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Home  >  Blog  >  Dr McGregor-Robertson’s Guide to Exercise

Dr McGregor-Robertson’s Guide to Exercise

Trish Burgess Posted on19/03/201107/04/2016 14 Comments
Those of you who enjoyed the little gems I have gleaned from the book The Household Physician (1874, updated 1907), namely avoiding lawn tennis when you’ve got the painters in and dousing hysterical women with water, will no doubt be excited about a further instalment from the eminent Doc.
Dr McG spouts at length about the benefits of healthy exercise and, indeed, there are five pages of tiny writing concerned with walking, and its value to the human condition.

For men:
 “Take the case of the business man, who takes the omnibus or car to this place of work, spends the most of his day at his desk….his pallor, bad digestion, headaches and general langour and feebleness may be the results of this little exercise. In the case of the middle-aged man, perhaps it is increasing stoutness, breathlessness, rheumatic or gouty tendancies, that warn of the need of muscle work and fresh air. Every healthy man ought, if possible, take a daily amount of exercise which shall not be less than 150 tons lifted 1 foot. This amounts to a walk of about nine miles”

For women:
“ A man’s business, as a rule, takes him out of door, and if the risk of his taking too little exercise for health is great, how much greater is it in the case of women, whose duties, as a rule, keep them indoors? Thus it is for days together many of them are not outside at all: then they sally forth on a shopping expedition, spend many hours lingering about shop windows and hanging over shop counters, and then return home fatigued to the uttermost, requiring several more days at home before a further expedition is ventured on. This is a most injurious system. A daily walk of four miles, ought to be insisted on”

It would seem the eminent physician has me banged to rights. I must remember not to linger in front of Greggs, salivating at their cream buns and I’ve been told often enough by the good people at John Lewis that if I continue to take up a position of repose on their curtain-measuring counter I will be removed forthwith.

Finally, the caption competition – such a favourite amongst you last time. Still no prizes but you will be guaranteed a hearty laugh, which will go towards your exercise for the day.

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14 Comments

  1. manifest money Reply
    19/03/2011 at 4:09 pm

    "Have you been working out?"

  2. Steve Reply
    19/03/2011 at 4:15 pm

    Gouty tendencies….? Must be all the port and pheasant I consume…

  3. Troy Reply
    19/03/2011 at 6:11 pm

    Man on right, raising his eyebrows, thinks "It could have been worse, I could been paired with Ann Widdecombe".

  4. Troy Reply
    19/03/2011 at 6:14 pm

    Doctor, as he puts his hands down his Scottish patient's trouser band "Oh, its gruesome!".
    Patient (in a Scottish accent) "Aye doctor, and it will gruesome more if you keep doing that!".

  5. Trish @ Mum's Gone to... Reply
    19/03/2011 at 7:08 pm

    Steve – I had you down as the young man at his desk prone to feebleness 😉

    Troy – I knew you couldn't resist this!

  6. Kelloggsville Reply
    19/03/2011 at 9:34 pm

    Satisfaction can be achieved when sharing simple pleasures in pairs. Maintaining a discreet distance will help avoid causing distress in public.

  7. Lottie Reply
    20/03/2011 at 10:54 am

    Fat, wheezy, stiff and sore toed…I've got to go get myself an 18th century middle-aged man…oh wait a minute…I've got one…

  8. libby Reply
    21/03/2011 at 7:22 am

    Wanted to find something funny to say, but for some reason I find that photo a bit sad……anyhoo the good doctor has said it so it must be right so I am off for my 4 mile walk!

  9. Trish @ Mum's Gone to... Reply
    21/03/2011 at 7:53 am

    Kelloggsville – Like it!

    Lottie – oh that's a pity!

    Libby – oh don't be sad, it's only two blokes demonstrating the two-person lift in first aid. Enjoy your walk and no loitering outside the shops…

  10. Sarah Reply
    21/03/2011 at 9:02 am

    Man on right: "You are NOT leading, I am!"

    Nine miles? Wow, that's a fair distance. How long would that take! Would it count pub-hopping?

  11. Wylye Girl Reply
    21/03/2011 at 1:09 pm

    Algernon was more than a little peeved to discover that H!ilary was not, in fact, a girl

    Off to 'sally forth'

  12. Trish @ Mum's Gone to... Reply
    21/03/2011 at 3:52 pm

    Sarah – A pub-hopping nine miles could take quite a while. I'm up for it! (thanks for caption: that's the spirit!)

    Wylye Girl – Another good caption!
    Have just returned home from sallying forth in Peterborough shopping: I must now rest for several days.

  13. Very Bored in Catalunya Reply
    21/03/2011 at 8:40 pm

    NINE MILES? Is the man barking? As for the woman lingering in shop windows and propping up counters – well yes that is a totally exhausting experience and medicinal Gin must surely be taken afterwards.*

    *You'll notice I am completely ignoring the 4 miles walk…

  14. Trish @ Mum's Gone to... Reply
    22/03/2011 at 7:58 am

    Very Bored – I had a day in Peterborough shopping yesterday so am taking the rest of the week off. Accompanied by gin.

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