Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-05-20
How to Avoid Premature Old Age.

How to Avoid Premature Old Age.
The following good advice is given by
DR.. Benjamin Ward Richardson The
rules for the prevention Of senile disease
are all personal. They should begin in
youth. 1t should be rule among grown
up persons never to subject children to
mental shocks and unnecessary griefs.
When, in the surrounding of the child
life, some grave calamity has occurred, II
is best TO make the event as light as pos
sible to the child, and certainly TO avoid
thrilling it with sights and details which
stir it to the utmost, and in the end only
leave upon the mind and heart incurable
wounds and expressions. Children should
never be taken to funerals, nor to sights
that cause a sense of fear and dread COM
bined with great grief, nor to sights
which call forth pain and agony in man
or in tho lower animals
To avoid premature old age in mature
life, the following are important points tc
remember:
Grief anticipates age. Dwelling on the
inevitable past, forming vain HYPOTHESIS
/ as to what might have been If this OIL
that had or had not been, acquiring O
craze for rccounting what has occurred
these acts do more harm to future health
and effort than many things connected
with real calamity. Occupation and new
pursuits are the best prevcntives for men
tai shock and bereavement
Hate anticipates age. Hate keeps the
heart always at full tension. 1t gives rise
to oppression of the brain and senses. II
confuses the whole man. 1t robs the
stomach of nervous power, and, digestion
being impaired, the failure of life begins
at once. Those, therefore, who are borr
with this passion-and good many,
fear, are-should give it up.
Jealousy anticipates age. The facia
expression of jealousy is old age, in how
ever young face it may be cast. Jeal
ousy preys upon and kills the heart. So
jealous men are not only unhappy, bu
broken hearted and live short lives.
have never known man Of jealous ma
ture live anything like long life or
useful life. The prevention Of jealous
is diversion of mind toward useful an,
unselfsh work.
Unchastity anticipates age. Everythin
that interferes with chastity favors vita
: deterioration, while the grosser depart
, ures from chastity, leading to specific an
hereditary disease, are certain causes {
D organic degeneration and premature ol
: age. Thus chastity Is preventive OF sci
r lie decay.
, Intempcrancc anticipates age. TIL
more the social causes of mental an
physical organic diseases are investigate
the more closely the origin Of degeneri
tive organic changes leading to prematui
deterioration and decay are questioned
|, the more closely does it come out that il
person himself who is implicated in it, s
subtitle is its influence, Is at the root c
the evil.
When old age has really commenced
its march toward final decay is best dc
laycd by attention to those rules of col
scrvation by which life is sustained wit
the least friction and the least waste.
The prime rules for this purpose are:
To subsist on light but nutritious die
with milk as the standard food, but var
ed according to season.
! To take food, in moderate quantit,
four times in the day, including ligl
!, meal before going to bed.
= To clothe warmly but lightly, so as tn
!, !, the body may, in all seasons, maintain !
g equal temperature.
u To keep the body III fair exercise, al
!, the mind active and cheerful.
Z To maintain an interest in what is G
ing on in the world, and TO take part
reasonable labors and pleasures, as thoul
old age were not present.
: To take plenty Of sleep during sleepil
IS hours. TO spend nine hours in bed at I
# least, and to take care during cold weat
q er that the temperature of the bedroom
y, maintained at coo Fab.
u To avoid passion, excitement, luxury