Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-11
BIKE AND =, APPENDIX.
Surgeons Who Believe In the Exor-
else of Wheeling.

else of Wheeling.
Does bicycle riding cause Appendix
tits- There are some doctors, men OF
eminence, who say It does, 1t has
been observed that this disease was
not common until people began to
ride wheels n great deal But ac-
cording to the best opinion the dis
case Is, In very many eases, due not
so much 10 the use as to tho abuse OF
tho wheel. In bicycle riding large
number of the muscles OF the body
are called into play, and so far az
thero Is no strain upon any one the
exercise IL beneficial, But there IL
strain which Ia familiar to all
whoelmen and women. and especially
to those who ride hard Tho strain
Ia felt chiefly in the region about the
waist
If you are a rider and have ever
climbed n long. steep hill, or seorched
for n considerable distance. you
have probably felt a sense of pain In
the small of tho back and In the
1
On the left loin are not OF much con-
sequence. and are not necessarily
moro dangerous than any ordinary
strain.
But 1t Ia the strain that oomes on
the right side that does tho harm.
Az nearly everyone knows, the verm-
form appendix Ia attached to the
intestlnos ut tho right side OF tho
body, tho inclsion made by the sur
geon In performing tho operation for
appendicitis being about an inch
from the edge OF the hip bone, Ii
tho appendix lis in perfectly healthy
condition II is doubtful whether BIZ
cycle riding would affect IT, Unfor-
tunatoly however, It often Is not
When the appendix Ia In nm en-
foebIed condition any violent exercise
which brings an unaocustomed strain
on this part of the body may cause
II to become inflamed, and ultimate
~, II the strain IL continued the APP
pendiX will begin to decay, producing
n condition which constitutes tho
disease,
II Is noticeable fact, when con-
aidered with relation to this subject
that many sufferers from appun.
dicItis, II not the majority OF them,
are young persons or mon and wo-
men Of middle age, and OF apparently
vigorous constitution. There are
many examples to illustrate this cir
cumstnnce Josh" Hartwell. Yales
famous football player, has under
gone the operation for appendicitis;
John V. Crum, the champion short
distance sprnter, died from the ef-
feet Of the disease; the captain of
last years football team Mt Lehlgh
was prevented from playing on
Thanksgiving day by sudden at
tack, There Is no case where n
prominent" rider on tho wheel has
good reason for this prominent"
rider Of course means racer, and
when q man trains for speed Mt blcy-
| cling, he goes about II in method
len. way, usually under the guidance
Of some skilled trainer, and by build
Ing himself up to his work gradu-
ally, avoids the unaecnstomed strain
which In other cases would preclpi-
tate the disease.
Among riders who are not prom
inent the disease occurs rather fire.
quently. DR.. Frnak Hartley, sur
geon at the New York hospital. Mt
tributes fully 10 per cent. OF the
cases that have come to his attention
To excessive srains. such as are
occasloned by bicycle riding. And
IL the statements OF other practitioners
arc to be accredited then DR.. Hart
10y has considerably underestimated
tho proportion OF cases which are
directly due TO bicycling.
II IL not TO be understood that
every person who rides n bicycle
necessarily lays himself open to an
attack OF appendicitis. This is not
the case. The danger comes only
when the rider is unaccustomed to
physical exercise and oyerdoes the
ting from the start.
In the case Of bicycle riders the ap-
proach OF the disease is extremely
sudden and almost without warning.
And 1t ia a fact noted by doctors
that the curved back" position mad.
necessary by dropped handlebars is
peculiarly favorable for strain on
| the waist and loins.