Walking Mania: Madame Cappelle's Feat Criticized
By Editor
In the REVIEW of Jan. 23, we alluded to the conspicuous display of folly as exhibited in the walking mania which has seized certain persons at the present time. The case referred to was that of Madame Anderson, an English woman, who walked 2700 quarter miles in as many quarter hours, almost at the expense of life itself. Another, Madame Cappelle, a French woman, has now accomplished the same feat. In reference to this the Chicago Inter-Ocean of last week says:— It is a good thing to encourage open-air exercise. We believe it would be far better for the health of our ladies if they would do more walking rather than less. But the present mania, the aim of which seems to be to see how long a woman can walk and yet live, is disgusting, and should be prevented as are other cases of cruelty to animals. To see a woman in a short dress, half asleep, hobbling around a sawdust track, with feet raw, and sending agony into every part of her body, is anything but a pleasant object of contemplation, and, if compelled as a punishment, would excite the indignation of the civilized world.