The record-union., 1896-09-13

SOAilC OOSCi Wing iiicbii . oioSONSiSNS
How, I've never thought to ask,
That Kentucky maiden's boomers
Have a pocket for a flask;
That the cycling girl Of Texas
AS she rides is not afraid
She provides a pistol pocket
When she has her bloomers made.
That the bloomer girl of Boston,
Always cool and wisely frowning,
Has a pocket in her bloomers
Where she carries Robert Browning;
That the Daisy Bell Of Kansas,
Who has donned the cycling breeches,
Has a pocket In her boomers
Full of woman suffrage speeches;
That Chicagos wheeling woman,
When her cycle makes rotations,
Has a special bloomer pocket
Where she carries pork quotations.;
That Milwaukee's cycling beauties,
AS they pedal day by day,
Have tiny secret pocket
Where a corkscrew's stored away;
That the Gotham bloomer damsel,
Whom Manhattan dudes admire,
Has a tutti-frutti pocket
Full Of gum to mend her tire.
Toledo Blade.
The question whether or no bicycling
is a good sport for women is definitely
settled in the affirmative SO far as the
mind of DR.. Robert L. Dickinson of
Brooklyn is concerned.
DR.. Dickinson is the lecturer on OBJ
stetrics and assistant obstetrician of
Long Island College Hospital. He is also
obstetrician of the Kings County HoSpi-
tai. His practice lies almost entirely
among women and he is a specialist in
their diseases.
Last year a paper entitled bicycling
for Women from the Standpoint Of the
Gynaecologist, from the pen Of DR..
Dickinson, was printed in the 'Ameri-
can Journal of Obstetrics" and at
tracted much attention among physi-
clans. This was followed by bicycling
for Women; Some Hygienic Aspects of
Wheeling, the Puzzling Question of Cos
tune" in the Outlook" and Saddles
and Pastures for Women on the Wheel" T"
printed in the American Gynaecolog-
ica1 and Obstetric Journal"
In these papers Dr. Dickinson takes
strong ground on behalf of wheeling for
women. In recent lectures and discus
sions the doctor has been equally en-
phatic.
When World" reporter questioned
him on the subject the other day he
said:
They say that recommend bicycling
for every woman patient. That, of
course, Is fib, but the exaggeration is
not so very great after ALL Now, why
do ] recommend wheeling? Because
nine-tenths of the women who come to
he tay rt-ifb
except wrong conditions of living. They
get no exercise.
people seem to forget that woman is
an animal and will certainly deteriorate
physically unless she gets exercise. But
it is hard for women to get exercise in
the city. Gymnasium work Is dull,
bowling is one-sided and the violent
wrench does harm; swimming is incon-
venient; in horseback riding the body
of the woman is badly twisted and
strained and the trotting gait entails a
useless effort.
when women get in the habit Of rid
ing with the stirrup first on one side
and then on the other some of the OBJ
jections will be obviated; riding astride
as women did before the reign of Eliza
beth Is still better.
"But even conceding that the horse is
at all comparable with the wheel as a
means of exercise and pleasure, the ex-
pense bars 1t from most women. Cheap
ness, safety, accessibility and the small
amount of preparation required are all
on the side Of the wheel.
MY position in regard to wheeling
for women is the same as that Of every
noted specialist in women's diseases in
Greater New York. think the opinion
is unanimous in favor Of prescribing
the wheel AT least it has appeared
to be so in recent debates.
How great the evil is that am using
wheeling to counteract may be deduced
from the fact that DIR. Petit, Director OF
Physical Culture in the Adelphi Acad-
emy In Brooklyn, states that the older
girls cannot compete in any way with
the Younger, and as one example OF the
difference it may be said that the girls
of fourteen years can jump one foot
higher than those of eighteen
$50 unused is the average woman to
exercise that muscle work for It's own
sake presents none of the delight ano
afterglow which man usually gets from
tt The inheritance of false habits
house habits, dress habits, nerve hapits
and work habits has brought it about
that the demand for exercise facilities
is small.
1t Is supposed to be sufficient out
door exercise for the sister to wave bel
handkerchief from the grand stand !
is this imitation of her scope which i
the real cause of the good woman
doubling question why God intended
women TO suffer during certain pro-
cesses which are normal and therefore
should be painless. III all Greater New
York there is no opportunity Tor
woman to take SWIM In the cooler
months except in small tank OF very
cold water in the cellar of a TURKISH
BATH
In order to illustrate to gynaceioglst:
and women the right and wrong ways
OF sitting on a bicycle, Dr. Dickinson
has made series Of pictures showing
the difference between right and wrong
riding.
In order to illustrate to gynecologist!
draped female figure, but soon found h
could not hope to teach or illustra