The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-06-07
Length Of Days.

reach extreme old age. The average OF
human life has been extended through
the resources of modern science, but not
to such an extent as might be expected,
for the average still does not range higher
than forty-five to fifty. Some reasons for
this comparatively low average have been
alluded to. To these may be added the
frightful deterioration of health from in
temperance. Drinking, once fashion
able vice, has become a prevalent evil in the
lower departments of society, and the evil
is conspicuously increased in proportion to
an advancement in the gains of labor.
Alcohol! In that single word we have
no end of premature death accounted
for. The most correctly logical definition,
as far as we have seen, Of the physical
and mental ills inflicted through the agen-
cy of alcohol, is that given by DR.. B. W..
Richardson in his work on the obi eases
of Modern Life" There can be no doubt
that the reckless abuse of this stimulant,
always growing the more reckless, as has
been said, as means are increased for its
indulgence, has a terrible effect on the
increase of pauperism and death rates.
According to DR.. Richardson, alcohol has
tendency to throw life off its balance.
"a balance at the best of times finely set
is broken in favor of death. A mental
shock, mechanical injury, an exposure
to cold, a strain, a deprivation of food
beyond the usual time of taking food
any of these causes, and others similar,
are sufficient to cause an organic wreck,
which, left to its own fate would soon
break up from progressive internal fail
ure of vital power" Much that follows
on this subject we commend to general
attention, without, however, expecting
that what the learned writer says will be
Of any practical avail. Another cause for
the undue shortening of life which has
not yet been referred to is the intense
mental strain prevalent among literary
men, artists, statesmen, judges, and some
other classes. Ii not a new feature in
society, this mental strain is at least more
conspicuous than it was formerly, because
the struggle to attain high rewards is
greater and more dependent on individ
ual exertion than it seems to have been
in past and less exacting times. In short,
the arrangement of the nervous system
leads to no end of functional derange-
ments in the heart, stomach, and so on,
in all of which are found reasons why so
many of our most eminent notabilities
are removed ere they reach fOurscOre.
They fall victims to a needless, certainly
unfortunate, everlasting of the brain.
Medical men in high practice, though
we'll aware of the dangers of professional
exhaustion, are not always exempt from
the charge of being careless of their own
health. The wiser among them endeavor
to limit their hours of work, and at the
proper season retreat to the country for
the sake of invigorating rural sports.
But for these precautions, the death rate
among London physicians would be very
much greater than it is. The late Sir
Henry Holland is known to have greatly
heightened his days by habitually max
ing long autumnal tours over the globe,
always returning invigorated for fresh
work. The very common practice among
people in business of taking a months
holiday at the seaside or some inland
healthful resort-a practice immensely
facilitated by railways and steamboats,
has the same beneficial tendency. As re-
CARDS the salutary results of checking the
mental strain in literary labor we could
speak from degree OF personal expert
ence. We have for the last forty years
whether in town or country, whether in
winter or summer-never written line
after nine o'clock at night. When that
hour strikes the ink-glass is shut up, the
pen and paper laid aside, and the mind is
allowed to calm down before retiring to
rest. The rule is peremptorily followed
with the best consequences. In the
varied pressure of memorable circum-
stances it may not be possible to be so
extremely guarded. Lives are abruptly
lost, the most precious in the community.
He, however, who falls in the fair fight
of life, though mistaken has been his
eagerness, may be said to fall nobly. 1t
is considerably different thing when
men shorten their days through luxurious
indulgences, in wanton disregard of the
rules essential to the preservation OF bod
lily health. Up till fifty years Of age, it
perhaps signifies little how some OF these
rules are neglected, because the constitu-
ton, originally vigorous, resists or over
comes various deteriorating influences
At all events, there may be no immediate
mischief. After fifty, and more particu-
larly sixty, change has taken place
The breathing, the digestive, the circuls-
tory processes are less able to endure tear
and wear. A little indiscretion may de-
range the whole machine and bring it
premsturely to a dead stop. 1t is won
derful how much may be done to protract
existence by the habitual restorative Of
sound sleep. Late hours, under mental
strain, are, of course, incompatible With
this solacement. On this topic DR.. Rich
..aaox, aa.a Il haa boou nainful for him