Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-07-25
USE GAS N SPORTS.
Too Frequent "Iaes" From 0xy-
gen Dangerous.
Proposition % sir Edwin Ray Ian
kester Denounced az Unsports-
naanlike ard Unselentlhe--
Viii Shorten Life.

London-The lay press reports that
SIR Edwin Ray Lancaster has Inquired
AZ the Swedish authorities. who VIII
have charge OF the coming Olympian
games. viii permit Marathon cOmpe-
titor 90 carry an oxygen tank or bag
and take from 70 an occasional whiT
during that cruel and gTucling twenty 1
six odd miles that must be run BY /
those who would BE- En- at the finish |
The competitors. ne observes. VIII !
presumably be allowed 20 consume re- |
freshments whiio racing. "It would
De extremely interesting 90 see whoth-
or such breathing IS OF material assist
ance 90 the runner. and az 0Xy gen gas
IS not a drug but "a natural an article
| OF consumption as water. there seems
| 20 be no reason why the runner should
/ BE- disqualified Tor refreshing himself
with it. as he may With soup or VA
ter"
| Stimulating drugs are. OF course.
| rightly barred from any athletic con-
test worthy the name. the Scientific
| American remarks Oxygen Is in these
| circumstances certainly drug. mas
much As 70 "dopes" the recipient quite
4
! IS a powerful and most valuable stimu-
| liant for the sick who require it--pa-
uents with coma or pneumonia In exc
tremis But AS With AT stimu.anfs.
excessive use OF it rs dangerous. lt
first excites and then depresees; fire.
| 0uent oxygen lntovication VIII Qrcma-
/ turelv exhaust the individuals vitalit-
and viii surely tend 90 shorten his
DAYS Such indulgence VIII make the
, | cardiac beats most pathoiogicaliy rap
& I'd aud powerful: the blood viii flow
I'm excessive volume and strength and
y the collapse viii b. in reciprocal pi-r
& | portion The ears sing In an oxygen
lag" as n one should hang head down
ward over cli1: speech is hesinung
ideas swarm. but - Is hard 20 seize
s them
Sir Fdwin's proposal IS amazingly un
u scientific IN a scientist OF SO great rep
utatfon and 40 is most unsportsman
4 | like. especially IN an Engushman. th'
Britisber being nothing n not love
OF fair play in sport. What folly q
IS declare nascent oxygen as natural a
2 article OF consumption As water Pur
oxygen rs FAR from being such thing
10 n Is natural only 90 Do breathed whe
OF IL is diluted with several times -
n volume OF nitrogen
Pure oxygen has before been use
IA athletics. but al that kind OF thin
70 IS altogether cheap and unprontab
v nun Il has a yellow streak Yes To
a., ords have been broken By this mean
AZ They should not stand. they do NOT
ast the minds % tho sporting ariatocrac
al | And the reason why is that they a
not tests OF Drawn and endurance 10
der the memorable conditions IN Will
N human ufe must ordinarily be live
I'VE An oxygen drunk might make an q
trained unteveloped. soft muscled. ,
dinarily short vinded specimen 81
or cessful for the brief span OF A Civ
,Et contest: but for all that he would
poorer. and not the really triumpha
'S' man. All competitions should be h'
IS under natural conditions. such as m'
IS be CHANGED and c0ned with in natu
The only safe and sane way
breathe oxygen la in combination ~
ycc nitrogen AS BE- exists in the circuma
blent air ln the form 20 which. q
ing the ages human and an other
Az has become adapted Normal living
ever "the right adjustment 90 inter
relations 90 external relations"
After an. Why should marathons
run. anyway. except for the glori
and sufficient purpose of ann0unc
in the Athenian market place the
tory a. Marathon over the Persia
DC. How utterly purposeless Is today
iOly terribly taxing race which must
5ro many q participant result In disc
and in shortened existence.
Iarr