The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-10-10
THE WAY OF LIFE.
Various Causes Contributing to
Premature Dissolution

ten as the age to which man may reasonably
look forward. It seems as il, at least, sew
enty equable, eontented and happy years
full of such comfort and qualification as the
members Of each class in the community
have severally right to expect-should and
might be within the reach Of every man and
woman. In some countries, however, we
find this to be much more nearly the case
than with US, says the Boston Herald Amer
leans, as rule, live too fast to live long.
Every person is originally endowed with
sbout so large stock Of vitality out OF
which to fashion his life. 1t amounts to
nothing more nor less than the simplest OF
problems IN arithmetic to show that If he
draws upon this stock twice as heavily as be
should, the duration Of his existence will
only be one-haf Of what it was originally
intended to be. Indeed, the matter stands
much worse than this; his life Is likely to
be at any moment suddenly cut of short
long before reaching even the half. A steam
engine may use up its fuel in two weeks or
one, according to the rate at which 1t is
driven; II It IS sufficiently overworked the
result may be q general smash" or such
an injury as Will necessitate long and
tedious ''stopping for renairs. F." if, indeed, it
ever becomes ''as good as new" We hard
" seem ready to recognize the bounds es-
tabhshed by nature, but when we have
reached them, in our greed and ambition,
we summon our viii, and, as the expression
runs, Give upon our nerve" congratulating
ourselves on our praiseworthy display Of
"Anerican goaheadativeness." Unfortu-
nately nature has not yet become sufficient
II progressive in her ideas TO manufacture
constitutions expressly for the American
market, and, In the midst Of our triumphant
tour de force, click, something snaps, and
we vanish from the stage, or break down
Sor years, perhaps for life.
What are the causes Of sudden desth-as
by stroke Of Nghtning7 They are not
many when only the so-called natural acci-
dents are considered. Death on the instant
may result from apoplexy, or bursting Of
sn eneurisn within the chest or abdomen;
Il nay be caused by the bursting Of an alb
scess within the chest. Great mental
sSock-as from extreme anger or grief or
eyen ioy-sometimes kills instantly through
total paralysis Of the chief nerve centers.
Gases Of sudden death from henoSrhages
Of the lungs are on record, but they are few
IN number. Diseases OF the heart render
the subject liable to instant death, and they
are the most frequent causes.
Something may be said descriptive Of
these accidents and diseases which will in
terest the general reader. A correct under
standing Of them might possibly render Us
less liable to them. Apoplexy, OF, as it Is
sometimes called, brain-stroke, Is usually
due 70 the rupture Of blood.Vessel within
the brain. Instant death Is not the common
result Of this injury, and yet, as already
sisted, it sometimes occurs. More often
the victim of q severe attack passes INTO q
condition Of stupor, called coma, in which
he hes for hours, o. even days, and then
dies or slowly RECEIVERS. There are many
influences which are capable Of giving rise
to this accident, which % q general way we
may attribute to one Of two causes: namely,
either the walls Of the blood.vessel in ques-
ton are weakened by degeperetive changes,
and SO rupture easily, or they are while
healthy subjected to an unusual and too
great pressure from rush Of blood into
them, and give way in consequence. The
walls Of the blood-ressels degenerate with
sge; as one grows old the liability Of their
rupture under sudden increase Of blood
pressure becomes creator. Age is not the
only cause Of these weakening changes-we
may expect them In ell osses where the sys-
tenn Is permanently enfeebled. In an at
tack Of apoplaxy occurring in a person who
has passed the age Of sixty, we should
naturally assume that the bursting Of the
blood-yessel was due to degeneration Of its
walls. But IN one younger, who had en-
ioyed fairly good health, we should expect
to find that the direct cause Of the rupture
was too great q blood-pressure. We may
retard degeneration, although we can not
block the wheels Of time. Some men at
ninety are far less liable to apoplexy
than others Of fifty. In great degree the
liability is q question Of general health.
Hence the fear Of apoplexy should lead US
to endeavor to keep strong and well As
we grow old we should avoid those influ-
ences which are likely to induce sudden and
great rush Of blood to the head, SUCH as in
tense mental excitement - as in public
speaking or in fit Of anger-violent mus
cular effort, gluttony and drunkenness, etc
While one dimes at popular cafes he has but
| to look about him and he Is quite sure to see
habits indulged provocative Of apoplexy. A
familiar sight is the man about sixty years
| old whose highest pleasure is IN tickling hls
palate. He is overweight by fully hfty
pounds; his face is red and shining; he Is
fNl 10 bursting, and looks as though every
important button on his clothing was threat.
ened. One on warm day gives such q
man as wide q berth" as he would cook
stove; he is altogether too hot to sit near.
Ee commences bis dinner with an appetizer
| -esmersN7 cocktail. Then he deliberately