THE MUSCLES 49 



when they are put into vigorous use, and especially into daily 

 manual labor. It is well known that for generations it was 

 thought to be essential to every army and navy of the civilized 

 world that "grog" which contains alcohol should be regu- 

 larly issued to the hard-worked soldier and sailor, especially 

 when they were in the actual service of war. To the slaves, 

 also, on many plantations, during the days of slavery in this 

 country, a daily ration of rum was given out in the busy 

 seasons, in the belief that thus better results, in regard to the 

 amount of muscular labor, were secured. So, too, in nearly 

 every walk of life where hard muscular labor was demanded, 

 a similar belief and practice commonly prevailed, and some 

 form of alcohol was resorted to as a trusty servant whenever 

 any great or unusual amount of labor was to be called forth. 



34. How Alcohol affects the Muscles. The scientific progress 

 of recent years, however, has put the question in a different 

 light, and it is now the commonly received view of scientific 

 men that the benefits to labor derived from alcohol were ap- 

 parent and not real. Alcohol adds nothing to our bodily 

 energy ; it may spur up the muscles to a temporary and extra- 

 ordinary exertion, but it does not strengthen the muscles any 

 more than does the whip or the spur, that is applied to a hard- 

 laboring horse to make him go faster, add to his strength. 



35. Experiments have been made with instruments con- 

 structed for the purpose, and the results carefully recorded, 

 and these show that a less degree of muscular power is pos- 

 sessed by the same person when he is under the influence of 

 alcohol than when he has not taken it (see foot-note on p. 241). 

 This is no secret to men who go into training to bring about 

 the best possible development of their muscular strength ; men 

 who intend to engage in contests, such as boat-racing, foot- 

 racing, and a great variety of other athletic sports, are taught 

 to abstain entirely from all forms of drink that contain alcohol 

 if they would bring their powers to the highest point. The 

 endurance of severe and prolonged bodily labor is not favored 



34. Present belief as to its use? 



35. What experiments have been tried ? Training of athletes ? What experience of 

 soldiers ? 



D 



