The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-06-08
THE MlCROBE OF OLD AGE.
II the Little Chap Can Be Run Down. Peo-
pie May Remain Young.

II the Little Chap Can BE Run Down, Peo-
pie May Remain Young.
A few years ago an Italian bac-
teriologist proclaimed that he had
discovered the germ of old age"
The idea was secuted by all scientific
men, but there may be something in
it after all. At any rate there seems
to be good ground for believing that
germs, if not a specific germ, are at
least one Of the most important in
huences which bring on old age. It
has long been known that the pto-
maines or toxic substances produced
by microbes + capable of setting up
various degenerative processes. De-
%generative changes in the joints, the
liver, the kidneys and other organs
have been directly traced to this
cause. The writer has for some time
held the opinion that the degenera-
tive changes incident to advancing
age are due to the same cause
namely, the toxins absorbed from
the alimentary canal. These toxins
are constantly present in greater or
less quantity, according to the extent
to which Preventative and putrefac-
tive processes prevail in the stomach
and intestines. These processes de-
pend, first, upon the integrity of the
digestive process in the individual;
second, upon the character of the
substances introduced into the ali
mentary canal as food.
These considerations suggest at
once the thought that while all hu-
man beings must necessarily be con-
stantly subject to the influence of
toxic substances generated in their
own alimentary canal, and conse-
quently must grow old and succumb
sooner or later to the degenerative
process of old age, these processes
may be greatly accelerated by sub
sisting upon a diet which favors the
production of toxic substances in the
alimentary canal.
If this theory is correct, we should
expect to find the greatest longevity
among those animals and those men
who subsist upon the simplest and
purest diet, other conditions being
equal. It would be impossible to find
a sharper contrast than that which
exists in this respect between car
nivorous and vegetarian animals.
Contrast, for example, the dog, which
grows old, becomes rheumatic and
infirm in 8 Or 10 years, with the
donkey, which lives a useful life to
40 or so years, and the elephant,
which is still active and useful at 10(
years. The same is true among men.
The greatest number of persons now
alive above 100 years of age are to be
found among Russian peasants, who
rarely taste meat. These people have
been practical vegetarians for sc
many centuries-perhaps from the
earliest ages-that anatomists have
noted a distinct difference in the
length of their alimentary canals as
compared with those of the flesh eat
ing Germans, whose ancestors were
cannibals.
Rheumatism in it's protean forms
is one of the most constant and dis
tressing disorders of old age. The
relation between English roast bee:
and the govt and rheumatism, which
prevail SO extensively among Eng
lishmen, was clearly pointed out b.
that distinguished physician and es
.sayist, J. Miner F%othergill. Thu
above considerations, if not consid
cred absolutely conclusive, + wor
thy of thought. Modern Medicine.