On Rail Travel and the Supposed Weakening of the Constitution

The railways have now existed long enough that we may safely dismiss the prediction that regular travel above forty miles per hour causes the organs to shift backward within the body. This was once argued seriously. Professor Halbrecht maintained that prolonged locomotive travel would produce “progressive posterior displacement of the viscera,” eventually causing the stomach to rest against the spine. His diagrams were beautifully shaded.

No such displacement occurs. Rail passengers do, however, report fatigue, nausea, headache, disturbed sleep, and irritability after long journeys. These effects are real and can generally be attributed to vibration, coal smoke, inadequate ventilation, dehydration, irregular meals, and being confined for several hours with strangers who regard railway compartments as an invitation to conversation. The last factor has been insufficiently studied. I have recommended a trial involving silent carriages, and funding was denied.