Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23
THE ART OF LIVING LONG
Advice That May Assist You to Attain
an Old Age.
USE OF ALCOHOLIC LIouoRs BIT rLDERLY PEOPLE
SLEEP IN CONNECTION WITH DIEr-wARNrH
AND A CLEAN sxIS-As TO ExERcIsK, FOOD


usE OF ALCOHOLIC LIouoRs BIT KLDERLY PEOPLE
SLEEP IN CONNECTION WITH DIEr-wARNrH
AND CLEAN sKIS-As TO EXERcIsK, FOOD
Erc., ETC.
Dr.. Robson Roose in the For,nish,ly Review I
capability of attaining old age Is very often
handed down from one generation TO another.
and heredity is probably the most powerful
factor in connection with longevity. neces-
sary condition of reaching advanced age is the
possession of sound bodily organs. and such an
endowment is eminently capable Of transmits
sion. Instances Of longevity charscterizing sew
era generations are frequently brought to
notice. A recent and most interesting example
OF transmitted longevity is that Of the veteran
guardian of the public health. Sir Edwin Chad
wick, who was entertained at public dinner a
few weeks ago on the occasion of his reaching
his ninetieth year. He informed his enter
tainers that his father died at the age Of eighty
four, his grandfather at ninety-nve and that
two more remote ancestors were centenarians.
II is difficult 10 estimate the influence OF
other contingencies which affect longevity
With regard to sex Hufelands opinion was that
women were more likely than men to become
old, but the instances of extreme longevity
were more frequent among men. This opinion
is to some extent borne out by Or. Humphreys
statlstlcs-of his hfty-two centenarianS thirty
SIX were women. Marriage would appear TO be
conducive TO longevity. A well-known French
savant. DIR. Bertlllon, states that bachelor of
twenty-five is not a better life than a married
man OF forty-fye. and he attributes the differ
ence In favor of married people TO the fact that
they take more care of themselves and lead
more regular lives than those who have no
such tie. 1t must. however, be remembered
that the mere fact of marrying indicates
superior vitality and yigor. and the ranks OF
the unmarried are largely flied by the
physically unfit.
In considering occupations as they are likely
to affect longevity those which obviously tend
to shorten life need not be considered With
respect to the learned professions II would ap-
pear that among the clergy the average life IL
beyond that OF any similar class. Ii Is lmprob-
able that this average will be maintained for
the future; the duties and anXeties imposed
upon the clergy of the present generation place
them IN very different position from that of
their predecessors Among lawyers there have
been several eminent judges who attained
great age, and the rank and file of the protes-
sion are also characterized by decided tend
ency to longevity.
BETTER WEAR OUT THAN RUST OUT
In order to prolong lite and at the same time
to enjoy 1t occupation of some kind is abso-
lutely necessary; II Is great mistake 10 sup
pose that idleness is conducive to longevity
1t is at all times better to wear out than TO rust
out, and the latter process Is apt to be speedily
accomplished Every one must have met with
individuals who. while fully occupied till
sixty or even seventy years Of age, remained
hale and strong. but aged with marvellous
rapldlty after rellnqulshIng work. a change IN
their mental condition becoming especially
prominent There Ii an obvious lesson 10 be
learned from such instances, bat certain quail
hcatons are necessary in order to apply 1t
properly. With regard to mental activity,
there Is abundant evidence that the more the
intellectual faculties are exercised the greater
the probability of their lasting. They often
become stronger after the vital force has
passed its eliminating point: and this reten-
ton of the mental power is the true compensa-
ton for the decline IN bodily strength Did
space permit, many illustrations could Toe ad-
duced to show that the power of the mind can
be preserved almost unImpaired to the most
advanced age.
Whatever be the sphere of mental activity
no kind of strain must be put upon the mind
by person who has reached sixty-five or
seventy years. The feeling that mental power
Is less than II once was not lntrequently stimu-
lates man to increased eXertions which NAV
provoke structural changes in the brain. and
will certainly accelerate the progress of anv
that may exist III that organ. When "A man
hnds that great effort is required TO accom-
pllsh any mental task that was once easy he
should desist from the attempt and regulate
his work according TO his power. With this
limitation ii may be taken for granted that the
mental faculties will be far better preserved by
their exercise than by their disuse.
AS TO EXERCISE AND FOOD.
No fixed rule can be laid down as TO the kind
Sof exercise most suitable for advanced age
Much must depend upon individual circum-
stances and peculiarities: but walking in the
open air should always be kept up and prac, iced
daily, except in unfavoraDIe weather. Walking
Is natural form of exercise and subserves
many important purposes: not a few old people
ha fam antt hafr hoo nj
to their daily constitutional" Riding is an
excellent form of exercise, but available only
by few; the habit, if acquired in early life
should be kept up as long as possible subject
to the caution already given as to violent exer-
else. Old persons of both sexes fond of garden
ing and SO situated that they may crafty their
tastes are much to be envied. Body and mind
are alike exercised by what Lord Bacon Justly
termed 1.-The purest of human pleasures" DIR.
Parkes goes SO far as to say that light garden
or agricultural work Is a very good exercise
for men past seventy: 1t calls into play the
muscles OF the abdomen and back. which in old
men are often but little used, and the work is
SO varied that no muscle is kept long in
action"
few remarks must be made. in conclusion.
with regard to 4. new form of exercise some
times induiged in even by elderly men. | al
lude to so-calied ''tricychng. EXhilaraiing
and pleasant il may be to glide over the
ground with comparatively little effort. the eN-
ercl5e Is IrduSnt WIN danger lor men VINO nave
passed the grand clImacterlc. The temptation
to make a squirt must be often irresistible: hills
must be encountered. some perhaps so smooth
and gradual as 10 require no special exertion.
none, at least. that is noticed IN the triumph of
surmounting them. Now, if the heart and
lungs be perfectly sound, such exercises NAV
be practiced for some time with apparent Inn
punity; but if las ls very likely to be the easel
these organs be not quite structurally perfect,
even the slightest changes Will. under such eX-
element rapidly progress and lead to very
of the system will assuredly not tend to the
prolopgatlon of lite.
With regard TO TODD we find from DIR. Hum
phreys report that 80 per cent of the aged
persons were either moderate or small
eaters, and such moderation Is quite In accord
ance with the teachings OF physiology. Ia old
age the changes in the bodily tissues gradu-
ally become less and less active and less food
is required to make up for the daily waste
The appetite and the power OF digestion
correspondingly diminished aud, although for
the attainment of great age u considerable
amount OF digestive power Is absolutely neces-
sary, Its perfection, when exercised upon
proper articles of diet, is the most lmportan
charac teristic. Indulgence in the pleasures OF
the table Is one of the common errors of
advanced life and as not infrequent in persons
who, up to that period. were moderate or even
small eaters LuXures in the way of food
are apt to be regarded as rewards that
have been fully earned by life of
labor, and may, therefore, be lawfully en-
joyed. Hence arise many of the evils and
troubles of old age. and notably indigestion
and equity symptoms in various forms, besides
mental discomfort. No hard and fast rules can
be laid down, but strict moderation should be
the guiding maxim. The diet suitable for most