The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-15
THE WAY OF LIFE.
vsrio.s Causes Contributing to Premature
BissolatioAa.

The Bible speaks Of three 6care
years and ten as the age to which
many men may reasonably look for
ward. 1t seems as if, at least, seven
ty equablc, contented and happy
years-iull of such comfort and graft
ification as the members of each
class in the community have several
ly Il right to cxpect-should and
might he within the reach of every
man and woman. Insome countries
however, we find this to lie much
more nearly the case than with us
says the Boston Herald. Americans
as rule, live too fast to live long.
Every person is originally endowed
with a6out SO large u stock of vitali-
ty out Of which to fashion his life. 1t
amounts to more nor less than the
simplest of problems in arithmetic to
show that if he draws upon this stock
twice as heavily as he should. the dura-
tion his existence will only he beone-half
Of what it was originally intended to
be. Indeed, the matter stan ds much
worse than this: his life is likely to be
atany moment ntsuddenlycut off short
long before reaching even the half. A
steam-enginc may use up its fuel in
two weeks or one, accordingto therat
at which it is driven; if it is suffici.
emily ovcrworked the result may be q
general ''smnsh," or such an injury
Ms will ncccssitate q long and tedi.
GUS stopping for repairs" if, indeed
it ever becomes "as good as new. !"
We hardly seem ready to recognize
the bounds established by nature,
but when We have reached them, in
our greed aud ambition, we summon
our will, and, as the expression runs,
Give upon our nerve" congratula-
ting ourselves on our prliseworthy
display of" American goaheadative-
ness Unfortunately nature has
not yet become sufficiently progress
i've in her IDEAS to- manufacture con-
stitutions expressly for the American
market, and, in. the midst of our
triumphant tour dc force, click,
| something snaps, and we vanish from
the stage, or break down for years,
perhaps for life.
What arc the causes of sudden
death-as by IL stroke of lightning?
They are not many when only the
so-callcd natural accidents are con
siderctl. Death oil the instant may
result from apoplexy, or bursting of
an uneurism within the chest or ab-
domen; il may he caused by the
bursting of an abscess within
the chest. Grent mental sllock-as
from extreme anger or grief or even
ioy-sometimcs kills lsinstantlytllrough
total paralysis of the chief nerve cen
ters. Gases Of sudden death from
hemorrlages of the lungs are on rec
ord, but they are few in number.
Diseases of the heart render the sub
iect liable to instant death. and they
are the most frequent causes.
Something may be said descriptive
of these accidents and diseases which
will interest the general reader. A
correct understanding of them might
possibly render us less liable
to them. Apoplexy, or, as il is some
times called brain-stroke is usually
due to the rupture of blood-vessel
within the brain. Instant death is
not the common result of this injury,
and vet, as already stated, it some
times occurs. More often the victim
of severe attack passes into a con-
dition of stupor, called coma, in
which lie lies for hours, or even days,
and then dies or slowly recovers.
There are many influences which are
capable OF giving rise to this accident,
which in u general way we may attri-
butte to one of two causes: namely,
either the walls of the blood-vessel in
question are weakened by degenera-
tive changes, and SO rupture easily,
or they are while healthy subjected
to an unusual and too great u pres
sure from IL rush of blood into them,
and give way in consequence. The
walls of the blood vessels Degenerate
with age; as one grows old the liabil-
ity OF their rupture under sudden in
crease OF b1ood-pressure becomes
greater. Age is not the only cause
Of these weakening changes-we may
expect them in all cases where the
system is permanently enfeebled. In
an attack of apoplexy occurring
in n person who has passed
the age of sixty, we should natur-
ally assume that the bursting of the
blood-vessel was due to degeneration
ofits walls. But in one younger, who
had enjoyed fairly good health, We
should expect to find that the direct
cause of the rupture was too great n
blood-pressule. We may retard de-
generation, although h we can not
block the wheels of time. Some men
at ninety are far less liable to apo
plexy than others ut fifty. In agreat
degree the liability ia q question of
general health. Hence the fear of
apoplexy should lead us to endeavor
to keep strong and we'll. As we grow
old we should avoid these influences
which are likely toinduce sudden and
great rusll of blood to the head, such
az intense mental excitement-ns in
public speaking or in q fit of anger
violent muscularefiort, gluttony and
drunkenness, etc. While one dimes
at popular cuies he has but to look
about him and he is quite sure to SEE
habits indulged provocative of apo
plexy. A familiar sight is the man
about sixty years old whose highest
pleasure is in tickling his palate. Heis
overweight by fully fifty pounds; his
face is red and shining: he is full to
bursting, and looks hs though every
important button on his clothing was
Threatened. One u warm day gives
such man as wide u berth" as lie
woulda cookstove he is altogether too
hot to sit near. He commences his