New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-24
NOW TO LIVE Long.
THE POSSIBLE SUSPENSION OF OLD AGE.
". o. Duleson. in Kno,nledq,.

exccsses, comes not WITHIN our present noSlce. Inc
| principal characteristics of Old age, as demon
strated by anatomical research are deposition Of
ibrnOGs, gelatInous. and earthly deposits in tho
| system. Every organ III the body during old age IS
especially prone to these OssIfic dispositions These
earthly deposits have been found tO consist prnci-
| pally OF phosphate aud carbonate of lime. cont
bIned with other CalcaTeOus salts according 10 the
| researches of DR. T.. I. Il. Williams. FRS. "That
| man begins in a gelatnOus and termIntes in an
Tor b0nyl condition has been truly observed
| by French physician. FROM tho cradle to tho
| grave gradual process OF OSsItcati0n uudoubt-
edly present: but after passing middle life, the
| site tendency becomes moro markedly developed,
until il finally ushers in ssne deorePtude. These
| earthly deposits in the various organs during old
| age materially interfere with the due performance
| of their respective functions.
| Hence we find imperfect circulation in the aged.
owing to the heart becoming partially osshcd and
| the arteries blocked with Cacareous matter inter-
| foring with that free passage of blood upon winch
nutrition depends 50 the repair of the body natur-
| ally becomes impaired thereby
Both Bichat and Baile considered that the great
number of persons over sixty suffer more or less
| from artera ossitcation W hen the hearts valves
| become cartHaginous they consequently fail to
prOpel the blood to its Destinations this fluid being
| further obstrucied by tho ossfed aud contracted
condition OF the arteries themselves
La youth. the other hand, nutrition is POI fecuy
carried out there being 40 bl1ckages to impede tbs
circulating system upon the due performance OF
| which physical PREPARATION depends.
Bearing the aboys facts ia niInd. plainly per.
ceye that the real change which produces old ago
| s in truth nothing moro or less than a slow bat
| steady accumulation Of calcareouS matter through
Having arrived at the predispOsng causes OF Sc
nile decay. it yet remains for us to go still further,
and seek ont their origin. The two principal
sources of old a9 are fbrinous and gelatinous snb
stances; secondly. calcareOu5 depositons. Accord
ing to the recent researches If &r. dc Lacy Evans
the origin OF the former ina undoubtedly be traced
10 the destructive action Of atmospheric oxygen.
Fibrino has been said 10 contain % per
cent more oxygen than albumen: Now, oxidation
converts albumen into fibrne. fibrne itself being
but oxide of albumcn:
Although unguestiomably fibrne nourisbcs the
~ hndtae Law
great deal of this substance accuInulates III course
of time. lessenng the calIbre Of the blood vessels
and thereby causing their iaduration.
Ii therefore follows that as time goes on Old age
fbrinous aud gelatinOus dispositions become notice
able. Consequently, AZ hOrl0e Is an oxide OF AL
bumcn so also ls geatne oxide OF fbrine duo
the action of oxygen on the hbrlne deposited by
the blood A further effect of oxidation causes part
of these substances 10 be decompOscd, and subse-
quently eliminated through the kidneys
pounds OF ammonia and urea There is always -
continual struggle progressing IN our systems be
tween accumulation and elimination Thus il is
that the fbrnDus and gelatin0uS accumulati0ns Of
old age chiefly triceable Ia the chemical action
VI atmospheric oxygen.
The ca icareous deposits next claim our attention,
being proved by anatomical investigation TO be- po
culiarly characteristic of old age
In the human body water forms 40 per cent OF Its
aggregate weights IN tact there IS not single tissne
which does not contain water as necessary lngre-
dent. Now water holds certain salts Ia solution.
which become moro OF loss deposited notwith-
standing the large proportion eliminated through
tho SeCretonS Nevertheless, II IL only matter Of
tine before these minut9 particles deposited by tho
blood have a marked effect III causing the stiffness
and aridity of advancing life. The reason why ia
early life Che deposit Of earthly sails Is inhuItcSl-
nal Is simply because they have not had time 10
accumulate. II is the old kitchen boiler which is
found full Of mcruatatonS. not the now one. timo
not having been sufficient for their deposit. AZ.
lie Canu proved by analyai> that human blood con-
tains compounds Of lime nagLesla, aiid iron. aycga
gIng 2 in every 900 parts This clearly demon
straies that ia the blood itself arc contained he
earth salts. "hch gradually become deposited IN
the system.
Il, Il. { J
Is therefore TO food Itself we must primarily loo'
fOc the origin OF these earthly deposits. Besides
yidiug be requisite elcacut5 OF nutrition food COR
talns C1Carcous salts, which. upon beng deposited
IN the arteries. VEINS and Capli!aTe-. become the
prOXinrito cause OF OSsticatl0n aud old age
Having now traced tho primary existence of cali
CsreOis matter 10 food itself, II Is consequently
subject OF no small moment 10 ascertain those yarl
ct,pS of dtotrlc articles containing these salts a
a matter of fact everything we eat does c0utam
chem 10 n greater or less degree. The cereals have
been found most rich in earth salts so bread Itself.
the so-callUd stat of life except IN great mOdera-
ton, assuredly favors the deposition of hese salts
IA the system. The more heterogeneous our food.
the greater its percentage M cacaIcouS matter;
thus diet composed principally of fruit, from il,
lack of nitrogen. is best adapted for suSpendlpg
Ossifc deposits. Moderation 1 eating must ever 10
of great value as ;u agent for retardng tho advent
of senty. Large eaters more rapidly bring about
these osSiic deposits, owing to having taken moro
food into the stomach than it is able to utilize
eXcretc. the result beng naturally more rapid
DlochaSe Accoi"iuP 10 INC researches ol MI 90
Lacy Evans il uoGdappear that the following anti
ClUS OF iOOd contained least OF the c9ftbs salts:
l. Fruits ichieiiy owing 10 their lack of nltrogenh
q Fish and poultry. ). Young mutton and veal.
Old mutton and beef From age contain largo guam
tity of earthly matter
Ii becomes selt-eydont. therefore, that living
moderately and a. much as possible on n diet con-
tanning minimum amount oil earthly PARTICLES Is
clearly most suitable ~ order Ia retard cid age and
thereby prOlOng existence. The most rational treat
mcnt with view 10 rctard old age X IN the hIet
place to endcayor as Ear as possible to countefart
the excessive action of atmospheric oxygen I; nee
Ondy. to retGId the deposit of 0sSinc matter aud
tar 10 possible to disco We partially formed caoarrous
concrctons. Distilled water and diluted phOspho-
rio acid are believed by Mr do Lacy Evans To have
fbc desired effect When considering their special
action we caunot but fully coincide with him to
their efficacy in retardmg old age by their COM
hlntd chemical action. Now distilled water alone
has powerful action owing to its solvent proper
ties, thereby diSsOyiug and eXCretng the excess of
earthly salts which OthcrMl 80 WOulu become blocked
up IN the system. gradually storing up those block
ages which IN tune caHSe old age The solvent prop
critics OF distilled water arc 80 great pr 81 that "9
distillatIon ia vessels il actually dlSsOlNeS small
PARTICLES of them. Now the generality 81 waters
contain more or less carbonate of lmr, ana are va
be avoided. especially those from ch.y soils. tend
ing as they do u produce calcareOuS deposits lho
action Of distilled water as beverage J., birAy "s
follows First. It's absorption INTO tnc O'1ou -
rapid second il keeps soluble those sails alIcauy
existing in the blood, thereby pIecIudmg lIelI un-
due deposit third. It facilitates ln n"ih'1 u'si'c
their elimination by means "t oNcieiioh; Aver MIA
die life daily Use of distilled water Is Lghly 10 ne
fetal to those dcsrous OF retardng old as" ana
Is also useful adJuhct IoI aN'l'Ns SUM "h '"0
bladder and kidneys. . .,,t..,
Lastly We have to deal with The special henehc.@i
acti" of diluted pho,phorc acid when mixed witt
distilled water aud consumed daily. II well diluted
with distilled water perhaps the most powerful
means known to science for snSpendlng "id age.
Diluted phosphorus acid possesses the following
merits: II prevents the accumulation OF earthly
salts aur also facilitates thuir elimination SEC
ondy by its great affinity for oN> yea Those hpIi-
nous and gclatinutls deposits previously alluded TO
are held In allegiance 10y it, use. lhus 10y rs
double agency. combined with distilled wator, W"
have a nost valuable preventive against me PM
mary causes of old age. which ~ daily USE holds IN
check. Hypophosphtcs are believed 10 exercise =
like action as on Incoming phosphates Though
fixing tho oxygen from tho blood, unduo oxidation
tt.sttss tp "A great extent prevented.