The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-03-09
HOW TO LIVE LONG.
why Very Few People Attain the Age OF One
Hundred Years.


Hundred Years.
"Why few people live to grow old
was explained by Professor Henry
Hartshorne in an interesting lecture
at the Franklin institute, Philadelphia.
Professor Hartshorne declared that
the natural course of human life is
100 years, but the reason why so very
few attain such an age is that the vast
majority do not realize the necessity of
observing the fundamental principles
of the laws of hygiene. Then he pro-
ceeded to briefly tell what those laws
are and how they should be observed
from the cradle up. He made some
derogatory remarks respecting the
habit of unhealthy people marrying,
because their offspring are always
weak and sickly and a continual care
on the hands of the parents. The all-
dience was told that babyhood was full
of dangers. Food, for instance,
should be carefully looked after for
youngsters. Watered, skim or stale
milk and starch food are highly inju-
rious. Mothers were warned against
nursing child at the breast all night,
as it will be apt to have fits.
Cold weather was spoken of as a
cause of the abridgement of the life of
babies, because they are often kept
housed up all winter and never given
fresh air. Another error, the speaker
said, consisted in barring children's
arms and legs in winter, for they need
the same covering as adults. Tight
dressing should not be allowed, as
many infants become so worried by
tight bands that they soon pine away
and die. Mothers and fathers were
implored to have their children vac
cinated as early as possible, and they
were told to believe no one who speaks
against vaccination, no matter how eX-
allied position he may occupy.
Childhood having been survived, it
is good thing to get hardened, con-
tinued the professor. But it is not
TO be got by extreme exposure. The
way to become hardened is to accustom
ones self to frequent exposures prop
erly wrapped up to meet the chilly
blasts. TO be overburdened With cloth
ing is serious clog to health, equally
as much so as the habit Of tight-lacing.
Never sit in wet clothes or when the
feet are wet. The rules of hygiene i'm
peratively demand that this shall be
strictly adhered to. Sitting with the
back to draft is also dangerous, and
is likely to ca lse consumption.
Cleanliness in all seasons, but es-
pecially during the summer, is an i'm
pOrtant measure for health. Pure air
Is a prime necessity for the elongation
of life, and those whose occupations
compel them to spend their days in a
hot, sultry, crowded factory, need not be
surprised if they become afflicted with
pneumonia.
Eating too much or too rapidly
should be vigorously guarded against.
1t is a fallacy for the people to try to
get fat by eating too much. Eat until
you are no longer hungry, and do not
stay at the table until you cannot eat
more. Half-baked bread and that
baked with an excessive amount of
saleratus or soda, and raw pork, and
sausage. destroy life. Variety in
food is most desirable. In the
matter of drink one should be particu-
larly careful. Milk is at all times good
Coffee is less desirable than tea.
Many lives are shortened by over
work. A fair days work, six days in
the week, is conducive to health. Ex-
cessive brain work proves fatal in
time. Loss of sleep is highly injurious.
Infants should be permitted to sleep
as long as they want. Adults need
seven hours, brain workers should have
no less than nine hours, and children
fully ten hours sleep daily.