106 EVILS RESULTING FROM INACTIVITY 



after the nervous communication has been sus- 

 pended, as in recent paralysis ; and yet how feeble 

 B the power of resistance which the muscle then 

 possesses ! 



The required movement having been once effected 

 ty the nervous impulse stimulating the muscular fibre 

 lo contraction, relaxation speedily follows, and is 

 in its turn succeeded by a fresh contraction pro- 

 portioned to the object in view. Muscular action, 

 therefore, consists properly in alternate contraction and 

 relaxation of the fleshy fibres. A state of permanent 

 contraction "is both unnatural and impossible ; and, 

 accordingly, the most fatiguing muscular employ- 

 ment to which a man can be subjected is that of 

 remaining immoveable in any given attitude. To 

 an unreflecting person it may seem a very easy and 

 pleasant service to stand for half a day in the attitude 

 of an Apollo or a gladiator, as a model to a statuary ; 

 but, on trying it, he will find, to his astonishment, 

 that stone-breaking or the tread-mill are pastimes in 

 comparison: in the one case, the muscles which 

 preserve the attitude are kept incessantly on the 

 strain ; while in the other, they enjoy that play and 

 variety of motion for which they were destined by 

 nature. We may easily put the fact to the test, by 

 attempting to hold the arm extended at right angles 

 to the body for the short space of ten minutes. He 

 whose muscles, if indeed capable of the exertion, do 

 not feel sore with fatigue at the end of that time, 

 may think himself peculiarly fortunate in being- 

 blessed with a powerful constitution. 



The principle just stated explains very obviously 

 the weariness, debility, and injury to health which 

 invariably follow forced confinement to one position 

 Or to one limited variety of movement, as is often 

 witnessed in the education of young females. Al- 

 ternate contraction and relaxation, or, in other 

 words, exercise of the muscles which support the 

 trunk of the body, are the only means which, ac- 



