The use and abuse of athletics / by Robert E. Coughlin.

  • Coughlin, Robert E.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The use and abuse of athletics / by Robert E. Coughlin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE USE AND ABUSE OF ATHLETICS. By ROBERT E. COUGHLIN, M.D., BROOKLYN, N. Y. Tue history of athletics has blended intimately with medicine, and feats of agility and endurance have at all times excited the interest and investigation of capable and reputable physicians, for they are in every sense of the word examples of physiological and functional anomalies. The word athletics was derived from the Greek athletz which was the des- ignation of persons among the Greeks and Romans who contended for prizes in public games. This was prior to 400 B. C. The system was purely Greek, as were the athletes, although the Romans admired physical skilland strength. No institution exercised a greater influence on molding the national charac- ter, and producing that unique type of physical and intellectual beauty which we see reflected in Greek art and literature than the public contests of Greece. The earliest games of which we have any record are those at the funeral of Patuclus. The belief that the dead would be gratified by the same exhibitions which-pleased them in life was a common heritage of the Greeks and Romans from their Aryan progeni- tors. The competitions were chariot racing, arch- ery; boxing, wrestling, and putting the weight. In 776 B. C. the Elerians engraved the name of Corebus as victor in a foot race. This is the earli- est record of any contest. Ten months was what all the athletes swore to having taken in preparation for the games at Olympia. MHerodicies, who lived 500 B. C., was the founder of medical gymnastics. The different phases of athletics might be desig- nated ; as follows: :! (1) Games and sports that Mepend Gupuriaat WILLIAM Woop AND COMPANY.
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