AID FOR THE GERMAN ARMY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 11

AID FOR THE GERMAN ARMY

Increasing Fitness

'. SIMPLE METHOD of increasing ; phyaical capacity and endurance between 30. and 100 per cent. was outlined before tbe Berlin Medical Society by Professor Helmut Dennig, noted director- of tbe fourtb medical uhiversity. clinio of Robert Kocb Hospital in Berlin, says tbe New York Times. The method, . wbicb has been tested in numerous laboratory experiments as well . as in the German sport .field,' co'nsists of increasing the body's alkafi cbntent, thus:enabling it the more easily "to ,rid itself of .acids, especially; lactic acid, which is one of the principal. "causes pf exhaustion. F The v additional' alkali content, , said Professor Dennig, can he eupplied in such a form as bicarbonate of soda, related preparations and epecial foods, such as soya-bean flour. This method, he insisted, is wholly different from "dopingi" by drugs because it does not increase but ratber

reduces the hodily -efforfc required for certain tasks. To-be effective, he explained, .alkalisation must be produced auddenly and must not . last longer : than two to four days. Experiments have ; shown that a runner thus prepared 'was ahle to run at full tilt for 42 minutes instead of 20, as formerly, and that a bicyde racer ■was:able -to maintain a sprint for 15.9 minutes instead of 10.9. Howeyer, said Professor ; Denmg, sport is not tbe primary consideration of these -..experiments, but ratber the -employment of this method "on other Dccasions." Inasmuch aa German science ia ..eo-ordinated . with military economy, this method may well he used to increase the German soldier'a efi5ciency and endurance in attack. - 'Professor Dennig studied at the universities of Tuebingen, Heidelberg and Muitich. Ffom.19l9 to .i93l he was assistant and first physician at the medical clinio of Heidelberg. He became assistarit professor at the ■university in 1925 and associate professor four years later.. He was appointed director at. the city hospital of Stettin in 1931, and was transferred to Moabit Hospital in Berlin two years ago. Professor Dennig, who is a specialist in .internal medicine, has frequently contributed tj inedical puhlications.