Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-06-20
Natural Causes OF Death,

From the commencement of life to the
moment of death there are mechanical and
chemical changes constantly and uninter.
| ruptedly going on in our bodies. For ex.
ample, we eat and drink for tho express
purpose of providing materials for repairing
the waste of matter tesulting from the
working of the machinery. A soft, oily
fluid is poured into ah axle box Of q car
wheel to prevent it from wearing away the
metal. Our bones are all frequently renew
ed as well as our flesh, from Infancy to age !;
but not in day or an hour. Nature acts
persistently, but accohplishes nothing by
spaeniodic Efforts.
rs soon as particle of lime which was
| held in solution in food is placed in the
stomach, it is carried to the heart Lv an
proptiate vessels, and from thence conyeved
! into an artery to be distributed to 'point
where most needed in some bohe. There
| the little particle is deposited, and becomes
| incorporated with the substance of tie Hard
structure where it was left. 1t becomes
vitalizcd in its new connection. An ola
particle, or as it were, an old brick, is &c.
tached from the wall to give place to q new
one. 1t is carried out of the body as useless
matter, as its vitality has been expended
So particles are perpetually changing places.
This is vigorous life and health so long as
this process is regularly performed.
In the lapse of time the vital artisans,
such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, heart,
STOMACH, etc, are weary by years of inces-
tic activity characteristic Of younger days.
BY this relaxing new particles, are not sent
! forward often enough, nor are the efSte ones
removed quickly, and consequently there is
a mechanical irreguarity, and chemical
cne also. Thus we wear away, and finally
| die of old age. When disease sets in, il is a
sudden clog of the wheels, as it were. The
vital action by which life and consciousness
is maintained cannot be suspended but q
morlctt ss furthest, without the hazard of
Death. When q mau is drowned the
machine stops. If, however, certain mea-
sures arc quickly adopted, provided respira.
tion has been suspended but few minutes,
| life may possibly he recalled. That is, the
heart may be urged into contraction and
the lungs once more commence flling and
collapsing.
When there are no violations of the vital
laws great longevity 10 attainablc. Few,
however, are SO careful and discreet as not
to t.esrass upon themselves in some form,
the penalty of which is sickness, suffering
and a premature death.
Whales, sharks, and some few of the land
animals whose food is invariably easy of di
gestion, and whose habits, regulated by in
stinct, are Interchangeable as nature herself
live to immense long periods. 1t is th'
opinion of some naturalists that the bdlQona
or white whale of the Arctic regions, may
reach the fatriarehal age Of thousant
years. Sharks, whose skeletons are no,
bones, but flexit le cartilagihous levers, arr
also supposed to continue several cehturie!
if not destroyed by enemies.
Notwithstanding the universal desire fol
life, which is instructive, we thoughtlessly
hasten the approach of the very calamity
we SO much dread. With all the light o
modern science, in an age, too, remarkable
for intelligence, we pursue practices daily
which we know to be destructive to life
Each thinks himself removed from the dan
gers which threaten others and, acting up
on the idea that all others are mortal but
Yourselves, we at last fall, as generations have
before us, to be remembered no more for
ever.
Youth may reach three score and ten by
simply conforming to those natural laws
which give health and happiness. A de
Walton is perilous hence it behooves those
who love life to shun every influence which
might interfere with the enjoyment of the
most valuable Of all blessings-s sound
body and clear mind.-Halpcr's Weekly.