Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 81.djvu/349

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SMOKING AND FOOTBALL MEN
343

Seaver at Yale University,[1] where it was shown that the non-smokers were three pounds heavier than the smokers. The excess weight of the smokers is readily accounted for when it is remembered that in the "try outs" only one third of the smokers were successful, against two thirds of the non-smokers. In football, where the factor of weight plays an important part, it is quite apparent that the larger men are more likely to be selected than the smaller ones. If, however, in the "try outs" an equal percentage of the smokers and non-smokers were chosen the results would in all probability not be out of harmony with those of Dr. Seaver.

In the following the scholastic standing is shown.

No. of Men Total Mark Average Mark
Smokers 81 6,034 74.5
Non-smokers 101 8,021 79.4
Twelve institutions reporting.

It will be observed that the smokers average 4.9 per cent, below the non-smokers. This average alone, however, is not wholly reliable, as the standards of marking in the various schools are by no means uniform—an individual in one institution might be ranked at 75 per cent., while in another institution this same student might be ranked at 90. From the following table, however, it will be observed that the smoker is inferior in each of the twelve institutions reporting, a fact, of course, which strongly corroborates the above averages.

Institution Smoker Non-smoker Institution Smoker Non-smoker
A 65.2 69.8 G 74.0 75.0
B 64.7 74.6 H 75.2 79.4
C 78.8 81.1 I 81.6 88.4
D 75.8 77.6 J 78.5 81.3
E 84.6 84.8 K 74.0 84.6
F 69.6 71.3 L 77.3 77.6

In each of the twelve institutions reporting scholastic standing the highest and the lowest marks were tabulated for the smokers and nonsmokers. The results follow:

No. of Men Highest Marks Lowest Mark
Smokers 81 4 12
Non-smokers 101 11 6

Based on equal numbers of men the results would be as follows:

Highest Marks Lowest Marks
101 non-smokers furnish 11 6
101 smokers would furnish 5 15
  1. See Arena, for February, 1897.