The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-21
BICYCLING Is HEALTHFUI.
PHYSICIANS VINO STRONGLY lDTo-
CATE TIE EIERCIsE.

N|-NN- ~ j"
wheeInen, Toe, Relate the Bsa Thises
ssid About the Favsrits Fssti-e.
The New York Academy Of Medicine swung
into line with the bicycle enthusiasts last night,
and, although its speakers discussed the sport
from a medical standpoint and spoke incident
ally OF spinal diseases, appendicitis and af-
~fections Of the heart and lungs. without excep-
ton they endorsed the wheel. Every physician
who discussed the question was = blcyclist him
self, and told what bicycle riding had done for
him. and how he had gagged his heart pulsa-
lions ana his lungs and liver after riding. Then
each speaker told OF the effects Of riding a. OBJ
served in his patients.
DIR. Graeme NJ. Hammond. who fences very
well and rides a bicycle as an amateur, set the
pace for the discussion by reading a paper on
"The Influence of the Bicycle in Health and In
Disease" Among other things, DIR. Hammond
said:
There is hardly an organ in the body that
may not be Influenced by the proper or improper
uses os the wheel. There are no statistics avail
able on this subject, and l have been obliged
10 depend solely on my own observa-
tions. have complied a few statistics
from cases within NV reach. l have
examined fourteen amateur riders who
have been riding a bicycle from hve to fifteen
years. and who have ridden during that time
from 5000 To 27,000 miles. These examinations
have shown that the average chest expansion Of
these riders was 1 A. inches. The chest Of the
average man expands one inch. It is generally
believed that It expands three inches, but this
IA q mistake. The average age Of these ANA
tours was thirty-one years. My examinations
showed that the heart was usually hypertrophled
without dilatation. Their lung capacity had
undoubtedly been increased by bicycle riding.
This IL an age OF interest in physical develop
ment, and I believe that the bicycle Is probably
the greatest factor in that result. It induces a
condition OF cardiac and pulmonary develop
ment when used properly.
1T 10 usually claimed by those who condemn
the wheel that II develops the muscles of the leg
at the expense of the rest of the body. This is
not so. II brings all the muscles into play. A
good deal has been said. also. about the injurious
bicycle. I have examined fourteen profess
slonal riders. seven of whom are among
@ sSs nr fsc'i ia. in . r iali bent sSTn oysr Il, They e racing n5s
posture. In no case did l ind any reformation
q .nS sh S ;Dlnsil solq 1 found Ih; sSs S' ss.s al Al. Yf had s1 .a.
cessive development Of the muscles Of the
thigh; These men yhS ride at racing speed
heart and lung development as the fourteen
amateurs who rode sitting upright on their
y ysssl'' I T foSnd ' ts.s sh sE' average wss sSee Chest .al
pansion was 1 81 inches; their hearts were
Development OF the abdominal and thigh
muscles. Zimmerman's chest expansion was
"A inSsss; Sea WORK Re on The VIII Wheel |. ,f i15asiou. for
the average man. This is particularly true Of
Z q liRei iy1 To- Be ' arres ted 4 a youth Who cannot
ride properly ought not to be permitted TO ride.
" Me nes due Dst so Bicycle Isa aid io@e 1 ff Ssse OF bs spen @nsSls
to find the relationship of cause and effect be-
DIR. Hammond condemned the practice Of CEN
fury or 100-mile rides that some men and even
women enssgsd In; , ,a and exhaustive
certain diseased conditions OF the heart
proper exercise on q bicycle may DO of great ad-
heart trouble in any form should ride unless ed-
vised 10 do so by a physician. Bicycle riding
II depends on the condition OF the heart and the
manner in which the rider takes his exercise.
normal use q the Wheel is INJURIOUS. : There
are conditions OF, govt and dialects that are
benen,ed BY bicicls riding: have prescribed
rience has shown me that bicycle riding for tho
healthy individual is one Of the most useful and
Half Q dozen OF the phy.icisns present en-
dorsed DR.. paper from Their own
b. Rockwell. That We are a drus-rldden people.
Although an ardent advocate Of cycling. I
TOcate IL Without restrictIons. One form
which 10 accompanied by eevere conse-
people Of middle age to have their hearts eIc
amined before beginning TO ride = bicycle;
IL TO some OF my patients. / have known cases
of fundamental heart disease to be, benefited by
" With t hssi is siy1 ii IUnna 1t us Is T net an ne eIe rS see h %Sn
ever, that should be indulged in recklsssly.
.l pr' :: P am PO y Seli .S@ii in ih sss Sia ns rod" he e ~ .aisi
81 began riding in May. My boy said TO ne one
day. when ! had criticised the wheel Il don't be
lievo yon can ride one fifteen feet. I'll bet you SIS
and l won that SIS. ! began riding in May. and
twenty-six pounds and my age twenty, six years.
At least l feel younger and better for IL. It fur
with the greatest enjoyment 1.-THE least cost OF
any exercise that know: well girl or boy
j can't see how the posture of a man on a wheel
for at the most two or three hours a day can in
Dr.. William Polk was another bicycle rider
who was called upon TO say something. Several
Of the Other physicians present a knew that hi he
mounted on ono In Paris last summer. lie said
he had suggested Il TO several OF his patients
Dr.. Frank Var Fleet raised a protest by say
ing: ~ consider that the early morning. say
;sfs Sis g elsi sssrS CT 'sril When ss t he began esst r to talk K
about the dew on the grass and the early birds
ri.ing sun at this, hour, the other physicians
ever, on 5 O'clock rides and particularly as pre-
.Dr. II. Holbrook Curtis said that many bicycle
riders made q mistake In riding with their
noses. Women" he said. ride with too low a
saddle, 90 that they may have little difficulty in
that the fault in the bicycle riders posture could
be eliminated by higher handle bars, so that the
rider would not be forced to stOOp over.
DIR. Richard II. Dirby, the Secretary OF the
Committee on National Quarantine, made his
report. THE public health Of this country
he said. demands the esta blishment at an early
day OF a national bureau OF health, under whose
supervision the maritime system OF quarantine
should be placed"
The main points OF the recommendation OF
this COMMITTEES TO Congress were the establish
ment OF a bureau of public health in the Treas
ury Department the creation OF a commission
of fifteen members, consisting Of Commission
ers appointed by the President from the
several sanitary districts into which this
country is divided. OF the Surgeon-Generals
OF the army and navy. and the supervising
Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital service,
as well as an oficer learned in the law and de-
tailed by the Department OF Justice. These rec
concentrations were amended 60 as to substi-
tute a Commissioned OF Health for the
somewhat unwteldy executive COMMITTEES. IL
was also decided that this bureau should be
under the Jurisdiction OF the Department OF the
Interior. and that the advisory committee
should consist OF representatives from each
state. In this form the committee expect that
EonRreaa will act On IN.