AN AFTERNOON WITH SANDOW.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11461, 20 December 1902, Page 8

AN AFTERNOON WITH SANDOW.

PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE SYSTEM. Yesterday afternoon, at the Canterbury Hal!, a large and representative gathering of gentlemen assembled at .the invitatiou of Mr Harry Rickards in order to witness Mr Sandow's illustrations of bis system The members of the medical profession and some others were accommodated with seats on the stage. Mr Sandow, who, on appearing, was warmly greeted, made a few preliminary remarks, urging the importance of the will power being concentrated on the special muscles which it was wished r.o bring out. " The message is conveyed from the braiii," said Mr Sandow, "that I wish to develop my biceps for instance, and instinctively the muscle is developed. M?* system rests mainly in the* control of the mind over the muscks, and you will see presently the difference 'between this and tbe ordinary system." Mr Sandow then proceeded to develop all his different muscles, passing round the first line of the doctors for examination. Then he exhibited hie marvellous power of expansion of the chest from normal toy fourteen inches. " There- is one pupil in Mr Hornibrook'e school," said Mr Sandow, " who can expand 7£ inches. This is the greatest I have met with in Australasia; the ordinary expansion being about cix inches I shall be glad when I return to find that some pupil of Mr Hornibrook's can beat my measurement." In order to show that going through this and the other exercises had not, as it win alleged in connection with athletic exercise*, a tendency to affect the. heart, Mr Sandow had himself sounded by five or cix different medical men. " Beautiful" was the terse verdict of one. "Splendid," the equally so of another. "I em unable to find any undue acceleration," said a third doctor, whilst a fourth said, "A magnifi cent record." Then changing hie role, Mr Sandow proceeded, with the assistance of his pupil, Mr Young as demonstrator, to give an interesting description of iris system. Mr Young, who, as it appeared from answers to questions afterwards, has been" two years using the system, is a splendidly developed young fellow, -who went througjh the various exercises most successfully, eliciting warm plaudits.' Then came "question time, Mr Sandow having invited anyone to ask for information. "How many meaCa ought a man to take?" was asked. "As many as he likes,' was the answer. "But be must rise from tie table feeling that he could eat more," So to the questions ■re smoking and tie use of alcohol. Mr Sandow reolied that he smoked, and was not a teetotaller, but he took both in moderation, which he counselled all to do/ "At what age would a man be too old to take advantage pf your system?" queried some one in the audience, and the appreciative applause which followed showed that there was a number of the Old Brigade anxious to take a turn at it. "Well," said, Mr Sandow, with a j smile lighting up his face, "there is no age at which a man is too old to receive benefit from the system. Of course an old man will not be able to achieve the resu.ts that the younger ones can -do, but lie will live longer, and he will restore a good deal of the vitality and power which lse has lost." Mr Sandow is in favour of the exercises t?ing gon-3 through before meals, awd after cxorclr.tifl; a cold bath, and g«ttin<r into tho cloth:* without rubbing;. Fifteen minutes, ho said, would enable the pxerci?«s to bp gone through, but for a young mnn thrco hotirs a week would enab'e him to get a dev?lcpnunt of the muscles in a more or less such as they had seen in his pupil- Of course, some men had greater wE'-l powtsrs than others, and they were able, therefore, to achieve better results. A number of other questions were asked and answered. Dr. Thacker said that he wished tho?e present to join whh him in thankinc Mr Sandow most heartily for his really magnificent exhibition that afternoon. H? frit certain that if the system they had sfen illustrated spread and" flourished throughout the colony they would hare no need of prohibition, or Legislation of any kii"l to improve the mora'.s of tl>e pcop'e. He wonM ask them to give three bctrrty cheers for Mr Sandow. Tbe request vra« heartily complied with, and the proceedings terminated.