FACTS ABOUT HEIGHT AND HEALTH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 183, 20 August 1937, Page 7

FACTS ABOUT HEIGHT AND HEALTH

-Own Correspondent)

■■ m ■ ' i • / Short Men Live Longer Than Tall 5FT, 9INS. THE IDEAL

(By Air Mail-

•bUJNJJUiN, duiy i». Sbort men live longer than tall men. Tall men are not so habds'ome, bodily that is, and certainly not so strong and healthy as shortish men. That is a statement of opinion by a pliysical culture expert, Mr Francis Miles, of Clapham, But in case it is thought tliat Mr Miles is biased — he is himself under live feet niue inches-^listen to I11& evidence. "The taller you grow the more of your growtli goes into legs. Tall men have long legs and short bodies. But short men have short legs and long bodics," said Mr Miles. "Tlie short man has pleuty of room in his long body for powerful vital organs. And his short lixnbs give him greater leverage for lxis muscles." Mr Miles is enthusiastic. The world's famous strong men— -Sandow, Hackenschinidt, Aston, fcsaldo, Samson, Puulum, Maxick, Stroxigfort — were all less than liis own five feet nine inches. Tall men rarely have well-developed bodies, he went on. They have rounded slxoulders from stooping. Few of thcm have properly proportioned muscular development. Hospital experience proves tliat a tall man is not so healthy as his sliorter brother. They are particularly liable to stomach and nervous diseases. "Most tall men are nnderweight," the phj'sical . culture expert declared. "The human body, like many othcr machines, functions best in an average size. Five feet nixle is the ideal Iieight for ■men, and five feet four for women." Heiglft is controlled by tbe pituitary gland, a small thumb-nail-size gland situated near tbe brain. If the gland pours out its secretion in abnormal quantity j'ou become tall. But if you becorrie too tall your strength is being frasted jn this extra height. Men over six feet six inches aro technically ltnown as "giants." And giants seldom live long past middle age. Daring operations on the pituitary, however, may save giants from the gland' s over-functioning. Only a handful of the world's finest surgeons can accomplish this dangerous feat. But tallness, fascinating as it is, is dangerous. You stand much more chance of being healthy and liappy if you are short or of medium height.