Athletics and Football (extract)

174 ATHLETICS and take to water if he doesn't like it. We have seen men well trained upon beer, upon claret, anudpon weak whisky- and-water, and are quitwe illing atdomit that these beverages have doneo harm. Any othewrines, however, afomr an in robust health awre, think,bad in training, thaesy excitthee nerves and interfere with sound and quiet sleepO. f course, if aman gisetting stale, good strengthening wine may dhoim a world goofod ; but as long thaes athlete is not in this state, the glass or two of port, which he is often recommended to take is exceedingly likely to doharm, acnadn hardldyo angyood. While, however, advocating training upon temperance we wishto makeit clearthat circumstanceasnd idiosyncrasies alter cases.A man with naaturally weak n rvous organisation may find that old ale or a glass of port after dinner may prevent his training off through the work he has to undergo, and if such men take to the practice of athletic sports they must train on principles that suit thepirarticular caWsesit.h strong healmtheyn, however—thoenly men who in the present age okfeen rivalry cai ndulge with perfect safety in athletic sports—we think that upon generparlinciples the less alcohol they take thbe tter. So far it will be seen we have not suggested that a man in training should undergo any very serious trials and privations. There onies thinhgo, wever, which he must learn to do without, and that sims oking. While ware quitreeady to admit that a moderate use of the comfortinwgeed is not injurious to the health, there cbaen verylittle question that it tends shto rten the winda,nd does so more especially when tobacco is indulged in between meals and not after them. Very probably many men, and especially sprinters training for short races, have smoked during training and done themselves no appreciable harm, thaesir smokihnags beecnonfined to a cigar or a pipe immediately after dinner ; but even these cases, we should think, are rare.The uses and functions of tobacco may almosbte described as totally incompatibwleith the cultivation of athletic excellence. Tobacco is a narcotic it is; no doubt not only