardness of the muscles. we
have seen that the converse may be
true. To obtain health one must not
he in q perfectly trained condition ow-
ing to the effects of severe training on
the nervous system. There Is no evil
dence to prove that athletics and mus
Gle building improve the constitution
One should always keep IN mind the
fact that built: up or hypertrophieo
muscle has tendency to degenerate
The heart, being a muscular organ
shares in this tendency.
But the athlete Is man VINO goes
through the severest physical strain
and training. If he boxes, runs, Is
gymnast, football player, a wrestler
an expert at baseball or tennis, any
sport requiring violent exercise ane
the constant keeping In trim for 1t, al
the rest of his body Is sacrificed Iol
the overdevelopment Of these specia
muscles, and the rest Of 1t must some
how suffer-
All the body should develop together
as 1t were. Body and mind should D'
built up evenly. If oyerathletics does
nothing else it produces wearing ant
tearing nervous strain.
When it comes to the actual athlete
the man who speciallzes on some form
of physical force and muscle power
these conditions are greatly aggravat
ed. Severe athletic training and mus
Gle building, it is now an acknowledge
fact of science, are at the expense O
The nervous and glandular systems,
IAN experienced athlete" says on
authority. gave as his opinion that
] man sacrifices a certain part of his lif'
every time he enters contest OF an,
kind. He also said that man whel
fit as expressed by athletes, Is IN al
abnormally nervous condition. In 9th
er words, he can never remain at cas-
for a minute at time and, like tn
caped lion. is forever on the move dur
! ing his waking moments. 1t has beef
noticed by observers that athletes ar
often sickly and particularly suscept'
BILE to constipation and appendicitis.
What He Cleaned Up.
"nid you clean up mucn IN tha' ran
roo1 daal ~