250 THE MUSCLES. 



and gradually upon their victim; but they are not the less danger- 

 ous or deadly, and sooner or later they are manifested in muscular 

 weakness, irritability and dyspepsia. 



Kind of Exercise That species is best which calls into ac- 

 tion the greatest number of muscles. For this purpose farm labor 

 and domestic employments, care being taken that neither is pursued 

 to the point of drudgery, are the best as vocations; and fencing, 

 rowing, archery, quoits and dancing, where the place is open and 

 the air pure, are the best among the pastimes. It is all-important 

 that every part of the muscular system should have its proper share 

 of exercise. 



The Proper Hour While this must depend largely upon 

 circumstances, as a general rule morning is better than evening, 

 when the air is pure and the ground dry; because the physical 

 powers are greatest in the morning. Shortly before or after meal-Jime 

 severe exertion should be avoided, though gentle, recreative exercise is 

 better than complete idleness on either of these occasions. So, severe 

 mental toil should be hedged about by a similar period of recreation, 

 separating it from violent physical exercise. Where circumstances 

 will at all permit it is best to observe these distinctions of time. 



Effect of Sleep on the Muscles The wearied and ex- 

 hausted condition of watchers, night-police and others who spend 

 a part or the whole of the night in some active employment, illus- 

 trates the fact that it is not well, if it can be avoided, to invert the 

 common hours of rest and labor. The reason of this must lie in 

 the fact that the quality of the day-sleep is not equal to that of the 

 night; it is neither so sound nor so refreshing. The quiet hours of 

 night seem sacred to repose, and the alternation of day and night 

 seems specially adapted to the wants of the system. The muscles 

 require sleep to restore their wasted energies, and the best sleep is 

 their best restorative. 



Compression Any compression is injurious to the strength 

 and tone of the muscles to which it is long applied, for the reason 

 that it prevents the free passage to them and through them of the 

 blood which is their only source of supply. This may be illustrated 

 by the case of a man with a broken limb; the compression of the 

 bandages lessens in a little while the size of the limb, and this can 

 not be restored until they have been removed. In this way, tight 

 dressing enfeebles, and in the end paralyzes the muscles of the back 

 and produces curvature of the spine, projecting shoulders and dis- 

 eased lungs. Every unyielding substance, such as whalebone, wnod 

 and steel, should be banished from the toilet as enemies of life. 



Mind and Muscle A full, nervous impulse is essential to 

 the most energetic muscular action, and this the mind alone can 

 supply. This is the secret of the preternatural strength of anger, 

 and of other great excitements. So, the tone and contractile energy 

 of the muscular system are always, though in a less degree, depend- 

 ent upon the co-operation of the mind. Every one has experienced 



