Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-31
HOW TO LIVE.
Sensible Remarks About Brain Wear
and Ravages I'm the Human Family.

and Ravages I'm the Human Family.
Says a writer in the British Medical Journal.
How to prolong human life is a question of
personal interest to every man, and the duty
of making an attempt to do so is one that par
ticularly rests with the medical profession
When an individual has attained to full devel-
opment and sound health-say at forty-the
expectancy of life may be twenty-five or thirty
years; for the individual there are great risks,
but with the aggregate of mankind such ques-
tions may be calculated with businesslike ac-
curacy. There are two great factors which
concern the prolongation of human life-the
inheritance, and the conditions which make up
life history of the individual The inheri-
lance of longevity from one or both parents is
a powerful factor. and one that carries great
weight with life-insurance offices. This is
more important factor than an infancy free of
weakness. provided that the infantile ailments
be dependent upon temporary conditions of
defective nutrition. or conditions incident to
the stages of development only. The late En-
peror William and many other public men of
great age and useful life illustrate that a fee
bic youth may be followed by
ROBUST AND PROLONGED LIFE.
Even conditions of infantile marasmus may be
followed by subsequent good development, as
in the case of Sir Isaac Newton. We now pro-
coed to speak of average people. for ga perfect
man" can hardly be said to exist; we shall con-
slider average people. especially as we see them
in town life, and the special conditions we de-
sire to note the habits, diet and wear of life
There is no doubt as to the importance of the
habits of life affecting longevity; temperance
in right things. in activity and in restraint. in
regularity in morning rising, and in work, as
well as in resting and sleeping; uniform in
dustry is "A y conducive To health IL reouaritv
in diet. The acquisition Of regularity in habits
is largely due to early training. and in this way
wisely-directed school discipline probably
does much to form sound and steadily acting
nerve system, such as gives man the power of
resisting adverse influences and prolonging
physical health. From the period of infancy
upward a sound and well-knit BRAIN has much
to do with the performance of healthy con-
stitution. The relation of diet to longevity has
often been discussed; we can only say here
that the diet should be adapted, in quality and
in kind, to the work of the individual; while
such articles as alcohol. tobacco, and tea. if
used at ALL should be employed in moderation
by those who wish for a stable constitution and
prolonged life. Passing over such important
considerations as being familiar to most MEN,
bers of the profession. we come to the great
question of the causes Of wear in life-the out
come of the frictions of life which all must
meet with more or less.
THE VARIOUS FACTORS AT WORK.
especially in town life, make impressions on
the brain which lead to fatigue and premature
wear. The strong-bfained individual may not
be hurt thereby; the weaker man is exhausted
by such constant impressions from without,
and a second generation under such influences
is likely to suffer, through loss of tone and
vitality, In cell structures rather than in actual
stature or measurement. City life necessarily
produces q rapid and unceasing series of i'm
pressions, and calls for constant exertion The
laws of sanitation and cerebral hygiene should,
then, be carefully studied. 1t is very desirable
to have what quietnesss is possible during
brain work, and the necessity for proper venti-
lation as a means of maintaining mental energy
is well known 1t might lessen brain-wear in
many offices if electric lighting were substi-
tuted for gas illumination. Good digestion is
essential to continued work with good, lasting
power. Late rising, and still more hurried
luncheon and rush back to work, followed at
the conclusion of the day by a heavy meal when
the man is wearied, often tend to exhaustion
as much as the unavoidable pressure of bust
ness. A most rational refreshment after heavy
brain work is to partake of light refreshment
and then rest for half an hour before dinner:
thus the power of digestion and social enjoy
ment are restored to the man. Probably the
chief means of preparing a man to Withstand
the wear of business life is by careful trainin e.
both physical and mental. before he enters
upon the struggle and wear of business One
means of increasing the chances of longevity
isby training the child wisely. Many a pre-
mature breakdown of health is due to that
want of preliminary exercise, which would not
be neglected by the athlete without disaster.