The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-08-25
THE BICYCLE A BLESSING.

in the Boston Globe: Any form OF
occupation or industry, any mode OF
recreation, which is pursued by mil
lions of people, has some effect upon
their health, either good or bad.
The general effect of bicycling has
been beneficial. We use the term pub
lie health i'll a general sense. So far
as the bicycle is concerned the public
health means the aggregate of indi-
vidual health What, then, are the
causes of the good effect of the wheel
on the health of the rider?
/. The inducement which is offered
to spend an hour or more every day in
open air i'll good weather. Outdoor
air, when compared with indoor air,
is more conducive to health, and the
man whose occupation or recreation
leads him to spend part of his time
in the open air is in general better
fitted to resist the inroads of disease
than one who leads an indoor, seden-
tary life.
2. 1t furnishes an excellent form of
healthful, muscular exercise. This
exercise is mainly of the lower limbs
and the lower part of the trunk If
uniform exercise is desired for all
muscles OF the body the use of the
wheel may be supplemented by the
addition of dumbbells, Indian clubs
and some of the simple forms of APP
paratus now much i'll use in the shape
of elastic cords.
3. 1t has been especially useful to
women i'll leading them to open air
exercise and the abandonment of the
worse foe of the female sex-the cor
set.
There are certain contra indications
to the use of the wheel which should
be noted Persons who suffer from
serious organic heart disease ought
not to ride except upon level ground
and for short distances. The exertion
OF riding upon level ground is much
less than that of walking. But that
OF hill climbing is greater than that
OF walking uphill, the difference de-
pending upon the steepness of the
hill.
There are, however, am confident,
some forms of heart disease which
are benefited by the careful and reg
ular use of the wheel 1t is advisable
for any who has any form of disease
OF the heart to consult a trustworthy
physician with reference to the pro-
priety of learning to ride.
Persons with advanced consumption
of the lungs ought not to ride, but
lncipient consumptives or those who
suffer from chronic bronchitis will
undoubtedly be benefited by the use
of the wheel, since it furnishes to
them mode of treatment which is
specially useful, viz: open air exer-
else; matter of equal Importance
with good food and nursing. I am
confident that the bicycle has proved
to be one of the means by which the
steady reduction in this disease in re-
cent years has been promoted.
A point worthy of special notice is
the use of the wheel by children
Parents should exercise a careful SUI
peryision of their children in this
matter, i'll order that the young and
rapidly growing child the bony struc-
ture of whose limbs is not fully de-
veloped, may not use the wheel to ex-
cess. Again, it very often happens
that a child is allowed to ride wheel
which is not adapted to his size, and
is either too large or too small. Ev-
cry day we see boys riding wheels
which belong to older brothers or sis
tiers, and sitting, not upon the saddle,
but astride the bar i'll front of the
saddle, the toes even then only touch
ing the pedals at intervals, and the
body swaying this way and that in
most awkward manner. Such practice
is liable to do serious harm to the rider.
since the bicycle should be fitted to
the rider as much as shoe or a suit
of clothes.
The harm that accrues from bicy
cling is as i'll all other forms of exer
else, that which is due either to care
less or to excessive use of the wheel.
There can be no reasonable objection
to racing under proper conditions,
but words cannot too strongly con-
denim six day races, and it is fortu-
nate that some states have enacted
laws which prohibit them.
Notwithstanding these objections. |
have no hesitation, therefore in say
ing that the wheel has proved and
will continue to prove blessing to
the human race TO the merchant, to
professional men, clerks who sit all
day at their desks, tired saleswomen,
artisans, mechanics, laboreres who
desire to reach their morning work
more promptly and to return home
in season at night, the wheel is an in
calculable source not only of plea
sure, but also of utility.
LINGUISTIC TERRORS