, 1886-12-25
r1g HYGIENE OF CYCLING.


A Powerful Means of Strengthening tho
Human ~Body-what n Doctor Says.
According TO DIR. Kunze, OF Halle,
cycling is a health stimulating exercise.
which ought to I've commended by medi-
cal men. II a powerful means of
strengthening the human body, and may
even be considered an exercise acting as
a preventive and curative of no mean
order of certain bodily ailments. Looked
upon in the latter light. cycling is "A kind
of %gymnastic exercise possessing specific
effects which are absent i'll ordinary
gymnastics. The velocipedist especially
the bicyclisti learns, first of all, the art
of balancing himself by practicing it on
an instrument as sensitive IA it is easily
overturned. To acquire it, ii is necessary
TO call into precise action certain muscles,
every individual muscle being trained to
do its particular work. Those who are
thrown from a bicycle. US Il rule-cer-
tain eventualities. against which even
the most skilled velocipedist cannot
guard, excepted do not yet possess the
required ability 10 balance themselves.
This latter acqlrSement is OF great use
also ia practical life. Those who possess
II ~ - INV - JdilB tiNafi'H az
greater precision and safety, pass along
narrow paths. noun more difficult stair
cases. climb up and descend p%recipitous
mountains. and will also carry themselves
more erect than those who do not possess
this power OF preserving an equilibrium.
A further effect of velocipede riding is to
strengthen the muscles, not only of the
lower extremities, but also those of the
abdomen, the chest and the arms, which
are constantly being excited to contract.
The muscles of the lower e~xtrenlities con-
tract and relax in the action of propeling
the velocipedc, and there is no other
movement which requires such rapid and
energetic contractions. We frequently
find that the muscles of the thigh and
lower leg of cyclists increase in size, and,
consequently, cyclists are able to bear
without fatigue long walking tours. As,
however, every organ which becomes
stronger is less liable to disease, strength
med muscles predispose velocipedists less
to ailments than the relaxed muscles OF
non-velocipedists. 1t would be highly
interesting if reliable statistics could be
obtained from the various cycling clubs,
showing whether and how frequently
muscular rheumatism of the thigh, for
instance, is met with among velocipedists.
The effect of cycling exercise upon the
abdomen is of very special Importance.
With the contractions and r~elaxations Of
the muscles of the thigh those of the alb
domen stand in close relation, and it is
evident that the latter must be equally
benefited. Upon the chest cycling exer-
else acts in two ways. In the first place,
by the contraction of the muscles of the
abdomen the stagnant air in the lungs is
more thoroughly expelled, and, in the
second place, the apparatus of breathing
is more powerfully acted upon by the
greater difficulty of respiration and aspi-
ration experienced in quickly propelling
the velocipede. The more effectual ex-
pulsion of the stagnant air from the lungs
must be of favorable influence upon the
change OF matter in the human body, in
80 far as the entry of oxygenated air into
the lungs is thereby increased, oxygen
forming one of u most important
means of nourishment. Those who wish
to expand their chests, DIR. Kunze says,
should mount a velocipede.-Scientific
American.