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eat muscle acts。 This bridge has two living piersPospischilli acting as one and Martenstine the other。 Besides supporting this monstrous structure （weight； 1866 pounds） upon their shoulders； these freaks of superhuman strength allow a team of horses and a wagon loaded with a ton of cobble…stones to be driven across it。
It is said that Selig Whitman； known as 〃Ajax；〃 a New York policeman； has lifted 2000 pounds with his hands and has maintained 450 pounds with his teeth。 This man is five feet 8 1/2 inches tall and weighs 162 pounds。 His chest measurement is 40 inches； the biceps 17 inches； that of his neck 16 1/2 inches； the forearm 11； the wrist 9 1/2； the thigh 23； and the calf 17。
One of the strongest of the 〃strong women〃 is Madame Elise； a Frenchwoman； who performs with her husband。 Her greatest feat is the lifting of eight men weighing altogether about 1700 pounds。 At her performances she supports across her shoulders a 700…pound dumb…bell； on each side of which a person is suspended。
Miss Darnett； the 〃singing strong lady；〃 extends herself upon her hands and feet； face uppermost； while a stout platform； with a semicircular groove for her neck； is fixed upon her chest； abdomen； and thighs by means of a waist…belt which passes through brass receivers on the under side of the board。 An ordinary upright piano is then placed on the platform by four men； a performer mounts the platform and plays while the 〃strong lady〃 sings a love song while supporting possibly half a ton。
Strength of the Jaws。There are some persons who exhibit extraordinary power of the jaw。 In the curious experiments of Regnard and Blanchard at the Sorbonne； it was found that a crocodile weighing about 120 pounds exerted a force between its jaws at a point corresponding to the insertion of the masseter muscles of 1540 pounds； a dog of 44 pounds exerted a similar force of 363 pounds。
It is quite possible that in animals like the tiger and lion the force would equal 1700 or 1800 pounds。 The anthropoid apes can easily break a cocoanut with their teeth； and Guyot…Daubes thinks that possibly a gorilla has a jaw…force of 200 pounds。 A human adult is said to exert a force of from 45 to 65 pounds between his teeth； and some individuals exceed this average as much as 100 pounds。 In Buffon's experiments he once found a Frenchman who could exert a force of 534 pounds with his jaws。
In several American circuses there have been seen women who hold themselves by a strap between their teeth while they are being hauled up to a trapeze some distance from the ground。 A young mulatto girl by the name of 〃Miss Kerra〃 exhibited in the Winter Circus in Paris； suspended from a trapeze； she supported a man at the end of a strap held between her teeth； and even permitted herself to be turned round and round。
She also held a cannon in her teeth while it was fired。 This feat has been done by several others。 According to Guyot…Daubes； at Epernay in 1882； while a man named Bucholtz； called 〃the human cannon；〃 was performing this feat； the cannon； which was over a yard long and weighed nearly 200 pounds； burst and wounded several of the spectators。
There was another Hercules in Paris； who with his teeth lifted and held a heavy cask of water on which was seated a man and varying weights； according to the size of his audience； at the same time keeping his hands occupied with other weights。 Figure 185 represents a well…known modern exhibitionist lifting with his teeth a cask on which are seated four men。 The celebrated Mlle。 Gauthier； an actress of the Comedie…Francais； had marvelous power of her hands； bending coins； rolling up silver plate； and performing divers other feats。 Major Barsaba had enormous powers of hand and fingers。 He could roll a silver plate into the shape of a goblet。 Being challenged by a Gascon； he seized the hand of his unsuspecting adversary in the ordinary manner of salutation and crushed all the bones of the fingers； thus rendering unnecessary any further trial of strength。
It is said that Marshal Saxe once visited a blacksmith ostensibly to have his horse shod； and seeing no shoe ready he took a bar of iron； and with his hands fashioned it into a horseshoe。 There are Japanese dentists who extract teeth with their wonderfully developed fingers。 There are stories of a man living in the village of Cantal who received the sobriquet of 〃La Coupia〃 （The Brutal）。 He would exercise his function as a butcher by strangling with his fingers the calves and sheep； instead of killing them in the ordinary manner。 It is said that one day； by placing his hands on the shoulders of the strong man of a local fair； he made him faint by the pressure exerted by his fingers。
Manual strangulation is a well…known crime and is quite popular in some countries。 The Thugs of India sometimes murdered their victims in this way。 Often such force is exerted by the murderer's fingers as to completely fracture the cricoid cartilage。
In viewing the feats of strength of the exhibitionist we must bear in consideration the numerous frauds perpetrated。 A man of extraordinary strength sometimes finds peculiar stone； so stratified that he is able to break it with the force he can exert by a blow from the hand alone； although a man of ordinary strength would try in vain。 In most of these instances； if one were to take a piece of the exhibitionist's stone； he would find that a slight tap of the hammer would break it。 Again； there are many instances in which the stone has been found already separated and fixed quite firmly together； placing it out of the power of an ordinary man to break； but which the exhibitionist finds within his ability。 This has been the solution of the feats of many of the individuals who invite persons to send them marked stones to use at their performances。 By skilfully arranging stout twine on the hands； it is surprising how easily it is broken； and there are many devices and tricks to deceive the public； all of which are more or less used by 〃strong men。〃
The recent officially recorded feats of strength that stand unequaled in the last decade are as follows：
Weight…lifting。Hands alone 1571 1/4 pounds； done by C。 G。 Jefferson； an amateur； at Clinton； Mass December 10； 1890； with harness； 3239 pounds； by W B。 Curtis； at New York December 20 1868； Louis Cyr； at Berthierville； Can。； October 1； 1888； pushed up 3536 pounds of pig…iron with his back； arms； and legs。
Dumb…bells。H。 Pennock； in New York； 1870； put up a 10…pound dumb…bell 8431 times in four hours thirty…four minutes； by using both hands to raise it to the shoulder； and then using one hand alone； R。 A。 Pennell； in New York； January 31； 1874； managed to put up a bell weighing 201 pounds 5 ounces； and Eugene Sandow； at London； February 11； 1891； surpassed this feat with a 250…pound bell。
Throwing 16…pound hammer。J。 S。 Mitchell； at Travers Island； N。 Y。； October 8； 1892； made a record…throw of 145 feet 3/4 inch。
Putting 16…pound Shot。George R。 Gray； at Chicago； September 16； 1893； made the record of 47 feet。
Throwing 50…pound Weight。J。 S。 Mitchell； at New York； September 22； 1894； made the distance record of 35 feet 10 inches； and at Chicago； September 16； 1893； made the height record