The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-10-24
A Long and Healthy Life.

Inere can be no doubt that health is
the natural condition of man, and that
We ought to pass through life in state
OF vigor, enjoying every day of our ex.
lstence. 1t is imperiously our duty to
study the best means of promoting SO hap
Ply condition. If we thank the Great
Creator of all for the life He has bestow.
ed on US, we should endeavor to retain
His gift in the fullest perfection. 1t
would be well for mankind if the princi-
Piles of physiology, and the laws of hy-
giene as deduced therefrom, formed
part OF every course of education for
then men, being acquainted with the
great causes of disease and the best means
of preserving health, would so conduct
themselves as to secure the one and avoid
the other"
1t will, perhaps, seem incredible to
many persons that health or length of
days should be at all under our own con-
troll. Numbers of worthy people are so
disposed to look upon everything that
happens as dispensatou of Providence,
that has to be submitted to whether or
not, that they will hardly like to be told
OF laws which regulate health and life,
and by obedience to which the one may
ne promoted and the other heightened =
There is, however, no reason to doubt
the fact; and every one may decide
the question for himself, by living strict
ly in accordance with those laws, and
making the satisfactory result.
Man lives and grows by the functions
of digestion, respiration, circulation, and
secretion. The food is converted into
blood, and becomes vitalized, and in this
state is propelled to every part of the sys-
tenn, to nouriSh and renew, and to remove
such matters as, having performed their
infunctions, have become effete, and
would prove noxious If not removed
In infancy and childhood, the nutri.
tive or building up process is ceaseIess
and rapid ;anything which tends to check
it, such as deficient supply or bad quality
of food, is not onl y to be carefully AVOID
ed, but is highly blamable. Children re
quire to be beautifully fed with suitable
food /; if the appetite be cheated, there
will be imperfect development, and dis
ease, if not deformity, through all after
life. When, however, all the organs are
iully developed, aud the body has attain
ed maturity, different relation of the &C
tion occurs. The blood vessels are only
called upon to replace what the absorb
eDts remove, and for period the normal
condition Of the frame may be regarded
as one approaching to a perfect eauli.
brium. During this state of maturity
the body should neither increase nor de.
crease in size, form, or vigor, except in
asmuch as the continued exercise of some
parts, or the disuse of others, may oc
casion greater or less degree of develop
ment. Hence it is that persons in mid
die life should be careful to control their
appetite, aud rigidly refrain from eating
too much. Middle life is, however, the
period when people are disposed to think
that they ought to indulge in creature
comforts, their position in life is general
ly taken by that time, and so a we'll spread
table tempts them into the daily practice
of taking more than they want, and i'll
health is the inevitable consequence.
At the age of fifty there is usually an
increase in the bulk of the body, by de
posit of fat chiefly on the trunk but at
the same time the face shrinks, the eye
lids become loose, the crows feet appear,
aud here and there Time traces furrow
on the couotenance, which henceforth he
will plow deeper and deeper. The mus
cles, too, fall away, and the skin becomes
dry and harsh Except in rare cases, the
hair turns gray and loses its gloss, crisp
onA anil Iooop,nc thi anH fallC
off As age advances, SO do these char
acteristics mark themselves more strong
ly the Elasticity which once gave free
dom and ease to all the movements Of the
body aud limbs is lost 10 continually
increasing rigidity aud consolidation =
The bulk diminishes, in consequence of
the absorption of fat the muscles become
stringy and fbrous, and often weak the
voice falls into piping treble; the eye
sight needs artificial assistance, the hear
ing is bunted in short, all the senses
lose more or less of their delicacy with
age.
There is something in this which makes
long life appear undesirable yet We
have many proofs in ancient and mod
ern times that old age is not by any
means incompatible with cheerfulness
and a capacity for enjoyment.
Doctor Van Oven gives tables of 1000
persons who lived ages from 100 to lS5
years A noteworthy instance of what
simple and regular living will effect is af
forded by Coruaro. the Venetian, who
had almost killed himself by excesses at
the age Of forty. He then became strict
ly attentive to his diet and course of life,
and lived sixty four years lopger-to the
ago of l04.
"How few really die Of old age OBJ
serves Doctor Van Oven. PARIS death
at l52 was premature, induced by fool
ish change from the simple diet and &C
tive habits of peasant 10 the luxurious
onI ;nGc Of