The Athlete for 1866

HINTS ON TEAJNING. repeatedly during the day. Should the sprain be attended with much swelling, I 11 . 111 3 ur y ^ Jointj the first point to attend to is reduction of the effusion aud inflammation, to give free motion to the hones and sinews, and then soxno stimulating embrocation to recover the natural strength of the part. Tho former object is obtained by hot fomentations, the latter by the use of tho mixture mentioned above, or by immersion in cold water under a tap where there is a high fall,and friction afterwards. Never commence fast sprinting in practice unless the muscles are thoroughly warm. Strains would seldom happen if this was attended to. Blisters can be cured by rest, and bathing the spot with salt water, or by applying glycerine. Corns occur generally fromwearing tightly fitting boots. Do not, therefore, sacrifice comfort to appearance. If they come between the toes,they cause much pain :their removal, however ia sunple. Wash the feet wellin hot w 7 ater before going to bed" let them soak in it for an hour or so ;then take a rough towel and ry them well. Take a piece of lint, cover it with powdered soda,and place it on the corn between the toes. I he next morning they can easily beremoved by another washing and drying. Hard corns on the soles ofthe feet generally come from wearing tight thin-soled boots on hard pavement, &c. It is nature's protection carried, however, to an extreme. They can be treated in the same way, though they are more difficult to cure than soft ones. Thick worsted stockings, or a moveable sole inside the boot, areof service to prevent theirrecurrence; but nothing is so good as broad soled boots, thick under leather, and frequent washing. If the bowels are con­ fined, a glass of spring water on rising in the morning and a crust of bread will feefound of service. Never run before breakfast; it generally tires a man for the remainder of theday, and interferes with his digestion. Fruit fresh picked is not to be discarded A small quantity, when ripe, will often give tone to the stomach and cool the blood. Of dried fruits, figs are supposed to be the most serviceable. The stereotyped beverage, brandy and soda, is hurtful after meals; it neutralizes the naturalacid juices for digestion. In the morning however after a heavy meal,night-mare, &c., it canbe taken with advantage, lea, and coffee are the usual and the best drinks for the first and last meal of the day. We have before mentioned, that two good meals and one light one are sufficient; but if the dinner is taken at seven o'clock, a cup of tea or coffee an hour or so afterwards is productive of good. Coffee being more stimulating than tea, is perhaps the best beverage for breakfast, as the system requires some stimulus after its inactivity during sleep. Tea, from its slightly lesa eftect 111retarding the process ofdigestion, and its cooling power in relaxing the skin, is preferred to be takenin the evening. From the effect oftea and coffee on the nervous system, their action also on the muscular is of great significance, ihey excel alcohol in their warming properties,without in any way depressing the body. To the athlete,exhausted with cold or fatigue, a cup of strong tea or coffee is the bestrestorative. They diminish loss ofsubstance by excretions, and strengthen the system, nervous and muscular, to withstand the effects of Jhungerand over-exertion. Fermented drinks are useful in moderate quantities, when the digestive organs cannot obtain sufficient nutriment from the food, either from their own want of power, or by deficiency of material inthe food. Beer and porter give a Ullip to the stomach, and increases the activity of digestion by assisting the energy of the nervous system. Wine may be considered as medicinal, and its quantity is so muchsubject to the habit of each individual, that we cannot fix any rules for itsuse. Spirits ought to be dismissed fromthe trainee's vocabu- lary. Stimulants, such as wine and beer, should be taken at meals; light bitter ale or draught stout are consideredthe best. Of wines, claret (sound) and dry sherry take precedence. Compared with the effects of tea and coffee, we find.