The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-01-30
Memory as a Test of Age.

Memory 10 often a good test of age.
When a person begins to find the recol
lection of current and recent work fail.
ing, and when he finds the recollection
of events of the early part of his life
acutely peroeptible, and by kind of
spontaneity recurrent, the evidence is
certain that the MUD of that person is
aging. The fact is still further empha
sized, if with the remembrance of past
days, there is a sympathic response call
ing forth sentimental feeling either Of
pleasure or of pain. There probably is a
physiological reason for these phenomena
In early life certain centers of the brain
are filled WITH impressions and images
which have become fixed, and for time
quisscent. They sleep. While they
sleep other parts of the brain are charged
with new Impressions, which remain in
| activity, provoking the body into new
and continued actions, and constituting
the life of the individual as it is seen at
work, nay, as it really is. But time goes
on, and under the active life the brain
centers receiving the later impressions
tire, wear out, and for working purposes
suspend function and die. Their sus
pension is not, however the suspension
of the whole or the cerebral organism.
| The parts first impressed and printed
the parts that carry the latent impress
ions-remain intact, and no longer OPP
pressed and obscured by that which has
accumulated upon them, Degin once
more to live and display their activities
So aged people who forget the names of
those who are staring them in the face,
who forget tie details of the last ride or
walk, or work, and who forget engage.
meuts, letters, and hours of meals, re-
member with the freshness of youth the
friends OF their youth; the places, habits
conversations events that have long since
passed, and have been so long in oblivion
The study of memory in relation to age
is full of practical as we'll as of philoso-
phical Importance. 1t bears on the
value of evidence of observed facts and
phenomena at different stages of life.
There are thousands Of persons who Id
give no evidence worthy of credeBce
respecting sayings and events of to day,
who could still give the most accurate
and reliable evidence about sayings and
events of fifty years ago; and if sym
pathies change with memories, there is
an explanation, clear enough, why with
age likes and dislikes should undergo
the astonishing notifications we so often
witness. | was called once to see a dy-
ing man who was advanced in life. He
was muttering something strangely.
What is it he says?" | asked. Il co
not know, sir, replied the nurse, ''but
it's all about Monday, and see how
curiously he moves his hands" ! listened
attentively, and soon caught the words,
repeated many times: "Oh Jesu, Agnus
Del, qui TOLLS peccati mundi. Miserere
nobis." | observed thereupon to my
medical brother, whom l had beeu called
to meet in consultation, He" the
patient, sis saying part of Romish
litany. He is Roman Catholic"
Impossible! | have known him for
, thirty years, and he has been man OF
the freest thought, good i'll every way
but.allied to no creed whatever, and OPP
posed to the Roman Catholic faith"
"That may be, but in his early life,
warrant you, he was brought up in THAI
faith and learned its services" On sn
quiry my conjectures proved correct. :
the first ave vnarr -
5s---ss--.s o...e or fife he was trained
in the Catholic ceremonial since which
age he had came under influences tina
had changed the whole tenor of hi
thoughts.
The point wish to make in eonclud
ing this opusoulum is, in the strictest
sense, practical and medical. Whenever
q patient who has passed the fifties, o.
is fairly into them, reports that curren
memory is fading and post memory il
reviving, and when he reports also that
his sympathies are running with his men
cries. his curreut sympathies declining
his old ones reawaking, he is in an in
different condition. He requires imme
date metal rest OF those faculties thai
are becoming impaired, and is in want o
pursuits and scenes that will bring new
faculties iuto play. Fortunately we
never use up 1.-THE of our brain surface
There is always ample unchanged sur,
face to work upon even late in life, and
if the brain be not physically diseased
new memories may be called forth which
open up new activities and cover in the
old. William Harvey, IN his latter days
took to mathematics, and for the first
time followed them with ease, much to
his quiet. l knew an aged man who
took under the same circumstances, to
, music, aud became quite fair violnist
from all of which comes lesson
In second childiShness child life revive;
Learn something new each day and SO re-live.