LATENT STIMULATION-THE WORK OF CO-ORDINA-

TION IN EXERCISE-AUTOMATISM IN EXERCISE.

CHAPTER I.-OVERWORK IN SCHOOLS

339

344

The Scholastic Regimen-Report of the French Academy of

Medicine-" Mental Overwork and Sedentary Life"-Proposed

Remedies; a more Simple course of Study and more Physical

Exercise How these Reforms must be applied - Their

Mutual Dependence-Difficulty of Simplifying the Course of

Study-Dangers of more Physical Exercise without Dimi-

nution of Mental Work-Are Bodily Exercises Recrea-

tion for the Brain - Unrecognised Importance of care in

the Choice of an Exercise for the Needs of Cerebral Hygiene.

CHAPTER II.-MENTAL WORK AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE

The Muscle which Works and the Brain which Thinks-Simi-

larity of the Physiological Phenomena-Heating of the Brain

-Experiments of Dr. Lombard-Flow of Blood to the Brain

during Mental Exertion-The Balance of Mosso-The conse-

quences of Work of the Mental and of the Physical Order

-Combustions and Products of Dissimilation-Auto-intoxi-

cation through Overwork - Similarity of effects in the

Physical and in the Psychical Order-Effects of Brain Work

on the Composition of the Urine; they are Identical with

those of Muscular Work-An Attack of Gout following

Mental Fatigue like one following Physical Fatigue - The

Case of Sydenham.

CHAPTER III.-EXCITO-MOTOR WORK
• 352

Necessary association of the Nerve-Cell and the Muscular

Fibre in Movements Origin of Motor Stimuli- Nerve

Centres―The Spinal Cord a Centre of Unconscious Move-

ments, the Brain a Centre of Voluntary Movements-Office

of the Grey Matter of the Brain-The Dog of Professor Goltz

—A counter-proof, the Observation of Dr. Luys — Muscular

Work and Nervous Work in Voluntary Movements-

Frequent Disproportion between the Effort of Will and the

Muscular Exertion - Conditions which make the Relation

vary between the Expenditure of Nervous Energy and the

Mechanical Work of the Muscles-Diminution of Muscular

Irritability-Muscular Fatigue.

CHAPTER IV.-WORK OF LATENT STIMULATION

358

A Cat lying-in-wait for a Mouse-Lying-in-wait in Animals.

Nervous Work which this Action needs-Identity of Certain

Phases of Bodily Exercises with the Phenomenon of lying-

in-wait A Fencing-Bout - Physiological analysis of the

"Direct Blow"-Fencers who have Quickness"-Readiness

of Blow-Latent Stimulation of Muscle and Diminution of the

Latent Period-Explanation deduced from the Discovery of

Helmholtz-The Office of the Brain in Fencing-How the

Fencer betrays his Intentions-Advice of Bazancourt-Effects

of Work of Latent Stimulation-Nervous Fatigue and Intellec-

tual Fatigue-Nervous Fatigue: its Effects on Nutrition-

Why Cats do not become Fat.

CHAPTER V.—The Work of CO-ORDINATION IN EXERCISE 369

Difficult Exercises-Skill in Exercises-Circling the Trapeze-

Apprenticeship of Movements-Precision in Muscular Actions

-Office of the Brain and of the Psychical Faculties in the Co-

ordination of Movements-A Dancing Lesson-Muscular

Education-Economy of Muscular Force and of Nervous Ex-

penditure, with equal Mechanical Work-Improvement of the

Muscular Sense St. Vitus's Dance Hygienic Use and

Importance of Difficult Exercises- Persons who should

Refrain from them-Error usually Committed in the Choice

of an Exercise.

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CHAPTER VI.-AUTOMATISM IN EXERCISE

381

Movements Performed without the Intervention of the Brain-

Decapitated Animals-A Curious Spectacle Invented by the

Emperor Commodus-Organs which Perform their Functions

Automatically Unconscious Movements Office of the

Spinal Cord-Conditions of Automatism in Exercise-Influ-

ence of Rhythm; Movements with a Cadence-Dancing

Tunes-Influence of Apprenticeship-Necessity for Absence

of Effort in Automatic Movements-Regularity of Automatic

Actions-A Personal Observation; Automatism in Rowing-

Persistence of Automatic Actions—“ Memory" of the Spinal

Cord-How Different Paces are Created-Tenacity of Early

Muscular Habits Quickness in Fencing Race-Horses

Trained too Slowly-Effects of Automatism in Exercise-

Economy of Voluntary Nervous Energy-The Brain supple-

mented by the Spinal Cord - Repose of the Psychical

Faculties Superiority of Automatic Exercises in Cases of

Cerebral Fatigue.

CHAPTER I.

THE ORGANS OF MOVEMENT.

Exercise and Work-Muscle-Nerve: Avalanche Theory. The Spinal Cord; Reflex Actions; Unconscious Movements-The Brain; Reflex Movements; Voluntary Movements-The Motor Centres; associated Muscular Actions. The Will, Agent of Work. Muscular Contraction-Course of a Voluntary Stimulus; Mode of Transmission-Nervous Vibration and the Muscular Wave-Time of Transmission; Latent Period.

By bodily exercise, we mean work done with the object of perfecting the human organism from the point of view of strength, skill, or health.

Scientifically speaking, there is no difference between the professional labour which circumstances demand from the peasant or workman, and the more or less refined exercise to which a sportman devotes himself. The manual labourer who chops wood, and the gentleman who fences, both perform muscular work. But the gentleman has his exercise at his own hours, regulates to his own taste the time he allots to it, following the calls of hygiene, diet and rest, while the poor man works too much, feeds badly, and sleeps little.

This is why work wears out the one, while exercise strengthens the other.

But what the workman does of necessity, the man enamoured of violent exercises can do by excessive ardour. In the two cases the result is the same, and the abuse of athletic exercise causes exhaustion and overwork as surely as does excessive labour.

Bodily exercise and labour are then synonymous