anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第112部分

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hat　it　was　common　for　them　to　make　the　round　trip　from　Constantinople　to　Adrianople；　a　distance　of　80　leagues；　in　two　days。　They　were　dressed　very　lightly；　and　by　constant　usage　the　soles　of　their　feet　were　transformed　into　a　leathery　consistency。　In　the　last　century　in　the　houses　of　the　rich　there　were　couriers　who　preceded　the　carriages　and　were　known　as　〃Basques；〃　who　could　run　for　a　very　long　time　without　apparent　fatigue。　In　France　there　is　a　common　proverb；　〃Courir　comme　un　Basque。〃　Rabelais　says：　〃Grand…Gousier　depeche　le　Basque　son　laquais　pour　querir　Gargantua　en　toute　hate。〃

In　the　olden　times　the　English　nobility　maintained　running　footmen　who；　living　under　special　regimen　and　training；　were　enabled　to　traverse　unusual　distances　without　apparent　fatigue。　There　is　an　anecdote　of　a　nobleman　living　in　a　castle　not　far　from　Edinburgh；　who　one　evening　charged　his　courier　to　carry　a　letter　to　that　city。　The　next　morning　when　he　arose　he　found　this　valet　sleeping　in　his　antechamber。　The　nobleman　waxed　wroth；　but　the　courier　gave　him　a　response　to　the　letter。　He　had　traveled　70　miles　during　the　night。　It　is　said　that　one　of　the　noblemen　under　Charles　II　in　preparing　for　a　great　dinner　perceived　that　one　of　the　indispensable　pieces　of　his　service　was　missing。　His　courier　was　dispatched　in　great　haste　to　another　house　in　his　domain；　15　miles　distant；　and　returned　in　two　hours　with　the　necessary　article；　having　traversed　a　distance　of　over　30　miles。　It　is　also　said　that　a　courier　carrying　a　letter　to　a　London　physician　returned　with　the　potion　prescribed　within　twenty…four　hours；　having　traversed　148　miles。　There　is　little　doubt　of　the　ability　of　these　couriers　to　tire　out　any　horse。　The　couriers　who　accompany　the　diligences　in　Spain　often　fatigue　the　animals　who　draw　the　vehicles。

At　the　present　time　in　this　country　the　Indians　furnish　examples　of　marvelous　feats　of　running。　The　Tauri…Mauri　Indians；　who　live　in　the　heart　of　the　Sierra　Madre　Mountains；　are　probably　the　most　wonderful　long…distance　runners　in　the　world。　Their　name　in　the　language　of　the　mountain　Mexicans　means　foot…runners；　and　there　is　little　doubt　that　they　perform　athletic　feats　which　equal　the　best　in　the　days　of　the　Olympian　games。　They　are　possibly　the　remnants　of　the　wonderful　runners　among　the　Indian　tribes　in　the　beginning　of　this　century。　There　is　an　account　of　one　of　the　Tauri…Mauri　who　was　mail　carrier　between　Guarichic　and　San　Jose　de　los　Cruces；　a　distance　of　50　miles　of　as　rough；　mountainous　road　as　ever　tried　a　mountaineer's　lungs　and　limbs。　Bareheaded　and　barelegged；　with　almost　no　clothing；　this　man　made　this　trip　each　day；　and；　carrying　on　his　back　a　mail…pouch　weighing　40　pounds；　moved　gracefully　and　easily　over　his　path；　from　time　to　time　increasing　his　speed　as　though　practicing；　and　then　again　more　slowly　to　smoke　a　cigarette。　The　Tauri…Mauri　are　long…limbed　and　slender；　giving　the　impression　of　being　above　the　average　height。　There　is　scarcely　any　flesh　on　their　puny　arms；　but　their　legs　are　as　muscular　as　those　of　a　greyhound。　In　short　running　they　have　the　genuine　professional　stride；　something　rarely　seen　in　other　Indian　racers。　In　traversing　long　distances　they　leap　and　bound　like　deer。

〃Deerfoot；〃　the　famous　Indian　long…distance　runner；　died　on　the　Cattaraugus　Reservation　in　January；　1896。　His　proper　name　was　Louis　Bennett；　the　name　〃Deerfoot〃　having　been　given　to　him　for　his　prowess　in　running。　He　was　born　on　the　reservation　in　1828。　In　1861　he　went　to　England；　where　he　defeated　the　English　champion　runners。　In　April；　1863；　he　ran　11　miles　in　London　in　fifty…six　minutes　fifty…two　seconds；　and　12　miles　in　one　hour　two　minutes　and　two　and　one…half　seconds；　both　of　which　have　stood　as　world's　records　ever　since。

In　Japan；　at　the　present　day；　the　popular　method　of　conveyance；　both　in　cities　and　in　rural　districts；　is　the　two…wheeled　vehicle；　looking　like　a　baby…　carriage；　known　to　foreigners　as　the　jinrickisha；　and　to　the　natives　as　the　kuruma。　In　the　city　of　Tokio　there　is　estimated　to　be　38；000　of　these　little　carriages　in　use。　They　are　drawn　by　coolies；　of　whose　endurance　remarkable　stories　are　told。　These　men　wear　light　cotton　breeches　and　a　blue　cotton　jacket　bearing　the　license　number；　and　the　indispensable　umbrella　hat。　In　the　course　of　a　journey　in　hot　weather　the　jinrickisha　man　will　gradually　remove　most　of　his　raiment　and　stuff　it　into　the　carriage。　In　the　rural　sections　he　is　covered　with　only　two　strips　of　cloth；　one　wrapped　about　his　head　and　the　other　about　his　loins。　It　is　said　that　when　the　roadway　is　good；　these　〃human　horses〃　prefer　to　travel　bare…footed；　when　working　in　the　mud　they　wrap　a　piece　of　straw　about　each　big　toe；　to　prevent　slipping　and　to　give　them　a　firmer　grip。　For　any　of　these　men　a　five…mile　spurt　on　a　good　road　without　a　breathing　spell　is　a　small　affair。　A　pair　of　them　will　roll　a　jinrickisha　along　a　country　road　at　the　rate　of　four　miles　an　hour；　and　they　will　do　this　eight　hours　a　day。　The　general　average　of　the　distance　traversed　in　a　day　is　25　miles。　Cockerill；　who　has　recently　described　these　men；　says　that　the　majority　of　them　die　early。　The　terrible　physical　strain　brings　on　hypertrophy　and　valvular　diseases　of　the　heart；　and　many　of　them　suffer　from　hernia。　Occasionally　one　sees　a　veteran　jinrickisha　man；　and　it　is　interesting　to　note　how　tenderly　he　is　helped　by　his　confreres。　They　give　him　preference　as　regards　wages；　help　push　his　vehicle　up　heavy　grades；　and　show　him　all　manner　of　consideration。

Figure　180　represents　two　Japanese　porters　and　their　usual　load；　which　is　much　more　difficult　to　transport　than　a　jinrickisha　carriage。　In　other　Eastern　countries；　palanquins　and　other　means　of　conveyance　are　still　borne　on　the　shoulders　of　couriers；　and　it　is　not　so　long　since　our　ancestors　made　their　calls　in　Sedan…chairs　borne　by　sturdy　porters。

Some　of　the　letter…carriers　of　India　make　a　daily　journey　of　30　miles。　They　carry　in　one　hand　a　stick；　at　the　extremity　of　which　is　a　ring　containing　several　little　plates　of　iron；　which；　agitated　during　the　course；　produce　a　loud　noise　designed　to　keep　off　ferocious　beasts　and　serpents。　In　the　other　hand　they　carry　a　wet　cloth；　with　which　they　frequently　refresh　themselves　by　wiping　the　countenance。　It　is　said　that　a　regular　Hindustanee　carrier；　with　a　weight　of　80　pounds　on　his　shoulder；carried；　of　course；　in　two　divisions；　hung　on　his　neck　by　a　yoke；will；　if　properly　paid；　lope　along　over　100　miles　in　twenty…four　hoursa　feat　which　would　exhaust　any　but　the　best　trained　runners。

The　〃go…as…you…please〃　pedestrians；　whose　powers　during　the　past　years　have　been　exhibited　in　this　country　and　in　England；　have　given　us　marvelous　examples　of　endurance；　over　600　miles　having　been　accomplished　in　a　six…days'　contest。　Hazael；　the　professional　pedestrian；　has　run　over　450　miles　in　ninety…nine　hours；　and　Albert　has　traveled　over　500　miles　in　one　hundred　and　ten　hours。　Rowell；　Hughes；　and　Fitzgerald　have　astonishingly　high　records　for　long…distance　running；　comparing　favorably　with　the　older；　and　presumably　mythical；　feats　of　this　nature。　In　California；　C。　A。　Harriman　of　Truckee　in　April；　1883；　walked　twenty…six　hours　without　once　resting；　traversing　122　miles。

For　the　purpose　of　comparison　we　give　the　best　modern　records　for　running：

100　Yards。9　3/5　seconds；　made　by　Edward　Donavan；　at　Natick；　Mass。；　September　2；　1895。

220　Yards。21　3/5　seconds；　made　by　Harry　Jewett；　at　Montreal；　September　24；　1892。

Quarter…Mile。47　3/4　seconds；　made　by　W。　Baker；　at　Boston；　Mass。；　July　1；　1886。

Half…Mile。1　minute　53　2/3　seconds；　made　by　C。　J。　Kirkpatrick；　at　Manhattan　Field；　New　York；　September　21；　1895。

1　Mile。4　minutes　12　3/4　seconds；　made　by　W。　G。　George；　at　London；　England；　August　23；　1886。

5　Miles。24　minutes　40　seconds；　made　by　J。　White；　in　England；　May　11；　1863。

10　Miles。51　minutes　6　3/5　seconds；　made　by　William　Cummings；　at　London；　England；　September　18；1895。

25　Miles。2　hours　33　minutes　44　seconds；　made　by　G。　A。　Dunning；　at　London；　England；　December　26；　1881。

50　Miles。5　hours　55　minutes　4　1/2　seconds；　made　by　George　Cartwright；　at　London；　England；　February　21；　1887。

75　Miles。8　hours　48　minutes　30　seconds；　made　by　George　Littlewood；　at　London；　England；　November　24；　1884。

100　Miles。13　hours　26　minutes　30　seconds；　made　by　Charles　Rowell　at　New　York；　February　27；　1882。

In　instances　of　long…distance　traversing；　rapidity　is　only　a　secondary　consideration；　the　remarkable　fact　being　in　the　endurance　of　fatigue　and　the　continuity　of　the　exercise。　William　Gale　walked　1500　miles　in　a　thousand　consecutive　hours；　and　then　walked　60　miles　every　twenty…four　hours　for　six　weeks　on　the　Lillie　Bridge　cinder　path。　He　was　five　feet　five　inches　tall；　forty…nine　years　of　age；　and　weighed　121　pounds；　and　was　but　little　developed　muscularly。　He　was　in　good　health　during　his　feat；　his　diet　for　the　twenty…　four　hours　was　16　pounds　of　meat；　five　or　six　eggs；　some　cocoa；　two　quarts　of　milk；　a　quart　of　tea；　and　occasionally　a　glass　of　bitter　ale；　but　never　wine　nor　spirits。　Strange　to　say；　he　suffered　from　constipation；　and　took　daily　a　compound　rhubarb　pill。　He　was　examined　at　the　end　of　his　feat　by　Gant。　His　pulse　was　75；　strong；　regular；　and　his　heart　was　normal。　His　temperature　was　97。25　degrees　F。；　and　his　hands　and　feet　warm；　respirations　were　deep　and　averaged　15　a　minute。　He　suffered　from　frontal　headache　and　was　drowsy。　During　the　six　weeks　he　had　lost　only　seven　pounds；　and　his　appetite　maintained　its　normal　state。

Zeuner　of　Cincinnati　refers　to　John　Snyder　of　Dunkirk；　whose　walking…feats　were　marvelous。　He　was　not　an　impostor。　During　forty…eight　hours　he　was　watched　by　the　students　of　the　Ohio　Medical　College；　who　stated　that　he　walked　constantly；　he　assured　them　that　it　did　not　rest　him　to　sit　down；　but　made　him　uncomfortable。　The　celebrated　Weston　walked　5000　miles　in　one　hundred　days；　but　Snyder　was　said　to　have　traveled　25；000　miles　in　five　hundred　days　and　was　apparently　no　more　tired　than　when　he　began。

Recently　there　was　a　person　who　pushed　a　wheelbarrow　from　San　Francisco　to　New　York　in　one　hundred　and　eighteen　days。　In　1809　the　celebrated　Captain　Barclay　wagered　that　he　could　walk　1000　miles　in　one　thousand　consecutive　hours；　and　gai