Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-09-04
SECRET OF LONG LIFE
CAN A HEALTHY PERSON PRoLoko
HIS LIFE TO 200 YgARsi

The Theory 20 -Rssssdins vital Cssssmp-
t,e~-- vrsnhiIn and the fiIs.- wovh the
Heart Ds~.-Rseest Espevi.sest Ia tho
Partial vssetsrsss syssss,.
Among the various fantastic theories
for prolonging life ono % the most popu.
lar at the end ~ the eighteenth century
Was what was callcd "rctarding vital
consumption. 'taupertuis fanciod that
q complete suspension of vital activity.
q sort of Rip Van winkle sleep might
/ ~ produced 10 NJ to check self consump
tion. Bolics In this state oould IN laid
away and then rcsu~cita,o'i after laIse
of two az three CENTURIES BENJAMIN
Franklin even. while living In France,
seems to have had faith la this One
lay he r,cciycd some bottles ~ wine
from Virginia in one of them--only
one-were few dead flies. which the
great philosopher resolved 10 utilize In
an experiment The month was July.
and the. imported f'ic~. which had
bsen ON spree In Virginia, hal fallen
Into tho native wine and had l-.n In
this state shipped to France. where they
wcro exposed to the heat II the frcnch
sun. Thrcc hours passed. and the winged
virginians came a. life after an appar.
cut death ~ many weeks AZ hrt n
sort IL cohvulsive movement soixcd
them. They began then TO uso their
legs, walked around awhile. and seem.
ing to bo aware that they wcro In
Franc. Immediately concluded to make
their toilet by rubbing their eyes with
their forc feet. using their hind legs to
smooth out their wings They then flew
away 90 associate with Paris nlos
Franklin wrote ~ the incident;
"sinoe by such acornplete suspension
81 all internal as well n external con.
sumption II IL possible to pro'iucc n
pause u life and at the same time a.
preserve tho vital principle, might no,
such n proo.ss b. employed in regard to
mani can imagine no greater pleasure
than to cause myself to IL imm.rsed.
along with q few good friends. In vino
and to D. again called back to life nj the
end ~ so or morr years by the genial
solar rays of my native country. only
that I may SEQ what improvement the
state has mado anil what changes time
has brought with H.
II was once thought that pcople died
frum lack % what physicians callci
"the vital principle" II isaphrase that
has fine. vague. mysterious sound. hut
10 really means little or nothing. Or. In
other words. IL l. now oono"iod that
death comcs from di.intcgratiun. very
gradual often. 10 IL true. IN all the bod
lily organs. brought about by the all I'M
portant blood being blocked mp by nc.
crctions which close the channels lead
Ing from the heart Most magnificent
AMI most wonderful muscle ~ the
human heart Is. IL may gct cloggcd In
such way by the earthly salts In the
blood ~ to L. unable top.rform it, reg
ular functions. Then the life fluid can
not H. kept in proper circulation. Al
lowing 60 OF 20 pulsatiOns of the heart
the usual aycrago-cycry minute. one
person has 100, heart bcat- In the
space ~ one day. This means. % cours",
that the heart and arteries arr contracted
with such power ~ 20 keep 80 Or 90
pounds ~ blood In healthy movement
Really 10 l. q wonder that one dos not
wear out long before be- usually dos.
And IL forces q new kind 10 admira.
ton from the thinking man when bo
sees for thu first time human being
who has lasted 100 or li5 years, and
who's. heart Il still going On after all
this on0rumus expenditure ~ force The
eyes, ears and stomach all have r,-i.
bu, the heart keeps on through waking
hours ~ well ~ through sleep PanS.-
bstwecn the beats hrc all the vacation II
gets, which seems to bc really no ret NJ
all. When ono dos not dream. even the
brain seems to sleep. or nj least II give,
peace aud quiet.
Much has boen written and talked
about vegctarianism In relation to health
and it, effect on long life IL l. not
claimed. however. by it, strict ahyo-
Gates that any of tho gr,at numlsr ~
people who have lived 90 - 100 year
and over werc vcgrtarianS In fact,
most ~ these ccntcnarians seem to have
lived Just like common folk who die at
10 or 80. II they had only taken care ~
themselves and kept their blood In good
condition. there IL no telling but 900
years may have been scored as easily n
100. Natural advantages leing 80 great,
n shown by what they did dlo n vague
sadness ovcrcomes the social philosopher
when he thinks % what they might have
accomplished under morc favorable cun-
ditiOns for the success ~ the experiment
A. 10 the admitted advantages ~
partial vegetarian system ~ living. W
Francisque Sarocy. the famous French
critic. has been trying IL. and In coin
municaiion to one Of the Partisan jour
nails gives his experience. Sinoo April.
1898, he has touched no meat in Au.
gust of tho same year he reports that he
IL only "a moderate vegetarian that
l.. he only cschows meat and admits
eggs. cheese. butter. milk and fish 90 his
regimen. Contrary to the expectations
of 10th himself and friends, he finds
that he IL In much more vigorous health
and I'm better working condition under
the infuenc. Of his new menu than be-
fore. AZ frst he naturally felt hungry
an hour OF two after eating. but after n
fortnight tho iicsh craving passe'l away.
and now he not only eats at the same
hours ~ before. but consumes much lees
iood The advantages of the system arr
described by him as most remarkable
Ills mind IL clearer. and he feels more
disposed for work He Is M longer
sleepy after meals his brain Is frcsher,
bis limbs more elastic. and. more aston.
ishiua still. he can stand more fatigue.
Formerly he felt the nccd of stimu.
lants, and now he has done away with
such things Iie dos not smoke, and he
js endeayoring 10 diminish his coffee
supply. Altogether he Is enthusiastic.
At first Il Is rather like self denial. but
ono gets " like II In time. e.--Chicaso
Tribune.