Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-09-04
(CopyTisht. 1914 By A. S. Grsy)
WALKING TO BE WELL.

ENSNcHCAcHCHCAOAcNCNCNCSCHEN
(Copyrisht. 1914 By A. S. Gray)
WALKING TO BE WELL.
Insomnia, "biliousness" and "rheu'
matism" are q trinity Of widely dis
tributed troubles inextricably associat
ed in the public mind with brain
work." food and indigestion. As II
usually the case In conclusions reached
through purely empirical channels,
the association is substantially cor
rect, but the theory for the correction
of the distressing conditions Is wrong
Probably the most destructive idea
we have Is that for every physical
distress there exists some miraculous
remedy. our problem as we see 1t be.
ing solely to ind the man wise enough
to determine correctly the cause OF
our trouble and advise the proper rem.
edy-and in our belief II must always
be something to take. to rub In. or to
squirt into our bodies through q hol-
low needle.
The energy spent in work and heat
Is derived from the potential energy
stored in the food, and throughout the
entire process neither matter nor en-
ergy IL either gained or lost. The
fundamental principles of the conser-
walton Of energy and Of matter hold
good in all living things as they do
in inorganic nature. All energy taken
in must be balanced by work done
and heat given on.
Food taken into our bodies does not
for the most part pass through as fuel
alone, but also serves to build up COM
plex living material, which in turn is
perpetually breaking down again into
nonliving matter. There is a double
process continually going on in meta
bolism-a building up into higher and
higher compounds in the making of
which energy IL absorbed, and . cor
responding breaking down Of these
higher compounds into simpler ones
and into waste products. during which
process energy is freed. For these
reason we cannot live on carbon
foods alone: at the present time COM
binations Of sixteen elements that We
know and undoubtedly some that We
do not yet know are necessary to
maintain the human body and are
therefore foods. Hence multitudes are
starving In the midst Of plenty and
we make futile efforts to cure the
result.
From this brief survey It will be
seen that human life Is q highly com.
plex proposition and that II we desire
to remain In the life current It IL ad.
visable that we give the matter some
personal thought and learn not to in
terfere 90 recklessly with the funda-
mental requirements.
We have noted that work Is essen.
tial to all animal lie. and man is no
exception to the rule. This brings us
to the point of our subject-the physi.
ology of the walk. The muscles IN
every part Of the body are tensely
stretched between the point of origin
and insertion. and In general are in
opposing sets and maintained in a
balanced state of tension by a con-
tinuous contraction kept up by the
action Of the nervous system.
Music Is elastic, q small force being
SUFFICIENT to change its shape, but
when the distorting force is removed
It returns completely to its original
shape. provided the distortion has not
passed the limits of elasticity. Mus.
cles remain at rest indefinitely until
stimulated to contract, and when we
desire to contract a muscle certain
changes occur in our brain; these set
up changes In the nerves passing to
the part and the muscles contract.
BY means Of the erograph, an In.
strument which enables the response
OF muscle to stimuli to be recorded.
II is shown that the continued action
OF the nerve muscular mechanism
leads to fatigue: that II a muscle he
voluntarily" or refiexly stimulated
again and again. It finally ceases tn
react. Fatigue Is due to the accumu.
lation Of the products of the activity
OF the muscles. and 1t may be induced
In . normal animal by injecting into
II the blood from an animal which ha.
been fatigued: muscular fatigue, In
brief. generates poison and blankets
the energies Just - the ashes from
one flre may be used to bank or
smother another fire.
This explains to the discerning why
clumsiness. slovenliness and feeble
meas of purpose are characteristic of
certain postures, and why alertness,
thoroughness, self-confidence and free
dom all proclaim themselves in the
carriage and in the act Of walking.
Not only does our character influence