The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
Disappearance Of Wheelmen's Pecu-
llarities.

1t would be interesting to know what
has become of the various maladies aud
phenomena which, until this year, have
been associated with bicyclists. Where is
the bicycle face" that remarkable de-
formity of the countenance which terrified
brave pedestrians and perplexed the scien-
tifc mind until the latter was in imminent
danger of collapsed To-day there isn't
enough left of it to attract the attention of
even an astute ~physiognomist. Yet wheels
continue to go around, and riders are
probably more numerous than ever.
or no small Importance, also, was the
bicycle nose" a characteristic of sufficient
consequence to deserve discussion by it.
self, Who knows what has become of
thatf An English physician was the first
to detect it and give the alarm. but evil
IDENTIFY our Commissioners of Immigration
didn't act quickly enough, for the bicycle
nose" poked its way into this country
soon after the doctors announcement, and
without waiting to secure the consent
Of the American public. In a short time
scores of cyclers, bound to be English " at
any cost, felt a sensation Of obstruction in
their nostrils which was frequently accom-.
panied by a tickling Of the nasal mucous
membrane. The discovery was pronounced
"bicycle nose" and supposed to have been
caused by inhaling large quantities of
gravel and pulverized micaceous substance
while wheeling swiftly along. But the
bicycle nose" showed no outward signs
of abnormality, and it canno be said that
1t found many victims.
The Ostrich neck" was more success.
full. To the full .fledged scorcher this dis
t~inction was absolutely necessary. 1t fur
nished a pretty sure means of his identifi-
cation. In order, while p~loughing through
the air, to see readily in all directions, he
stretched and twisted his neck until its ex-
tent above his collar excited curiosity. He
appeared to be able to rise at will out of his
clothes and to recede again with equal de.
spatch. In the presence of a bicycle police.
man, when Escape |" was the scorcher's
~watchword, he would seem to pull in his
neck and elongate his legs, for the purpose
of doubling his speed. When the "ostrlch
neck" was most prominent, analytical
thought was too much engaged with the
bicycle face" to give the neck due consid.
Grafton; hence a scientific explanation of it
was never rendered.
OF all the wheelmen's alleged Affections
and peculiarities, the bicycle hand doubt.
less created the greatest amount of mis-
understanding and curiosity curiosity not
as to the thing itself, but rather as to the
significance of various terms applied by
eminent physicianS who discoursed upon
1t. So formidable and bewilderinR was
their language that cyclists at once took
steps to avoid even the mildest attack of
the trouble. Fortunately, no case OF obi
cycle hand" developed in this country that
could for an instant compare in serious
ness with the doctors revelations.
The 'bicycle leg" should not be over
looked. Whether that was another name
for temporary rheumatism or for some
form of paralysis, Is not clear. 1t origi-
mated with female riders and was, for the
most part, confined to them.
To the list may be added the "bicycle
wrist" "knock- knees" pigeon toes" and
several other peculiarlties which used to be
commonly spoken of. One distinction re-
mains as conspicuous now as it was ten
years ago. The bicycle blush" has out.
lived all of It's old contemporaries, and, as
an indication of sound bodily health, its
appearance will always be welcome.