The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-15
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

N OW that the great six day bicy- Fl ele race in Madison Square Gar den is finished one cannot but think what paltry reward urged the riders on until they fell exhausted from their wheels or else were carried away raving in delirium. There may have been laudable desire to excel their fellows and hold the record, but the money was potent factor and for few thousand dollars the contestants braved a fearful risk. Being trained athletes it is not to De supposed that the physical strain will result in permanent injury, but such un- natural exertion cannot but prove harm full and the effect on the brain Is far more important than mere physical collapse It is reported that the southern victors were rendered an ovation when the band struck up Dixie" Such demonstrations are usually heralded abroad in the pa- pers but are nothing unusual in a town where the population is very cosmopoli- tan and where also the southern colony is large. It is interesting to note the ex- eitement over this bicycle race when most persons rightly suppose that the bicycle, both in sport and as a utility, Is very much on the wane. It is true that this was one of the most important races held recently but the attendance was un- usually large, considering the bicycle $ present status.
 Many health cranks have<h their day and passed out of notice. Some of them achieved greatness, some notoriety in public print, and others ended their ca- reers in obscurity, but the premier of the clan is the man who advocates the bless ings of the unwashed. In other words, a Chicago professor-they all come from Chicago-says that when people learn to cease bathing the doctors will have to go out of business This remarkable statement mas been immediately chal- lenged in various parts of the country and Prof. John Dill Robertson is there fore, gratifed to see his name prominent ly mentioned in the papers. However many learned and scientific reasons may be set forth why one should not bathe, we have become accustomed to the dis agreeable practice now and it would be hard to break the habit. Professor Rob- ertson says that the bath tub is the seat of coughs, colds, pneumonia. and all kin dred ailments; that bathing makes a sewer of the skin and carries off valua- ble secretions that were deposited there for a special purpose. He modestly &C., knowledges that he has not bathed in the past two years and yet he remains in civilized society. As shining exam pie of the advantage of not bathing the professor cites the unctuous Esquimaux, who knows not water and is consequent ly the filthiest mortal alive. The profes- sor also claims that country boys are healthy because they do not bathe in winter, which Is certainly a islander on the country boys. Those Chicago profess sors are continually advancing freakish theories but luckily their adoption is not compulsory.
 Since courageous habits girded on their armor and went forth to slay the Moslem hosts the world has been afflicted with a crusader fever which has not yet abated In fact this is the age of crusades far more than in the days when Richard Occur de Lion performed his deeds of chivalry. It is true that such movements now do not always possess grandeur of conception or the stupendousness that characterized their predecessors but they are sufficiently numerous to make up for all defects For instance there are cru sades against whisky, crusades against cigarettes, crusades againt all forms of wickedness, crusades againt style, cru
 
 crusade against Reed Shoot Some are