Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-09-23
THE BICYCLE VS.. THE
SEWING MACHINE.


Individual physicians not only ap'
prove of cycling for women, but the
profession as a whole is putting itself
on record in the affirmative. At sew.
eral meetings of leading medical soci.
cites the topic of bicycling for women
has been the subject of papers and Of
discussions, in which the masculine
opinions Of specialists in female diseases
have been almost unanimously in favor
of the exercise, not only for pleasure,
but because of its health invoking pro.
pensities.
DR.. Charles w. Townsend sums up
his answers to the doubling Thomases
who ask why the sewing ma
chine is not 'just as good'' and more
becoming to women, by contrasting the
relative virtues of the two machines in
the following parallel column:
BICYCLE. SEWING MACHINE.
Out of.doors. Indoors.
Mental recreation. MOnotonOus task.
Body erect Body bent over.
Increased circulation. Stasis of blood in low.
Vision not Concentra- er limbs and pelvic
ted. organs due to bent
Exercise consisting of position.
sweeping move. Eyes fixed on fine
ments OF legs and points.
thighs, together with Exercise limited to re-
the use Of all body stricted movements
muscles in swaying Of lower legs.
motion of balancing, Exercise so slight
together with more deep inspiration not
or less use of aims required.
Exercise demands
deep Inspirations.
The recent action of a notoriety.lov.
ing woman in New York in undertake
ing to prove that bicycling conduces to
immortality lends especial pertiuence
to the opinions Of leading specialists in
womens diseases. DR.. Towsend has
taken the trouble to ask successful
women physicians wha: their practice
disclosss of argument for and against
wheeling for women. and Of eighteen
who do not even themselves ride a
bicycle not one has dissenting voice to
raise, and each one has a decidedly
good word to say in favor of wheel.
ing.
But cyclists should not fly off at q
tangent on account of this ringing tes-
timony from medical experts applaud
ing their choice of exercise and recrea.
ton. There are reservations made by
those who know whereof they speak,
which wise riders will do we'll to oh
serve.
DR.. Townsend speaks out strongly
against women riding up. hill after they
begin to feel the exertion Of doing so to
be irksome. Better dismount and walk
up, he says, the change being good it
self, and forbldding the possible strain
to the rider, which is quite possible if
she be woman.
DR.. ]. W. Chadwick believes in cy.
cling for women, be says, most decid.
edly, but he disapproves of most Of the
saddles used on women's bicycles. They
are too narrow and the raised projec.
tion is likely to prove injurious. He
favors the English oval saddle, which is
broader behind and less high in front
than that on most home made machines.
When cycling for women was first
introduced the machines differed in
some respects from those which are
used at the present time. Improve.
ments, suggested by the growing popu.
larity of the exercise among the gentler
sex. are constantly being made in both
the machine and its equipments, until
now the ladies' wheels equal in work
manshlp and beauty those used by men.
But in the matter of comfort and health
manufacturers have still a chance to
experiment.
Manufacturers are vieing with each
other in producing beauty OF workman,
ship and lightness, and in their zeal
many of their saddles for women g
wheels are less admirable at present
than at first. The writer has inter
viewed the dealers In various wheels
and the replies show that they are more
concerned with the technicalities of
manufacture from the viewpoint of
beauty and durability and reduced
weight than with the matter of possible
I'M produced by bad saddles.
Physicians say better saddles are
needed. Dealers say they will all pro-
duce them when some one is clever
enough to invent saddle for women 8
wheels which will answer all the OBJ
jections made to those now in use.
The wheels on the market are very
similar to each other, One machine
has saddle that can be elevated to
vertical position while the rider is
mounting, thus giving her more room
to get her dress over the bar and into
position; but those who do not ride this
style of wheel claim that the seat is