Morning journal and courier., 1888-07-24
HOME GYmNAsTICs.
Means for Girls to Cultivate Health
 and Muscle.

Means for Girls to Cultivate Health and Muscle.
 From the New York Mail and Express,1
 It is becoming much the fashion just now to have some sort of alleged health-giving apparatus in ones home. Young women es- pecially, who have not the advantages of 6 tennis court, have taken to the idea and are developing no little muscle as a result. Phy- sicians recommend the exercise under cer- tain conditions and when not carried to ex- cess. A reporter dropped in at several stores where athletic goods are sold and obtained particulars of some of these "hea1th ma chimes" One of prominence is called 5 schest weight" It consists of an apparatus that includes rods, ropes, pulleys, weights and handles, and which may be fastened to the wall in one's room. This machine is supposed to expand the chest and develop the muscles of the back, arms and wrist.
 Some of the finer ones are mounted on black
 walnut and finished in enamel and gold, and
 have ebonite wheels and drab-braided cord.
 They cost from six to ten dollars each. A
 "home gymnasium" is an apparatus which is
 supported by two screw hooks in the ceiling
 about eighteen inches apart. From these
 are suspended straps of strong linen, at
 tached to which are rings and stirrups. The
 rings are of patent bent wood about six inch.
 es in diameter. By an ingenious device the
 rings and stirrups can be instantly raised or
 lowered to any desired height, or the stirrup
 straps removed or the rings removed for the
 insertion of 8 trapeze bar. A space six or
 eight feet wide is ample for any of the exer-
 cises An improved striking bag is one of
 the devices for home exercise. According to
 it's advocates it "rednes, elevates and enno-
 bles, adds to our courage, zeal and health,
 and thereby to our happiness" The bags
 run from four to twenty pounds in weight
 and are covered with buff leather, English
 buck and canvas. They cost from five to
 twelve dollars each. There is also an elastic
 striking air bag made of rubber and canvas,
 the inside being 8 rubber bladder of conical shape, the outside covered with canvas.
 Rowing machines are also in favor with persons seeking home exercise. One which claims to initiate rowing perfectly is cylin- der made of brass, having closed end and
 highly polished interior. The piston rod
 of the cylinder is connected with short bars by means of 8 whifietree and connecting rods. The act of taking stroke draws the
 piston away from the clo&aa end of the oyl-
 finder, produces vacuum, and the pressure of the atmosphere upon the piston stimulates the resistance that is afforded by the water
 in rowing boat. The cylinder Is provided with series of small holes commencing about half way from the closed end. Tkese allow the atmosphere to enter, and as the piston is drawn past them they gradually relieve the vacuum. The air accumulated in the cylinder finds free exit through 8 large opening ia the closed end as 1t is pushed be- fore the piston in the recovery" This opening is closed by valve automatically upon the beginning of new strike. Anoth- CT rowing machine is less complicated and smaller and has simple "friction clutch" as
 the means used to produce the resistance.
 The amount of resistance can be adjusted to
 suit in & moment. The machine is so ar
 ranged that by changing the outrigging and
 oars about on the frame the pushing of the
 oars may be practissd so as to develop par
 ticularlY the muscles of the back and the
 stnnoanh