The record-union., 1897-01-03

man whose disorder takes this peculiar
form: There is a certain number 50
| fixed in his mind that whenever he sees
or hears another number, his brain i'm
| mediately endeavors TO substract or add
it TO the number that has taken pos
session of his thought. Naturally, this
units him for any serious employment,
so I determined that he should be
| taught to ride wheel in the hope Of
| driving out the mania that possessed
| him.
| The result was all that could have
| hoped. In the young mans efforts to
preserve the equilibrium of himself and
wheel and to avoid being run over,
| there was no opportunity for him to
continue his mental calculations. In
fact, l may say that his cure is prac-
| tically permanent.
! In the treatment of cases of function
al and organic paralysis, neurasthenia
and hysteria, all savoring of insanity in
greater or lesser degree, L consider the
bicycle one of the most useful agents in
| restoring normal conditions which the
physician has at his disposal
DR. John b. Chaplin, Superintendent
of the Pennsylvania State Hospital for
the insane at Philadelphia, says: The
bicycle has been used by a number of
patients in our hospital. Assuming that
the insane in their condition of con-
VaIesc9nce or in any other state in
which they may happen to be are able
TO exercise Judgment, will follow advice
and are in good physical health / ann
of the opinion that they derive the
same benefits from the use of the BIZ
cycle that are so we'll known to be ex-
rerienced by those who are in hospitals
There is, first, the help to be gained by
exercise; secondly, the diversion that
bicycle riding affords and thirdly, it
is the means of disposing of a certain
amount of psychical force which might
! lead to undesirable explosions in other
directions. 1t must, however, in hos
pital practice, have its limitations"
DIR. A. l.. Warner. Assistant Superin-
ltendent of the Illinois Eastern HOSPITAL
Tor the Insane at Kankalxee says:
While bicycles have been comparative
ly little used in this institution as yet.
l have no doubt that under proper con-
ditions the judicious use of bicycles
would be especially beneficial in cases
of melancholia or other forms of mental
disease, where a cheerful, stimulating
and healthful form of exercise and df-
version of mind are required. It would
be particularly efficacious, because it
would bring new surroundings and
SC enes into the life of the patient. The
Inmates Of our institutions who have
used the bicycle are chiefly parole pa
| tients, or patients under the care of
special attendants, who invariably ac-
company them ON their wheeling ex-
cursions."
"Dr. II. A. Gilman, Superintendent of
the Iowa Hospital for the Insane at
Mount Pleasant, says: 1--WE have had.
perhaps, half dozen patients who have
| the wheel as means Of exercise. They
have been diverted thereby and bene-
fitd. In fact I consider it very excel
lent exercise"
DR.. B. D. Eastman, Superintendent of
the Kansas State Insane Asylum at To-
peka, says: II have not used the bicv-
Gle TO exercise the patients in this in
stitutfon, but ! have no doubt that BIZ
cycle riding as an entertaining and
stimulating exercise, especially for a
class of patients who need something
more attractive than work to induce
them to take exercise would prove use
full. 1t might sometimes have very
curative influence, absorbing the
thought, taking the place of RETROSPECT
ton, just as ironing, kitchen work,
farming, training a horse, braiding
rugs or playing billiards have been
known to have
DR.. James D. Moncure, Superin-
tendent OF the Eastern Virginia State
Hospital for the Insane at Williams
burg, says: I'VE have never tried the
bicycle in this hospital, but [ am firmly
convinced that it would be beneficial
to very large class of patients, if
the proper ones We're selected to ride"
New York World