THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 223 



rhythm which increases their work and prevents thefr hammers 

 interfering with each other. 



Finally touch helps the execution of the task by developing 

 agility, ability and precision ; it is the eyesight of the blind man. 



159. Favourable Influences : Massage, Sleep, Rest. Amongst 

 the influences which are favourable to muscular power are massage 

 and sleep. 



Massage, or kneading of the muscles, repairs them. This fact, 

 ascertained by ancient scholars and utilised by the athletes of 

 all times, is absolutely true. The following facts are the result 

 of the ergographic researches of Maggiora : 



Massage relaxes the muscles, made stiff by work, increases 

 their resistance, and retards their fatigue. 



Its effect is proportional to its duration, within certain limits. 



Kneading is better than percussion and friction. 



Muscle, weakened by fasting, is made resistant by massage. 



Muscle, weakened by walking, want of sleep, or excessive 

 intellectual work, is restored by massage. 



Finally, massage, without circulation of the blood is useless. ( x ) 



Combined with the action of a hot bath, it re-establishes the mus- 

 cular power in its integrity. ( 2 ) 



The Chinese have the reputation of being very able masseurs. 



The influence of sleep is restorative no less than that of mas- 

 sage. Sleep is complete repose, reducing the energetic expendi- 

 ture by Y^Q of its static value ( 103) reducing also the sum of 

 nervous excitations which reach us when awake, and suppressing 

 all communications of external stimuli. An excess of aliment 

 can not replace sleep ,( 3 ) seeing that the repose of the nerves and 

 the muscles is necessary for their restoration. Benedicenti found 

 out by means of the " myotonometer " ( 70) that the muscles 

 are more retractile and resist distension better after a deep sleep. ( 4 ) 



The duration of sleep is an important factor in the re-establish- 

 ment of the equilibrium of the forces which have been upset by 

 work. At least seven hours is necessary. It should be at 

 night and free from disturbances. In that period the energetic 

 expenditure is lowered, as we have already said, and the tempera- 

 ture of the body decreases by 0-8C. between 8 and 12 o'clock 

 ( 103). 



( x ) A. Maggiora (Arch. Ital. BioL, vol. xvi., p. 245, 1891) ; Ruge (Engle- 

 mann's Archiv. f. Phys., 1901, p. 466). 

 ? (*) Treves (Arch. Ital. BioL, vol. xxx., p. 14, 1898). 



() A. Maggiora (Arch. Ital. BioL, vol. xiii., p. 187). 



(* Benedicenti (Arch. Ital. BioL, vol. xxv., 1896). 



