The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1911-06-22
What Is Rest.

a cure of his disease without fol-
lowing the most rigid routine with
regard to rest is the conclusion OF
four interesting articles in the Jour
nal of the Outdoor Life for June,
Prof. Frederic S. Lee, of Columbia
University, New York, Drs. Lawra-
son Brown and F. H. Heise, of the
Adirondack Cottage Sanatoruim, Tru.
deau, N. Y, DR.. Joseph H. Pratt of
Boston, and Will NJ. Ross, of Stew
ems Point, Wis.
Prof Lee, writing on the subject,
The Physiology of Exercise and
Rest" shows by experiments on
dissected frogs the way in which eN-
ercise tires the muscles and, in fact,
ali the organs of the body. He says:
There is no known antdiote to
fatigue, unless it be rest, with all
that rest implies. Sleep allows
the reparative process of rest to be
performed most quickly and COM
pletely A moderate degree of ia /
tigue, or even considerable de"
gree when not too often incurred,
is not detrimental to healthy body |
and is even to be advised. The heal
thy body is provided with great re-
Operative powers, and does not
rapidly succumb to even excessive
demands on it's energy. But It
should be allowed the proper con-
dition for recuperation, and that
condition is adequate rest. There
is danger when the fatigue of one
DAYS labor is not eliminated before
the next days work is begun. The
effects may then be cumulative the
tissues may be in continued stare
of depression, and the end may be
disastrous"
Drs. Brown and Heise in an ar
ticle on Properly Regulated Rest
and Exercise in Pulmonary Tuber-
culosis,' hold that the action of the
poisonous germs of the disease on
the body is very similar to that OF
over exercise. The poisonous irri-
tation caused by the germs gives
the organs and tissues OF the body
double load to carry. They en-
phasize the Importance OF rest III
the treatment of tuberculcsis, but
also insist that properly regulated
exercise is very necessarv ~. They
state their conclusions thus:
Exercise when properly regu-
! lated and systematically graded is
an important factor in the treat
ment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Through it the patient is in many
cases returned to home and family
with lessened chances of future re-
lapse. At the same time part OF
his earning capacity is restored and
he is consequently financially less
dependent upon others. relieving
him of much worry. expense and
hardship"
DR.. Pratt, who was founder CT
the first Church tuberculosis Class
in the United States in the En-
manual Church in Boston, claims
that in the treatment of tuberculo-
sis absolute rest, often in bed, must
be extended over a period of month!
before the consumptive should take
any exercise. He says: Prolonged
rest in bed out of doors yields bet
ter results than any other method
of treating pulmonary tuberculosis:
Patients will have a better appetite
and take more food without dis
comfort and gain weight and stren-
9Th faster than patients with active
disease who are allowed to exer-
else. Complications are much less
frequent When used in the inoipl-
emit stage recovery is more rapid
and surer.''
Mr.. Ross, who is himself cured
consumptive, and writer of consld-
cradle prominence, holds that UNI
less resting becomes a business to
the tuberculosis patient, he might
as well give up his fight for health.
1.-The period of infection with tuber-
culosis,'' he says, sis not a vacation.
1t is a twenty-four-hour-a-day job.
True it is a period of idleness, but
one of intelligent, directed idleness.
The days work should consist OF
rest; rest should be the only bust
ness on hand. The light exercise, or
hour of reading should be consid-
cred as the reward of good days
work, like the evening of slippered
ease to the tired business man at
the end of the day. This recrea-
ton, however, should be considered
only as an incidental result of the
patients work, not the main OBJ
| ject.''