Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

PREPARATORY TREATMENT. 639 task in most cases, because it not only requires some skill to know what to do, but also great self-command to avoid that which ought not to be done. In the vast majority of instances the health has been impaired by excess of some kind, and in many by every variety of excess which human inge­ nuity can suggest. But it is wonderful how completely the anticipation of an Oxford and Cambridge match at Putney, a pedestrian or any similar contest,will enable a " fast man" to throw all temptation on one side, and adhere to all the rules laid down for his guidance with the rigidity of an anchorite. His reply to all tempting offers is, " No, that is bad training." Such is not al­ ways the case, but it is true to a great extent; and more pluck is frequently shown in abstaining from temptation thanin sustaining the prolonged efforts which such a race demands. There are two kindsof excess which are the most likely to producesuch a state as Iam supposing—namely, excess in eating, drinking, &c., and excess in literary or other sedentary pursuits. Either will for a time entirely upset the powers of the stomach, and in fact of the whole system, and each will require very different treatment inorder to re­ store those powers. These conditions will also vary very much according to the rank in life, habits, andnatural constitution of the individual. For in­ stance, a gentleman's son,having been generously brought up, goes to the university and indulges to excess in wine, smoking, &c., all the while taking strong exercise. For a time his natu­ rally strong constitution enables him to withstand the attacks of the poison­ ous doses of wine and tobacco which he is taking, but soon his hand begins to shake, his appetite for solid food ceases, his eyes become red, hissleep is restless and unrefreshing, and he is threatened with an attack of delirium tremens. Now, if in such a state as this an attempt is made to gosuddenly into training, the consequence is, either that the above disease makes its ap­ pearance at once, or, in milder cases, that the stomach refuses to do its duty, and that the prescribed work cannot be performed, from giddiness, faintness, sickness, or headache. By a little care and time, however, thisstate of things may be removed. But suppose the case of a young man in a lower rank, who has been brought up on a spare and rigidly abstemious fare,and who from circumstances is suddenly allowed to indulge in all the temptations ofthe public-house ;he has no other resource —no hunting or cricket totake up his attention—no lectures to attend, and the consequence is that beer and to­ bacco commence the day, and tobacco and spirits wind it up. Such a man suddenly finds all his energies going, his mind dull and enfeebled, his body weak, flabby, and bloated ; in a happy moment he bethinks himself that he will take to boating, or some other amusement which he has formerly per­ haps been addicted to, and at once proceeds to the river or the road. Well I what is the consequence ? Why, in­ stead of feeling the better for his exer­ tion, he is completely knockedup, and perhaps permanently discouraged and deterred from any further trial; in fact, he requires a much more careful treat­ ment to gethim into a state of health fit for such an exertion than the Oxo­ nian or the Cantab, because thechange from his former habits has been greater, because the imbibition of beer and spirits lias been more uninterrupted, because the rooms he has frequented have been less perfectly ventilated, and because hehas taken little or no exer­ cise. Indeed, it is astonishing what quantities of intoxicating drinks may be imbibed without much injury, pro­ vided that a corresponding amount of exercise is regularly taken. A farmore difficulttask lies beforethe reading man, who has devoted twelve to eighteen hoursa day to a prepara­ tion for honours, and who, finding his health giving way, determines upon going in forhonours of another kind. Here the nervous system has been overtaxed, aided by green tea, wet cloths round the head, and perhaps a liberal supply of tobacco; the con­ sequence is thatthe neglected muscular system is unfit for exertion, and the limbs become stiffand cramped on the slightest effort. This state of things requires many weeks, or even months, to restore thesystem toa state fit for undertaking any severe work, because the muscles are wanting in solid material, andthe nervous system is so irritable as to be totally incompetent to stimulate themwith that steadiness and regularity whichis essential to success. The same state of things oftenoccurs