The record-union., 1895-08-30
A POSSIBLE REFoRMER.


So much has been said for and against
the bicycle for women that it is refresh
ing to find some scientific people coming
down to some practical reasons in favor
of moderate use of the wheel by women
that indicate a reform far and beyond the
question of riding at all.
For while it is true that it is injurious
for all women sometimes and for some
women all the time to ride the wheel.
just as it is bad for all men all the time
unless used in moderation, still there are
excellent reasons why all women who
can without injury use the wheel as
means of exercise should do so, and
these reasons give hope new life for
great reform.
Some of these reasons we find stated
very ooncisely in an Eastern journal by
q Boston doctor, who has made the mat
ter a subject of special inquiry and re-
search. His views may be accepted with
out one whit ignoring the wise advice of
DR.. Richardson, whose thought upon the
general subject we presented extendedly
in the columns of the RECORD UNION
last week. They may be accepted also
without rejecting the warning that no
woman should take to the bicycle who
has any doubt of, or reason to doubt its
beneficial character in her use of it. Nor
should young girls use it, those who are
Rs yet uniformed and not fully developed,
except with such extreme moderation as
to deprive it of any pleasure or benefit.
AS a rule, it may be stated that the
burden of wise opinion and of pro-
fessional advice is against the use of the
bicycle by girls at all.
But the Boston physician points out
why mature women who can use it
should use it, namely, that all women
need more of outdoor exercise, saving
only those who are workers now in the
open air. Nearly all women suffer from
lack of open air movement, and from the
restraints of clothing, notably the corset,
which. however much men may inveigh
mortgage of possession upon our women.
Now the corset and the bicycle do not
agree. Nor does tight clothing and
heavy and restraining clothing harmonic
with bicycle exercise.
The wheel therefore gets the women
much into the open air. 1t induces her
TO relax the martyrdom of tight and
confining clothing. It increases her
physical exercise without increasing her
fatigue. Almost any woman in fair
health can ride six miles on wheel with
less fatigue than she can walk one mile.
and if she walks in modern costume with
eorsets and tight clothing and impeding
skirts the burden of opinion seems TO
justify the judgment that the bicycle will
do her less harm than the walk, even if
she is not physically sound.
''The Wheel" then, is doing two i'm
portant things for the physical we'll being
of woman; and these lead to two other
things equally as important, namely,
they awaken women to the truth that
there is no absolute need to be the slave
of the corset and tight clothing, and that
there is such thing as being free and in
dependent and still very lovely and
graceful. This then may lead, and let US
hope that it will. to the emancipation of
American women from slavery that
their husbands and brothers have in
weighed against steadily but hopelessly.
1t may be, then, that even If many
women do not and should not take to the
wheel for exercise, that its influence is
going to be felt among all women and ac-
tualiy bring about reform, an emanci-
nation, that will mean good health for
American women where poor health is
the rule. 1t may be that the wheel is to
prove the greatest boon to our woman
kind that we could possibly desire for
them. since it may free them from slav
ery and teach them the possibilities of
health, long life and happiness. that re-
side in physical well being.
A FRENCH statistical writer has just
.rcooadsd in proving that it is an error to