Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-12-13
OPPOSED TO FOOTBALL
SurgeOn-GeneraI Stokes U. S. N.
Says 1t Is Bad For Mid
Shipmen
CALLS SPORT DANGEROUS
DECLARES Those Devoted To Ii Nav De-
yeIop Lessons And Are More Easily
Attacked By Consumption

That "athleticism as it is gener-
ally understood makes those who fol-
low it more susceptible to disease
THAI are those who indulge in the
more moderate exercises is the state
ment made by Surgeon-General
Charles F. Stokes. u. S. N, 10 his
annual report to the Secretary of the
Navy.
Football is severely arraignGd, and
he says unequivocally that if the
game is to- continue the immediate
danger to life and limb should be re-
duced to minimum, which at this
time, be adds, has certainly not been
accomplished.
Basing opinion upon data" the
SurgeonGeneral says, obtained by
Investigators in this country and
Europe, it is the prevailing belief
of medical authorities that partici-
patton in the customary contests is
not only unnecessary for the develop
ment of tie best physique, but that
the average man who is more ration
ally and evenly developed by conser-
vative but recreative gymnastics,
without the undue enlargement of
the heart muscle which commonly fol
lows speciaiism in football and row.
ing will live longer, be more resist
ant to diseases, and thereby enabled
to render more service.
1.-The navy, the individual and the
civil community from which the
prospective officer is appointed, "
the Surgeon-General continues, his
reference being to the United
States Naval Academy this city
lean each rightully demand that if
athletic contests are to be permit
ted, and particularly if they are to
be encouraged by official dispersal
tion and the moral support of
thousands of spectators, the imme-
date danger to life and limb shall
be reduced to a minimum, which
certainly has not yet been reached.
Competitive sports are, how
ever, not compulsory, and after the
minimum dangers and doubtful ad-
vantages have been pointed out by
medical advisers and instructors in
physical training participation may
still be left to the individuals de-
cision, even if his youthful judg-
ment is somewhat discredited. The
expression, once an athlete always
an athlete,S should be thoroughly i'm
pressed, for heart given a large
amount of work to perform increases
in size as does any other muscle, and
when later comparative issue oc-
cured, degenerative changes may be
expected, with corresponding suscep-
tibility to disease and failure to
meet the unpreparedness for service
emergency.
1T may be confidently contended
that in any given group of Midship-
men who have specialized in athlet-
les at the Naval Academy and enter
ed upon a career of comparatively
restricted regular physical exercise,
and ultimately higher admission rate
for tuberculosis will be found than
among their confreres who, in addi-
ton to the regular physical training
satisfied their need for physical rec
reation in gymnastics, tennis and
other moderate exercises. All con-
ditions of modern shiplife favor an
entire change in the young officers
physical habits when they are as
signed to their first sea duty after
graduation, and those who have been
the more athletic are quite as prone
to abandon their exercises and adapt
themselves to the less active envi-
ronment; these men have more heart
muscle and vital capacity to fall into
disuse, and tubercular infection is
less readily resisted, while within a
few years serious illness may find
degenerateu heart muscle unable
to withstand the strain. Mental
strain incident to student life does
not require intense physical exercise;
moderate physical recreation will
far more readily relieve brain fatigue
and restore mental vigor."
The report of Surgeon-General
Stokes is causing lot of talk and
speculation among navy men, for
coming from the navy's ranking
medical officer his criticisms are
bound to have weight in high off,
cial circles. It is also matter of
comment that Surgeon General Tor
ney, of the army, in his annual
report, did not make any unfavor-
able criticism of football and the
other more strenuous sports.