登陆注册
4281000000213

第213章

It is said that Marshal Saxe once visited a blacksmith ostensibly to have his horse shod, and seeing no shoe ready he took a bar of iron, and with his hands fashioned it into a horseshoe. There are Japanese dentists who extract teeth with their wonderfully developed fingers. There are stories of a man living in the village of Cantal who received the sobriquet of "La Coupia" (The Brutal). He would exercise his function as a butcher by strangling with his fingers the calves and sheep, instead of killing them in the ordinary manner. It is said that one day, by placing his hands on the shoulders of the strong man of a local fair, he made him faint by the pressure exerted by his fingers.

Manual strangulation is a well-known crime and is quite popular in some countries. The Thugs of India sometimes murdered their victims in this way. Often such force is exerted by the murderer's fingers as to completely fracture the cricoid cartilage.

In viewing the feats of strength of the exhibitionist we must bear in consideration the numerous frauds perpetrated. A man of extraordinary strength sometimes finds peculiar stone, so stratified that he is able to break it with the force he can exert by a blow from the hand alone, although a man of ordinary strength would try in vain. In most of these instances, if one were to take a piece of the exhibitionist's stone, he would find that a slight tap of the hammer would break it. Again, there are many instances in which the stone has been found already separated and fixed quite firmly together, placing it out of the power of an ordinary man to break, but which the exhibitionist finds within his ability. This has been the solution of the feats of many of the individuals who invite persons to send them marked stones to use at their performances. By skilfully arranging stout twine on the hands, it is surprising how easily it is broken, and there are many devices and tricks to deceive the public, all of which are more or less used by "strong men."The recent officially recorded feats of strength that stand unequaled in the last decade are as follows:--Weight-lifting.--Hands alone 1571 1/4 pounds, done by C. G.

Jefferson, an amateur, at Clinton, Mass December 10, 1890; with harness, 3239 pounds, by W B. Curtis, at New York December 201868; Louis Cyr, at Berthierville, Can., October 1, 1888, pushed up 3536 pounds of pig-iron with his back, arms, and legs.

Dumb-bells.--H. Pennock, in New York, 1870, put up a 10-pound dumb-bell 8431 times in four hours thirty-four minutes; by using both hands to raise it to the shoulder, and then using one hand alone, R. A. Pennell, in New York, January 31, 1874, managed to put up a bell weighing 201 pounds 5 ounces; and Eugene Sandow, at London, February 11, 1891, surpassed this feat with a 250-pound bell.

Throwing 16-pound hammer.--J. S. Mitchell, at Travers Island, N.

Y., October 8, 1892, made a record-throw of 145 feet 3/4 inch.

Putting 16-pound Shot.--George R. Gray, at Chicago, September 16, 1893, made the record of 47 feet.

Throwing 50-pound Weight.--J. S. Mitchell, at New York, September 22, 1894, made the distance record of 35 feet 10 inches; and at Chicago, September 16, 1893, made the height record of 15 feet 41/2 inches.

The class of people commonly known as contortionists by the laxity of their muscles and ligaments are able to dislocate or preternaturally bend their joints. In entertainments of an arena type and even in what are now called "variety performances" are to be seen individuals of this class. These persons can completely straddle two chairs, and do what they call "the split;" they can place their foot about their neck while maintaining the upright position; they can bend almost double at the waist in such a manner that the back of the head will touch the calves, while the legs are perpendicular with the ground;they can bring the popliteal region over their shoulders and in this position walk on their hands; they can put themselves in a narrow barrel; eat with a fork attached to a heel while standing on their hands, and perform divers other remarkable and almost incredible feats. Their performances are genuine, and they are real physiologic curiosities. Plate 6 represents two well-known contortionists in their favorite feats.

Wentworth, the oldest living contortionist, is about seventy years of age, but seems to have lost none of his earlier sinuosity. His chief feat is to stow himself away in a box 23 X29 X 16 inches. When inside, six dozen wooden bottles of the same size and shape as those which ordinarily contain English soda water are carefully stowed away, packed in with him, and the lid slammed down. He bestows upon this act the curious and suggestive name of "Packanatomicalization."Another class of individuals are those who can either partially or completely dislocate the major articulations of the body. Many persons exhibit this capacity in their fingers. Persons vulgarly called "double jointed" are quite common.

Charles Warren, an American contortionist, has been examined by several medical men of prominence and descriptions of him have appeared from time to time in prominent medical journals. When he was but a child he was constantly tumbling down, due to the heads of the femurs slipping from the acetabula, but reduction was always easy. When eight years old he joined a company of acrobats and strolling performers, and was called by the euphonious title of "the Yankee dish-rag." His muscular system was well-developed, and, like Sandow, he could make muscles act in concert or separately.

同类推荐
  • 治禅病秘要法

    治禅病秘要法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说须摩提长者经

    佛说须摩提长者经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 学治续说

    学治续说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 毗尼毋论

    毗尼毋论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 容止

    容止

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 古龙文集:名剑风流(下)

    古龙文集:名剑风流(下)

    江湖名门“先天无极派”掌门人俞放鹤于家中遭人毒手,其子俞佩玉亲眼目睹父亲惨死却无力相助;后遇未婚妻林黛羽才得知父亲的好友也一一被人杀害。而最让人难以置信的是就在同一天晚上,这些人却又奇迹般的“起死回生”。是有人恶意的玩笑,还是这“复生”背后隐藏了不为人知的阴谋?
  • 尊重儿童权利

    尊重儿童权利

    《尊重儿童权利》初版于1928年,书中包含的儿童权利宣言,是科扎克基于多对儿童的观察和研究所著。科扎克以人的基本权利作为论据,认为:“世上没有小孩,他们都是人”,并且呼吁人们尊重儿童的每一天,尊重儿童的无知和认知世界的努力,尊重他们的失败和泪水,以及他们的财物和物质需求。孩子有权保持他原本的样子。尽管本书完成于80年前,但其所探讨的内容至今仍有启迪价值,而真正实现儿童权利,还有很长的路要走。
  • 小透明的职业素养

    小透明的职业素养

    据说,v神退役了,接替他位置的是个新人,还是个女生!………她,曾是最强辅助,护得住队友安好,挡得住输出伤害,满腔热血助战队问鼎巅峰;她,也曾站在山巅,成为万人信仰崇拜,却被队友生生拉下神坛;没有人明白,当年她为什么临场退赛,放弃职业梦想,成为整个赛区的罪人,明明离冠军只有一步之遥!也没人想过,几年后LPL第一辅助成了最强中单,当年和如今都备受争议的女性职业选手竟是同一人。就连唐鋆自己都没有想到,或许是因为那句,“别在来不及的时候后悔”或许是因为,她心中永远装着的,不曾随时间消磨的,一腔孤勇又烂漫的电竞梦。
  • 你是我余生的晨曦

    你是我余生的晨曦

    他,富可敌国;她,霸气侧漏。那个传说中不近女色的枭爷却独宠她一人。愿意倾尽所有只为博美人一笑。“小汐,以后你做我的女王。”某傲娇女:“谁稀罕!”超甜1V1宠文;萌新作者初来乍到;求收藏,求推荐,求打赏;biu~
  • 鸿蒙之弑神1团

    鸿蒙之弑神1团

    他本是天地第一缕鸿蒙紫气所化的灵体,历经无数岁月的修炼好不容易引来成圣大劫。强悍如他却也还是低估了圣劫的威力,最终只能以重伤为代价逃离了劫云的笼罩范围。本想着将伤势好转过后做些准备再次渡劫。可奈何,就在此时四大神界至尊联手围攻。一场大战过后,最终还是以落败而告终。无奈之下只能自爆半圣之体,强行撕开空间壁垒让神魂逃脱········一代鸿蒙至尊的传奇由此开始······一支所向披靡的强悍军团也由此拉开序幕···军名弑神,兵锋所指,众神退避。
  • 烟锁重楼

    烟锁重楼

    《烟锁重楼》1994年8月10日完稿于台北可园,是为电视剧拍摄而写作的小说。故事发生在民初的安徽白沙镇,据琼瑶本人所言,创作灵感是来自于安徽的棠樾牌坊群。曾家巍峨的七道牌坊远近闻名,不止是整个徽州地区的光荣。梦寒嫁入曾家的第一天,其中最戏剧性、最花俏也最壮观的一项礼仪,就是——新娘拜牌坊。大喜之日,全镇老少妇孺呼朋引伴,万头钻动的来看热闹,忽然间,喜庆人群阵伍中硬被插入丧葬队伍,顿时众人哗然。新娘子梦寒也震慑不已,她心中暗忖,自己究竟是嫁入誉满白少镇的礼教世家,还是自此被锁入茏罩神秘诡谲气氛的重重深楼中?
  • 陈燃的平行世界

    陈燃的平行世界

    陈燃,长相平凡,能力普通,自从临近高考前被一名重点大学的大一校花主动搭讪,从此生活发生了巨变,加入了科学工作者联盟,接触了许多黑科技,和他的小伙伴们一起用科技和智慧改变世界……
  • 佛说如意轮莲华心如来修行观门仪

    佛说如意轮莲华心如来修行观门仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 用脸征服娱乐圈

    用脸征服娱乐圈

    周瑾对这个看脸的世界绝望了,他常常想自己如果长得帅,就不会只是个娱乐圈的小龙套了。周瑾没想到,他不仅重生了,还得到一次捏脸的机会。于是史上最帅男明星,诞生了!一介龙套,开始了他的娱乐圈逆袭之路!从练习生到影帝,重新定义流量。“周瑾,请问你对自己连续五年,蝉联最想亲吻的男明星,有何想法?”“抱歉,长得帅又有才,就是可以为所欲为!”ps:单女主,不后宫,男主不猥琐,不喜勿入
  • 魔野仙踪

    魔野仙踪

    渔村少年得仙缘、悟道法,千回百转中修的妙法天成、灵骨玄胎;却是回眸处,白骨嶙峋、血海滔天。修的是本,求的是真,可为何归去之时,只是轻叹一声:都是废话。