The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-05-27
SHOULD CHILDREN CYCLE.
Eminent Surgeons Cp'nfUn o. a W.,
Important DueSgEou-

- the advisability OF allowing Young
Ct 1ldren to ride the bicycle. Bv some
u IS urged that the child's frame. being
n an immature state and capable Of be-
ing distorted much more easily than
later in life. is apt TO be more or less
Uniformed by the wheel. Others assert
that the exercise is highly beneficial.
whether partaken of by old or young.
There is a third class which takes the
middle ground that bicycle riding can
90 no harm to any one. young or old.
provided he or she forms the habit Of
sitting perfectly upright.
1t may be here stated that the for
ward bend, which is so commonly seen
IN riders about New York city. is not
only extremely ~ungraceful. but is detri-
mental to the health as well. There
seems to be an idea among bicvclists
that the machine can be ridden faster
and more easily by placing the seat
back as far as possible and leaning over
to reach the handles. That this is an
notion can readily be proved
by adopting both this and the upright
method for a while. The latter will be
found far more comfortable and digni-
fed.
1t is true hat racers bend forward,
but this is merely to avoid as much as
possible the resistance of the atmOs-
phere. No racer will bend himself
double when he has a long distance to
travel.
A celebrated English physician and
surgeon, who is well informed as to the
effect of bicycle riding on the cOnstitu-
ton. has been interviewed, and renders
the following opinion:
The question whether young chill
dren between the ages. say. of six and
twelve should be allowed to cycle. and,
if allowed, how much they may indulge
in the pastime without mourning the
risk of injury, is one Of considerable in
terest, and has Of late provoked dis
cuSSiOn. This, like most medical CUES
tiOnS, is a subject on which no man,
who forms his opinion after due investi-
cation, can pronounce Dramatically. or
lay down any strict and ~invariable
rules; for there are children and chill
dren. and what for one small bow or
girl might be merely healthy and bene-
fetal exercise for another might mean
pr ~ LII III NllIIC CdCII Cast
must be judged on its own merit, one
fundamental principle may be clearly
enunciated, namely, hat no young
child with any organic weakness,
whether of heart, lungs. Joints
or system, should be al
lowed to mount a machine I'M
der any circumstances whatever.
Eliminating, then, those who, at this
period Of their lives, are disqualified by
nature there is no doubt hat the eXer-
else Of cycling, properly regulated and
adjusted to the capabilities of the indi-
vidual, is M of the very best forms of
recreation that can be partaken of by
children of both sexes at an early age.
1t develops the body, and the self-reli-
ance and sourc ~entailed by the man
agement Of a machine Tend to strength
en- and enlarge the mental and intellect
ual faculties. But, granting all this,
great care is still necessary, and a few
simple precautions, easily taken, may
insure good and avert evil. First. at
what age should children begin to ride?
For most children six is quite soon
enough. There are, and will be. eXcep-
tiOns to this rule. Some children are
much forward than others. while
the offspring of experts may be expect
ed to develop, under paternal supervi-
sion. a capability which to others not
so favorably placed would seem alb
normal. But for the average child
six is quite early enough. and
even six for many is too early.
Great care should be taken in
choosing and fitting a machine to u
Young rider. Any old east off crock
will not do and may even produce dis
ease and defOrmity. The machine Sc
lected should be light. of course. the
gearing low enough to admit of a short
crank throw -four inches is generally
ample for a child of six or seven) and
the saddle and spring properly adapted
to the weight and size of the der.
But most important of all is the length
Of reach. This should be quite short:
the child should be able easily to touch
the pedal at its lowest point with the
heel. Nothing is more injurious than
a reach 50 long that the unfortunate
boy appears as if riding on a rail, just
touching the pedal with the tips Of his
toes. Then the position must be care
fully studied. Young growing tissues
are easily distorted. and a saddle too
far back and handles too far forward
would certainly cause a curved spine
and a permanent ~carnel'~ hump. The
peak Of the saddle two inches behind
the crank axle and the handles 80
brought round and back that the child
can sit perfectly upright on the ma
chine are two things that must be in
sisted on in buying either a bicycle or
a tricycle. for a young rider y /.
World.
The need of a perfectly safe and reli-
able remedy for the peculiar diseases Of
summer is universal. AS a remedy for
the household, office or the farm, on ship
board, and for travellers by sea and land,
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