New-York tribune., 1896-06-21
THE rSE or THE WHEEL.


subject of cycling, there is little OF more prac
teal interest and value than the series OF papers
which The British Medical Journal Is pub
fishing, under the title "Cycling In Iealth anu
Disease" These are prepared by writer WHO
Is at once an eminent surgeon and an experl-
ence bicycle rider and may therefore DC re-
garded as authoritative from both points Oh
view. Their object is TO present In a concise
md intelllgible form all necessary Information
concerning the effects OF cycling upon heaith'
the dangers TO be avoided and the Dement'S 10
be gained Such information Is certainly most
timely In consideration OF the fact that wlthih
the last few years many millions or people OF
both sexes and all ages, have taken 10 cychhS
and thus have effected. either for good or
for evil. one of the most striking social ana
sanatory revolutions OF the age.
The first preccpt laid down by this authority
is the obvious though often disregarded one
Keep within your powers Whether the
wheel be ridden for pleasure or for health, mod
GRAFTON is to be observed and fatigue avoided.
This applies TO the novice and 10 the expert
alike. to hlll-clImbing and to riding on n level.
There is more danger Of. and also more danger
I'm. oyercxcrtion In cycling than in almost any
other exercise. Consequently there Is especial
need OF this Injunction Scarcely less urgent
is the need of having well made wheel prop
crly adjusted 10 the build OF the rider. WIN
such n vehicle no injury IL 10 be feared from
thn old bogy Of vibration" The fever and
other bad symptoms often attributed TO fhat
cause are really the results Of fatigue from
ovcrcxcrilon or from riding an unsuitable
Wheel or over bad roads
As 10 the agcllmits, between which persons
may properly be- cyclists. II may be said that,
generally speaking. no child under seven years
should hc permitted 70 ride or be carried upon
n bicycle under any circumstances After ia"
ace OF seven years children may ride. But II Is
absolutely essential that young rider should
have n wheel exactly fitted 10 his or her size,
and especial attention should be paid 10 the
maintaining OF n proper attitude 10 the prac'
tice Of propcr movements of the limbs, and 10
tho scrupulous avoidance OF anything even ap-
proyiruatlng 10 ovcrcxcrtion. After old agc ~
reached caro- must be exercised 10 avoid even
the slightest accidents. especially In learning
10 ride simply because of the brittloness ~
the bones AT that time Of lifc and the difficulty
with which broken ones can be mended Other
wise. cycling Is 70 BE- heartily commended 10
the aged one case ls cited OF n man who
learned 10 ride nj sixty eight and who had GOV
cred nearly 1000 miles by tho time he was
seventy. with tho result that n chronic bron-
chial catarrh and gouy eczema had dlsap-
pcarcd Another ~ seventy, suffering severely
from lumbago took 10 the wheel. and now. NJ
seventy FIVE. rides from twenty 10 thirty miles
n day and never knows n days Illness A third.
M seventy four almost confined 10 nm armchair
with rhcumatism began riding tricycle.. aud
| nj eighty four was riding 100 miles n day
All this applies 10 both sexes. There Is. says
| the writer no reason whatever why any sound
woman should not ride either bicycle or a
| tricycle. but preferably. of course the former.
with scarcely nm exception there Is n consensus
| Of the best medical and surgical opinion that
cycling Is not only harmless for women and
| girls. but actually and highly beneficial for the
| cure OF anaena, atomic dyspepsia. functional
| nerve troubles, and even many cases OF organic
unsoundness. Racing. steep hillcmbng and
| all other exccsscs must, Of course. be avoided.
| They are for obvious reasons, more Injurious
| 10 women than TO men. The woman rider must
| also have n wheel carefully lifted and adjusted
| 10 herself; Just ms one would have walking
| boots properly fitted to the feet With these
simple rules observed, cycling will mean In
| cstlmabe pleasure and improved health TO
| myrads OF women
| Thus far the use Of the wheel 10y sound or
| fairly sound persons has chiefly been cOnsid-
| cred. Future papers from the same pen will
| deal with the uses OF the wheel for invalids as
| adjuvative to the surgeons and the physicians y
care These WILL no doubt. be OF AT least equal
interest, though inevitably they will trench
upon more contentious ground