Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-21

By B. W. RICHARDSON, N. D.

In learning to ride the tricycle. the manage
ment of the breathing should have first con-
sderation. To get into q good and healthy
habit OF breathing. and to get that habit con-
frmed is worth q great deal to riders of eli
ages. Let, then, the following brief rules be
kept in mind:
There are two handles on the tricycle., one of
which. that on the right hand, is used for steer
ing the machine; the other, that on the left
hand. for holding by. Both afford support. By
seizing these handles firmly, and pulling up BY
them, great power may be got for prOpeliing
the machine, because by this means the hands
and arms come in to assist the legs and an extra
force Is put on. Young riders are aptto begin by
laying on this reserve power and never giving
1t up. To use this assistance, however. the
chest has to be firmly fixed The easy, natural
movements of the chest, those movements by
which We uncOnsciOusly fill the chest in the
ordinary way when we are quietly moving
about or sitting. are not carried out but deep
breathing Is established, the lungs are filed
with air to distention, and great pressure is
thrown upon the heart. These are bad effects
to keep up they soon cause extreme rati9ue.
and they prevent the rider from being ready
to meet difficulties in climbing, in going over
rough roads and In meeting other obstacles
which are sure to spring up whenever he under
takes few hours journey. The point of prac-
tice. consequently is to use the handles as rests
for the hands on all common occasions to let
them hold the handles lightly, with no more
force than Is just necessary for steadiness and
mastery. and only to bring them into full use
when the necessity ar;ses-that is to say, when
extra power Is suddenly called for, as on an
preaching the upper part of hill, or in moving
over rough or soft ground.
Another rule about breathing Is, to learn from
the first to breathe by the nostrils not by the
mouth. do not know why 1t is, but certain it
Ia, that most riders get into the way of mouth
breathing. as If they had no nose al all. the
moment they get into the saddle. The result is
always bad. The passage of air over the surface
of the tongue and throat renders those surfaces
very dry, so that in short ride the desire for
some liquid to mOisten the mouth and throat
becomes urgent, and leads to swallowing a
large quantity. of drink, which is injurious.
and the throat is not only made dry, but sore
from the dryness. In addition to this mischief
the large surface Of the mouth and throat is
exposed to catch all impurities of dust and dirt
floating In the air. while much power is lost
owing to the fapidity Of the breathing that Is
brought on. and the reduction Of purchase in
respirlng owing to the constantly open state of
both the breathing inlets and outlets, the nos
trlis and the mouth. Learn then to breathe by
the nostrils In the ordinary and natural way
from the beginning Of the practice.
The earliest exercises on the tricvcle should
be taken on a level road, and they should not
be so prolonged as to produce fatigue or embar-
rassment of the breathing or circulation. Grad
ually the time of riding should be increased and
the common difficulties of the road met. 1t is
good practice to commence by riding mile the
first day, and not to exceed two miles a day for
the first three or four days; after that the exer-
else may extend to five miles day. and in
week or two to the full OF the riders capacity.
On this point of the riders capacity for work
there are certain rules bearing on health which
are vital
1. The riding should never be carried out at
one time to the extent OF causing excessive
WEAKNESS, stiffness of the muscles and MEM
branes, and want of power In the limbs
a. In climbing hill 1t is never advisable to
strain every muscle. from the foolish determine
ton to mount the hill at all costs. 1t is best,
and quickest, and easiest. and safest to dis
mount and to push the machine up to the brow
OF the hill. The act of walking for q short dis
lance relieves the rider. 1t brings new set OF
muscles into play. and it stretches the body.
to use common expression.
8. Practice in climbing will enable rider to
get over difficulties which young rider ccnsid-
ers all but impossible. / have found that out
beyond anything l expected when 1 began to
ride. and can now without fatigue, climb hills,
which would never have dared to have faced
at first. This art is got by the process Of tread
ingthe machine, that is of throwing the whole
weight of the body into the pedals by which
process heavy rider, quite as easily as light
one, can acquire the power Of getting up hill
Yet it is bad to attempt to carry this effort too
Tar, as all good riders will maintain. The cues
tion is when to get off the machine before or
during climbing. Some reckon by the ascent.
and tell you that when the eye roughly measures
an ascent OF one In seven or eight, it Is the wise
thing to dismOunt and push up the machine A
better practice Is to be guided by the power of
the rider to move on without bringing in his re-
serve force. If the hill be long and he finds it
necessary to pull hard at the handles In order
to make progression, the time has come for him
to dismount and to walk the ascent,
T. In descending hill every advantage should
be taken to save the motion Of propulsion and
TO let gravitation do the work Of the rider. It
IL In this way that so much labor is saved In
riding, and so much advantage is gained over
walking. not only in speed. but ia actual work.
for. as we all know, walking down hill is very
shaking and laborious work. Sometimes, on the
tricycle., however, too much advantage fs taken
of the running down hill, and q speed ia got mn
which Is not merely accompanied with certain
amount OF unnecessary risk from falls but with
other risks which, less perceptible to the rider,
are hardly less dangerous. These are excite
ment fullness, thereby. Of the brain with blood.
and conclusion from the rattle Of the run, ali
of them Injurious results. l have known ex-
IRENE giddiness, and what we physicians call
vertigo. produced by too rapid running down
long descent. Facilis descensus is u good motto
to keep in mind on these occasions. together
with the moral that clings to it. In running
down hill it is wise to keep the machine well in
hand by the brake, to contine the pace to seven
or eight miles an hour, and not to attempt to
get up momentum until the lower part of the
descent is reached. There, after considerable
practice, a little more freedom may be permitted
so as to assist In meeting a rising ground lust
as for all time past our drivers of carriage coach
and cart have been accustomed to close down.
hill and breast an up.
5. The capacity for work when the art of good
riding has been acquired should never be meas
ured by what can be done on one day or on one
particular occasion. The body is sometimes
capable of performing without sense of fatigue
a much larger amount of work than it is at
others. Very trif1ng circumstances also assist
or oppose rider; direction or character of the
wind, good or bad turning OF his machine, good
or bad temper Of his own, change the labor
vastly. One ride cannot, therefore as q matter
OF course. be taken to represent another, and it
Is very bad to set up as hard and fast rule In
touring that 30 much, nolens volens, shall be
done in day. The safest plan is to keep In the
mind fair but not too high average. and never
to exceed that except under favorable circum-
stances. The average have already giyen-six
miles an hour for six hours days as sound
one as can suggest In the present stage of tri-
cycular evolution. What may come as the ma
chine Is improved when 1t is made to wind itself
up as 1t runs down HILL with the brake turned