Beware the "Embryo Scorchers"

"The doctors of France are puzzled by a new mania which is afflicting women who ride bicycles. The feminine bicyclists are becoming extremely cruel. Medical men who have made a study of the matter are inclined to ascribe it to a form of insanity..."

The first case which came into general notice was that of Mme, Eugenie Chantilly." It seems that one day Mme. Chantilly, while riding with a friend from her childhood, Mme. Henry Fournier, near the Jardin des Plantes, was stricken with the strange affliction. Mme. Fournier "scorched ahead of her friend, and as she drew away from her looked back laughingly over her shoulder and called to her, "Adieu, mon amie... she received no response, [but] looking back a moment later saw her friend darting down upon her at terrific speed, [and] what was her horror when her friend deliberately steered the wheel straight at her. Before Mme. Fournier could evade her, Mme, Chantilly had collided with her wheel and knocked her down. Mme. Chantilly rode back a few paces and then, riding at a lightning rate, actually rode over the prostrate form of Mme. Fournier."

"Screaming with terror, Mme. Fournier attempted to rise, but was repeatedly knocked down by her infuriated friend... One of the most curious features of the affair is that during this whole time Mme. Chantilly preserved an unmoved expression of countenance, [and] when taken into custody by those who hastened to Mme. Fournier's rescue she only said, "Why do you interfere with me when I am enjoying myself."

"Considering the case on the whole, these two medical savants determined that they had discovered a brand new disease, which was due solely to the bicycle... They also caused a careful inquiry to be made throughout France to discover if possible any cases which bore a resemblance to that of Mme. Chantilly. They found seventeen women who had been seized with the same irrepressible desire to injure all cyclists of their own sex whenever possible, at such times as they were awheel. The desire apparently took the same form in every instance, the first action being a violent collision, and then repeated attempts to ride over the form of the fallen cyclist."

"The physicians found that the first case of the mania developed last January. The wheels that the different persons rode who were afflicted in the fashion described were carefully examined to see if it was the result of the manner of building a certain make of bicycle. It was shown that the wheels were in almost every instance English or American, American predominating..."

"That it was cycling that brought the mania on there seems no question. Only wheelwomen have been afflicted with it, and oddly enough, in every instance, they have been over 30 years of age. The other theory advanced as to the cause which has been seriously considered is that it is the result of the effect upon the nervous system of the intense exhilaration rapid riding brings about. French wheelwomen ride at a high pace. They are all embryo scorchers, much more so than their sisters in other countries. This being the case, it is suggested that the practice of scorching by women is likely to bring about a new form of insanity corresponding to that which afflict the unfortunate French women... The worst feature of it all is that there has thus far been found no method which would result in curing a patient or even rendering the mania less violent."

Be afraid, be very afraid? Perhaps not. I am pretty sure... pretty sure, that this story that came out of France in 1897 has been debunked. More likely the rage was due to being forced, by convention, to ride in corsets, puffy blouses and full-length skirts. Never-the-less, the next time you find yourself on the group ride, if might be prudent to do a quick check of who else is there.