Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
THE ART OF KEEPING ALIVE.
How Health May BE Preserved and Lon
Life Attained.

THE ART OF KEEPING ALIVE.
How Health May BE Preserved and Long
Life Attained.
rHE RFYEcr OF BROKEN REST AND IRREGULAR
HABrfs-soME OCCUPATION NEcEssARY-IDIE-
NESS NOT CONDUCIVE TO LoS6EvrrY-rHE
QUESTIONS OF FOOD AND ExERcIsE.
Dr.. Robson Rooss in the Fortnishtiy Review.
TN CONSIDERING OCCUPATIONS THAT
l. are likely to affect longevity those which
obviously tend to shorten life need not be con-
sidered. With respect to the learned profess
tons it would appear that among the clergy
the average Of life is beyond that Of any sim
liar class. 1t is improbable that this average
will be maintained for the future; the duties
and anxieties imposed upon the clergy of the
present generation place them in a very differ
ent position from that of their predecessors
Among lawyers there have been several emil
nent judges who attained great age, and the
rank and file Of the profession are also char
acterized by decided tendency to longevity.
The medical profession supplies but few in
stances of extreme old age, and the average
duration Of life among its members is de-
cidedly low. fact which can be easily &C.
counted for. Broken rest, hard work, ankle
ties. exposure to weather and the risks Of in
| lection cannot fail to exert an injurious effect
upon health, No definite conclusions can be
arrived at with regard to the average longev-
ity OF literary and scientific men, but it
might be supposed that those among them who
are not harassed by anxieties and enjoy fair
health would probably reach old age As a
general rule, the duration of life is not short
ened by literary pursuits. A man may worry
himself to death over his books. or when tired
OF them may seek recreation in pursuits de-
structive to health; but application TO literary
work tends to produce cheerfulness and to pro-
long rather than shorten the life even Of an in
firm man. In Prof. Humphreys Report on
Aged Persons" containing an account of 1914
| individuals of both sexes and between the ages
OF eighty and hundred, it is stated that AZ per
cent were poor, AZ per cent were in comfort
able circumstances and only 10 per cent were
described as being in afiuent circumstances.
DIR. Humphry points out that these ratios
must not be regarded as representing the
relations OF poverty and afiuence to longevity,
because, in the first place. the poor at all ages
| and in all districts bear large proportion to
the affiuent, and, secondly, the returns are
largely made from the lower and middle classes
and In many instances from the inmates Of
union work houses, where good number of
aged people are found" 1t must also be no.
ticed that the past life history Of these indi-
viduals showed that the greater proportion (55
per cent? had lived in comfortable circum-
stanc es" and that only IS per cent had been
poor.
VERY DOUBTFUL PANAcEAs.
II we pass from probable to improbable
causes of longevity we are confronted by many
| extravagant assumptions. Thus, to take only a
few examples, the immoderate use of sugar has
been regarded not only q panacea, but as de-
| cidedly conducive to length of days. DIR. Stare.
physician of the last century, has recorded
the case of centenarian who used to mix su-
gar with all his food, and the doctor himself
was 80 convinced of the "balsamic virtue of
this substance that he adopted the practice and
boosted of his health and strength in his old
| age. Another member Of the same profession
used to take daily doses of tannin (the sub
stance employed to harden and preserve
leather, under the impression that the tissues
Of the body would be thereby protected from
decay. His life was protracted beyond
the ordinary span, but it is questionable
| whether the tannin acted in the de-
| sired direction. Lord Combermere thought
that his good health and advanced years were
due, In part at least, to the fact that he always
wore tight belt round his waist His lord
ships appetite was doubtless thereby kept
within bounds; we are further told that he was
very moderate in the use of all fluids as drink
Cleanliness might be supposed to aid in pro-
longing life, yet a Mrs. Lewson, who died in the
early part OF this century, age one hundred and
six, must have been a singularly dirty person.
We are told that instead of washing she
smeared her face with lard and asserted that
people who washed always caught cold.'' This
lady, no doubt, was fully persuaded that she
had discovered the universal medicine.
AN OCCUPATION NECESSARY.
Having thus endeavored to show the extent
to which human life may be prolonged, and
having examined some of the causes or ante
cedents of longevity the last subject for inquiry
is the means by which it may be attained Ger
tain preliminary conditions are obviously reaui-
| site. In the first place there must be a sound
constitution derived from healthy ancestors,
| and in the second there must be freedom
from organic disease Of important organs.
Given an individual who has reached the grand
climacteric, or three score and three, and in
whom these two conditions are fulfilled, the
means best adapted to maintain and prolong
his life constitute the question to be solved. It
has been said that she who would long to be an
old man must begin early to be one," but very
few persons designedly take measures in early
life in order that they may live longer than
their fellows
THE THREE STAGES OF LIFE.
The whole term of life may be divided into
three main periods of growth and develop
ment, of maturity and Of decline. No hard
and fast line can be drawn between these two
latter phases Of existence; the one should pass
gradually into the other until the entire
picture is changed. Diminished conservative
power and the consequent triumph of disinte-
grating forces are the prominent features of
the third period, which begins at different
times in different individuals, its advent being
mainly controlled by the general course of pre-
ceding years. The turning period" also
known as the ''climacterie' or middle age"
lies between forty-fve aud sixty; the period
beyond may be considered as belonging to ad-
vanced life or old age. The majority of the
changes characteristic of these last stages are
easily recognizable. 1t is hardly necessary to
mention the wrinkled skin. the furrowed face.
the ''crOws feet beneath the eyes, the stoop-
ing gait and the wasting of the frame. The
senses, notably vision and hearing, become
less acute; the power OF digestion is lessened
the force OF the heart is diminished; the lungs
are less permeable; many of the air cells lose
their elasticity and merge into each other, SO
that there is less breathing surface as well as
less power. Simultaneously with these changes
the mind may present signs of Embellishments;
but in many instances its powers long remain in
marked contrast with those of the body One
fact connected with advanced life is too often
neglected. 1t should never be forgotten that
while the forces in use" at that period are easily
exhausted. the forces in reserve are often SO
slight as to be unable to meet the smallest de-
mand. In youth the wires in posse are SUPER
abundant; in advanced life. they are reduced
to minimum, and in some instances are prac-
tically non-existent. The recognition of this
difference ia an all-impprtant guide in laying
down rules for conduct IN old age.
IDLENEss NOT NECESSARY.
In order to prolong life and at the same time
to enjoy it, occupation Of some kind is abso-
lutely necessary. il ia "a great mistake 70 ann