El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-29

or the strain 10 Wnlcn lne DOdSs anu
incidentally the nervous system, is sub
jected-
Changes In Expressions
In the early part of a long-distanee
race. and before the runner has got his
second wind" he is likely to suffer
from brea thlessness- His face then
assumes look that counterfeits pain
or deep sorrow. r. at the end Of such
a contest he is overcome (as is usual
~ the casej by exhaustion. his express
sion is exactly that which would under
ordinary circumstances denote surprise
or establishment
These facial expressions. initiative Of
emotions that are not felt, afford a
are susceptible Of analysis. Thus the
look Of snarling ferOcity indicates, in
the athlete. violent effort There is
converging Of wrinkles to the root
Of the nose, with wrinkles across the
bridge. The frOwning brOWs are
drawn down. and the eyes narrowed to
mere Sits At the outer angle Of each
eye is a crows foot" Of wrinkles
made by an effort of the muscles TO
close the eyes.
It seems quite odd. when one comes
to think of IL, that in any kind OF
violent effort the eyes are shut or near
" shut The Splinter would shut his
eyes II he could do so and yet see the
running track. The hammer-thrOwer
often does close his eyes tight Al the
moment Of greatest effort In shout
ing, sneezins. crying. or laughing, we
close our eyes.
DR.. Mckenzie explains this by say
ing that, when any violent effort is
made. there is a muscular contraction
Of the chest walls which congresses
the heart and lungs. thereby driving
up the blood pressure to a point that
may endangsr the delicate blood yes
sells Of the eyes. II distended beyond
a certain limit, they might burst. but
the muscles used for closing them con-
tract the vessels and force the blood
back
When a runner is trying to cover
100 yards in the fewest possible num-
Der Of seconds. there is no question OF
breathing He takes a big breath at
the starting line and holds il. Through
out the sprint" there is an intense con-
muscular system is CONFUSED with
supreme effort, and the blood pressure
rises. just as IL does in throwing the
hammer or putting" the shot
H. on the other hand, the runner. in
stead Of trying to cover the 100 yards
in ten or eleven seconds, is satisfied
TO do il in 20 seconds. there is no
nervous tension, no muscular convul-
sure. and the face remains calm and
smiling.
Is Thirst For Air.
The face OF breathlessness Is wholly
peculiar and definitely characteristics.
Its expression is one Of anxiety eio-
smOothness Of the forehead is broken
by wrinkles spreading from the inner
ends Of the updraWn eyebrOWs-the
direction of the eyebrows being Just
the reverse Of that seen in violent ef-
fort. They are drawn Upward and in
ward by what the French call the
muscle Of pain whose action IS OBJ
served in grief or in distress OF any
kind. mental or physical
The upper eyelids OF the runner ~Out
OF breath droop and half-cOver the
syeballs. giving a look OF lasSitude- The
nostrils are widely dilated. and the
mouth gapes, with lips retracted in the
for air. The raised upper lip
adds TO the look of sorrow and pain.
and the dOwn-drawn mouth corners.
the tongue closely pressed against the
teeth. the sunken cheeks. and the open
mouth all 90 TO accentuate the effect
Of distress
Caused By Poisoning.
The distress is caused by poisoning
The efforts Of the runner have thrown
into the blood from the mus
lies a quantity Of waste that acts as
4 poison As the distance race is con- !
-inued. there is a establishment of /
equilibrium between the production of |
waste and its elimination, so that the /
athlete gets what he calls his second :
p ind" The look OF pain disappears /
rom his face; his lungs regain their I
power to expand; his head becomes !
lear and his muscles act with re-
lewed vigOr and elasticity He can /
low keep on running until he feels the I
of exhaustion
When exhaustion arrives las il must i
before the end OF a long distance race, /
q has its own characteristic evidences !
IN the expression Of the face The I
eyebrows show a slight frOWn. the eye /
ids are heavy, as with sleep: the up !
per lip is retracted from the teeth. Civ I
ng slight look Of pain, the mouth i
s half OPEN the jaw drops. and the !
over lip hangs loosely over the parted J
-eeth- The general expression is one (;
II vacancy, the runner being obliged I
70 make much effort TO prevent his /
.yes from closing. as a consequence Of /
he upper lids
The long. doubly curved wrinkles /
icrOss the forehead are ordinarily as :
iociated with surprise or establishment I
)ut in the exhausted runner they il /
uStrate an endeavOr 10 raise the droOp- 1
ng eyelids- The nostriles are dilated 4
md the lips drawn downward and out (
ward. the lower part OF the face eN- 4
PRESSING the distress OF failing power ]
o breathe The head is thrown back |
md the chin forward in an endeavor I
o balance the head without fuscuIar [
ffort- Both pose and facial express I
ion are Characteristic of the last strug- [
lie to fight off collapse. When this eff
ort is continued to the final utmost. /
he muscules cease 10 act: circulation
lis lips livid- He falls to the ground !
n a faint
Lasts For Days.
The effect OF such collapse does not /
ASS away for days The athlete is
ired' his Temperature may rise several
disturbed by dreams. Soreness and
fitness Of the muscles remain for Z
ute a while, but gradually fade away