The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-30


standpoint of a doctor and the effect of
bicycling on health and placed himself
on record as a bicycle crank. as the
term goes. He treated the question
under three heads. a. The influence
on health. (2D The influence on di-
sease tendencies. (3.) The danger of
bicycling.
The old-time high wheel was alto
gether too dangerous for either health
or pleasure, and 1t was not until the
safety" came into vogue that the bi-
cycle ceased to be a fad and began to
be of the Importance that is now at
tached to it. Doubtful it is, he said, if
any other exercise gives such a thor
ough muscular action. BY some it Is
said that bicycling brings into use only
the muscles of the legs and forearms.
The doctor disagreed with this state
ment and said that il combines the
beneficial exercise of climbing steep
grades, the jar of horseback riding,
the swing of skating, the dash of row.
ing, and the eXhilaration of rapid rid
ing. He said 1t comes nOrer the ideal
exercise than any other known. The
influence of it on the heart is especially
noticeable.
And ii has, he thinks, the same infiu-
ence in curing disease as tending to re-
sist it. If ii builds up a healthy sys-
TEN, II ought to be good for persons in
diseased state of health. Men who
work in shops and factories where they
breathe had air are improved wonder
fully by riding home on their wheel to
a warm dinner. The doctor recon-
menued ii to the use of clergymen and
lawyers and urges upon them that their
health rather than false dignity had
better he fostered.
The dangers of bicycle riding We're
cited as riding great distances and as
suming improper positions on the Wheel
This is apt to be the case with young
kids. he said. who imagine themselves
the coming champions Of the world.
With reference to the use of the
wheel by women the doctor said that
some contend that the exercise is no:
adapted to them. There are no facts
to sustain this contention. Her chance
for exercise outside her household du-
ties are very slim. She is denied the
benefit of base ball. foot ball. and the
many other outdoor exercises of her
brothers. But, he said, in bicycling
they must reform their style of dress
They must go out minus their tight
cofsets and adopt costume molest
attractive and healthful The doctor
said nothing about boomers.
DlSCUSSlON OF PAPER.
His paper was discussed by Drs,
f.. NJ. Santee. of Towanda, and l.. A..
, Martin. of Binghampton. The former
commended the paper very highly, and
assured him that all physicians also do
who have undergone the experiences of
trying to get their drivers out of bed
on an urgent call at a. m. He pre-
dlcted that the time Is not far distant
when every woman will have a wheel
and will find 1t as indispensable as a
sewing machine. Dr. Martin said the
doctor who read the paper had made a
century run" and had treated the
subject SO thoroughly as to take the
WIND out OF the tires of criticism.
paper on Surgical Injuries of the
Upper Extremity was read by DR..
Hessler, of Philadelphia. in the absence
. OF DR.. w. b. Van Lennep, of that city,
| one OF the professors of Philadelphia
Hahnemann College. The paper was
/ devoted altogether to the treatment Of
appendicitis, and the discussion which
followed was entered into by several of
the physicians. DR.. Simmons, of New
York. in his remarks opposed the
use of the knife In appendicitis. He does
| not believe that God placed any organ
in the body that was meant to be cut
out. and he said there Is about sixteen
fifteenths too much use of the knife.
DIR. Dewitt G. Wilcox, of Buffalo.
| read paper on Intestinal Anasta-
mosis with the Murphy Button" and
Dr. F. w. Adriance, Of Elmira. read a
paper on When Should Gypaecologl-
cal Examination be Insisted Upon?'
Both papers were highly commended.
| DIR. w. c. Goodno, of Philadelphia,
was on the programme to read paper
on 'Protracted Typhoid Fever" He
could not come, and DR.. Coolidge asked
DR.. Sureth to read the paper. which DR..
Goodno sent accompanying his letter of
regret.
DR.. A. ID. Getman. of Oneonta. N. Y,
read a paper on "Heredity." He took
the stand that heredity Is overlooked
too much in the domain Of medicine. In
the everyday conception of the term we
alo apt to regard it as only the