Jacobus complained of a pain in his side but in spite of this he has entered a number of events, has kept up his training and is in good condition. Jacobus is a long-distance runner; great endurance is required for these events, and this endurance he has kept up. He tells me his stomach is in better condition than it has been during his three years of work at Yale.
Donahue has steadily improved in ability. He has kept his position on the Varsity Basket Ball Team, and has put up strong and aggressive games, and says he is as well as ever.
Stapleton shows no falling off at all. He keeps up wrestling, which is a drastic exercise; he works at heavy gymnastics and gains steadily.
One matter must be reported in reference to the strength tests. The first trial was made when all members of the squad were present. College men are very sensitive to competition, hence the great exertion put forth. The other trials were made when the men were by themselves. The “spur” was missing.
I have watched the efforts of these men with interest and care, especially as two of them live in my own family. I fail to see any falling off in strength, the case of W. L. Anderson excepted. The fellows report being in satisfactory shape and claim that the “ups and downs” are no more in evidence this year than in the past.
These picked men, representing several kinds of competitive sports, have gained in ability and skill on the more limited diet they are now using, and are not showing any signs of deterioration from the diminished intake of proteid food. I pronounce them, from a physical standpoint, in good shape.
Respectfully yours,
(Signed) William G. Anderson.
It must be remembered that this letter from Dr. Anderson was written after the March strength test was taken, and prior to the test of April 20. Dr. Anderson was not in New Haven at the close of the experiment, consequently it was not possible to obtain his estimate of the men at that date, but there can be no question that there was a distinct improvement from the middle of April to the middle of June; certainly as marked as the improvement from the beginning of the experiment in January, to April 12, the date of Dr. Anderson’s letter.
Finally, attention may be called to the photographs of Messrs. Stapleton, Bellis, and W. L. Anderson, which are introduced primarily to show the physical makeup and muscular development of the men composing this student group. The photographs of Stapleton were taken in April, 1904, after he had been under experiment for three months. The photographs of Bellis and W. L. Anderson were taken prior to the experiment. They all afford a good illustration of the highly developed muscular mechanism of different types, with a corresponding adaptability for different lines of muscular effort.