The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-09-05


the casualties for 1910. There
DR.. Clendening will answer
questions Of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
were nine deaths, two amputa-
tons, and a holocaust of broken
backs, legs. hips, shoulders, rup-
tured kidneys and other internal
injuries.
Less important objections 70
football are thatitis honeycombed
with shady practices and it has
become so technical and rule bur-
dened that it is not only boring
but positively painful to watch a
game.
Debauehes Ethical Standards
How can the ethical standards
Of a young man who is playing
football fail TO be debauched when
he sees what is going on around
him? College football has long
ceased TO have any amateur
standing.
l can speak Of this out Of one
incident from my own experience.
A man came TO me a year or two
ago and said-"I have a son who
wants to study medicine and
know you are on the faculty of the
medical school Of the university.
The boy has been a star football
player in high school and college.
In fact while he was in high school
he got plenty Of offers from col
lege teams for free tuition and
easy iobs while in college. Now
he can play at least two years
more university football. But we
are all through with the romantic
stuff. This IS practical. What will
your school do about free tuition,
jobs with good pay and practically
no work, and going light on exam
ination questions" l told him
we were not practical, so far at
least as l knew.
A Players Opinion
So far as the boredom is con-
cerned, need not rely on my own
experience.
/ quote from letter: 81 am an
old football player, and used To be
a coach and an official A year ago
l was in an unfamiliar part of the
country and invited to go to a
football game. 1t was the first one
/ had seen for several years-one
of the very few / had seen from
the stands. Always before / had
been either. a player or a coach.
l thought the game | witnessed
that day the most boring | had
ever seen. ] did not know half the
time what was going on. That is
why so many persons bring their
portable radio sets to the game.
They want 70 know what the off,
cial Interpretation is. l thought
1t was dumb exhibition"
The Doctor'E Suggestions
I am asked sneeringly what nv
suggestions for reform are. Here
they are. First: Eliminate high
school football entirely; two-thirds
Of the casualties are in high school
because at that age the bones are
too soft and serious injuries more
likely to be sustained. Besides
with no high school football it re-
moves the temptation for the COL
lege scouts to make attractive
offers. Second: do not pay a sal
airy TO any football coach. Let the
old stars work for love. This
might help restore the amateur
standing Of football.
Third: do away with rules
about off-side play and holding. In
fact, any rule that requires the
Interpretation Of a referee. Let
1t be catch as catch can.
Fourth: no huddles.
Fifth: Substitute Rugby a
better, healthier and safer game
and one which extends the benefits
of outdoor exercise to more stu
dents.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
F. B.:-"How reliable are the
tuberculosis skin tests? How often
should they be given? Will a child
who mas frequent attacks Of bron-
chial asthma be more likely 10
develop tuberculosis? Is there any
truth TO the saying that people
with asthma rarely have tuber-
culosis?"
Answer-The tuberculosis skin
test which is positive in a person
under the age Of ten years has a
great deal Of significance. Over
that age, it must be carefully in
terpreted. Therefore, it should be
done at about the age Of ten. 1t is
a rule that people with bronchial
asthma do not have tuberculosis.
Sometimes this rule is broken.
However, a child with bronchia.
asthma is certainly not hkely g
ave tut