The Prescott daily news. (Prescott, Ark.) 1907-1941, 1914-04-11
ATHLETIC SPORTS IN RELATION
TO HEALTH

1t is strange that the problems Of
athletics rarely receive the attention
of those who are most concerned with
health, the supposed purpose of bodily
exercise. The management of athlet-
les is rarely found in the hands of
physician, by whose scientific guild
ance the various sports would be
freed from the dangers attending
some of the present athletic practices.
Athletics have for the most part to-
day become the province of the peo-
/ pie at large. 1t is the trainer rather
than the physician, the hero-worshp-
per rather than the hygienist, who di-
reefs and inspires physical exercises
which ought to be undertaken primar-
| lily in the interests of sound body
and a sound mind Games have de-
veloped into contests in which victory
is sought at any human price The
manager" is the foremost adviser,
and the physician is called on as a
last resource to mend the damage
that may have been done in an i'll
advised struggle for athletic supre-
macy. Until there is widespread
education as to the proper purpose
for bodily exercise and dangers that
beset the indiscriminate and uncon-
trolled pursuit of athletics by every
one whom the inclination stirs, it is
a seemingly hopeless task to preach
the gospel of reform.
Meanwhile the physician must de-
velop sound judgment and sane ad-
vice. Only the beginnings have been
made in this field of study If loot
ball or rowing or bicycling have their
dangers. what are they? These ques-
tions demand answers. Among the
internal organs the heart and kidneys
have hitherto received most consid-
/ GRAFTON in connection with the ply
SiolopY of exercise. There is an idea
abroad that each form of athletics has
| it's own peculiar type of defects. Just
as one hears of the tobacco heart"
| there is the alleged bicycle heart"
football kidney" etc. This is not
true The results Of athletic exer-
else may vary in degree but not in
kind. Athletic exercises may be de-
vided into feats of strength and feats
Of indurance. These Go not differ es
sentially in their effect on the body.
There are no important differences
between the different types Of athletic
sports in respect to their physiologic
effect on the body. The severe synp-
toms, however, make their appearance
more prominently in sports like foot
ball Wrestling. bicycle contests, etc,
which may call for extreme evertion.
TO what degree the distinctly harmful
results of improper athletics may
arise depends on a variety of circum-
stances. Age is a factor of signif-
canoe. During the period of boyhood
when the organs have not reached
their full development, the person is
unusually sensitive to muscular ex-
cCsses. Constitution" expresses in
somewhat vague way another factor
which determines the fitness of n per-
son for athletics There must be ade-
quate development, suitable nutrition
and a competent nervous system, the
latter element often being underval-
ued. Obviously, appropriate training
furnishes another safeguard against
the dangers of athletic overriding
Much what is called training" in this
country, is however, combination of
unscientific and sometimes irrational
dietetics. Last but not least, the de-
gree of exertion required is a feature
of determining significance when the
i'll effects of athletic sport are to be
avoided The distinction between do
ing and overriding says The Journal
of the American Medical Association
needs to be learned and appreciated
more than any other single factor in
the rational pursuit of bodily exer-
else for health and enjoyment rather
than for personal superiority and
group supremacy.