The Wilmingtonian., 1885-08-08
HEALTH HINTS.
The Results OF Collective Investigation
Regarding old age.

Ehe hesuits OF collective lnvesffgatfou |
Regarding old age
With every year the average duration
Of life is increased, and we have more old
people on our hands. Naturally, the ques-
ton becomes of increasing interest, how
shall we secure a healthful old age, and how
can we prolong in comfort this senility.
Some curious information regarding this
subject, though more especially regarding
what may be called ''centenariauism, has
been published by gentleman of Syracuse,
N. Y, who, we are informed, has collected
the histories Of 10, 900 people that have pass
cd the age of one hundred years. Accord
ing to this authority, the United States leads
in centeuarian longevity, while Connecticut
is ahead among the States. AS to sex,
women; as to occupation, soldiers, sailors,
and farmers are the longest lived. Among
the professions, 100 ministers, 30 doctors,
and 10 lawyers reached their centennial
OF more practical and scientific character
are the statistics regarding longevity obtain
ed by the British Collective Investigation
Committee. These are based upon over
five hundred returns, aud relate to persons
who have reached or passed the age of
eighty.
| Professor Humphrey, Of Bambridge. has
gwen some interesting deductions based
upon these returns in au Grafton recently
delivered before the Medical Society Of LON
don
The first requisit for longevity must be an
inherent quality of endurance, a somethi, g
which is Unborn and perhaps inherited. 1t
is noticeable that the phthiscial taint does
not necessarily lessen the capacity for Ion
gevty. Among five hundred aged persons
phthisis appeared in fathers, mothers, or
sisters of eghty-two, that is, in about
seventeen per cent. In one case both father
and mother were phthisical.
A second requisite for long life is freedom
from exposure to casualties. 1t is on this
ground, in part, that more women than men
reach ktreme age. Other reasons however,
are, perhaps, greater natural vitality,
since even in early life the mortality is less
amoug females than males. 1t does not
seem to be proved by the data collected that
l
advantage over those who are taller and
larger. The average height of old English
men is 8 it. G in, that of women, IT. in
Professor Humphrey would limit quite
sharply the changes which normally occul
in old age. They are quantitative rathe
| than qualitative There is diminution ii
t material and force, with perhaps a sligh
increase in the oily matter of the tissues--.ll
other changes are pathological.
Among the most marked of senil
changes are those of the bones. These los
D in weight, but not necessarily in size indeed
periosteal ossilicaton. The interior of tb
bones becomes softened and filled will
: marrow; the walls become thinned
The ends of the bones are particular.
0 affected in this way and hence the liabiit,
t of the bones to fracture at these parts, Tn
men above eighty the number of teeth i
only six, while in women it is but three
The Uranium generally becomes thinner AM
lighter In some cases, however, the skull
{ walls are actually increased in density AM
thickness by the osseous deposits on th
interior of the, brain-case.
Contrary to, q, generally -IsasixA IsM
: the cartilages of healthy old people do no
t calcify and halden, but remain elastic
+ They, however undergo some atrophy, whic
. accounts for the decrease in height.
Iu the same way Professor HumphIe
believes that calc'ticai'On Of arteries is no
process normal or common in advance
: ago. Among 3S2 returns relating to III
pulse, it was found incompressible in onl
d ~. In 1862 returns, the arteries were foun
knotty in only 40. We cauuot, however
place very much dependence upon sue
: data.
II The rate of the heartbeat in old age la
IS been said by some Psychologists TO b
:. increased, by others to be diminished
The Collective Investigation shows ths
there is not much change. From the az
. of eighly to ninety it averages 73-74
+. lien, 7S-79 in women. The respiration
5 are little increased in frequency, especial
c, IN women. Urinary troubles are wei
,s known source Of discomfort aud sutieriu
among old people They do not, huweve
necessarily attend the decline Of lif
u Among l57 males from eighty 10 eight,
f. five years of age, only had any disease
the prostate or bladder. In the next ha
N decade, however, the proportion was grea
III Ell.
n, In old people wounds are known eth,
, to heal rapidly or to slough. The repair
, tive process is often as rapid as in tt
D young.
ls Sir Henry Thompson in recent artic
.e on Diet in Relation to Age has call,
attention TO the harm that comes flo
attempts to over. feed old people. They a
injured, he truly says, by the solicitor
relatives, who think that in feeding the
is sure help for tile waning strength. II
old need "a light Diet to correspond with d
lcssened work and slower nutrition al
waste Ufthtir Tissues.
81 do not like the new version of d
Old Testament SAID Smith, "paiticulal