The herald., 1898-06-26

Dangers of Bachelordom and Spinsterdom-- Why
Women Outlive Men
Larger Families Among Centenarians Southern
Calforna--The Possible Limits of
Human Life

Life is sweet and every normally consti-
tuted person desires to live as long as he
can. Yet there are two views in regard
to surviving till one has reached eXterme
old age. Many regard with deep interest as
we'll as veneration the individual who, by a
well ordered life and by innate physical
vigor has borne for a century the successful
struggle for existence where thousands of
others have failed long before reaching
that coveted goal.
On the other hand, we hear people re-
mark that they do not wish to live to a
great age; they have no desire to survive
all their relatives and friends and become
helpessly dependent upon the kind offices
of a younger generation; they hope they
will not outive their mental faculties and
physical independence.
Persons in the latter class have even
been known to set limit beyond which
they did not wish to survive, and have eX-
pressed the hope that they would "be ta-
ken" while they were yet surrounded by
sympathizlng friends. But when these peo-
pie reach the assigned limit they invariably
want to postpone the event a few years,
and are not quite so ready to take their
departure as they had anticipated.
1t Is true that there are a few persons
who, under stress of circumstances or on
account of an abnormal bias, voluntarily
en1 their own lives; but the percentage of
these is so small that it is not necessary
to consider them in this article.
Is the human race becoming longer-lived
despite the fret and fever of modern civ
ilization?
Reliable records show that within the past
quarter of a century an unusually large
number of persons have rounded up the full
century of life; and what is far better, many
of them have closed their hundred years in
possession of all their mental faculties and
with physical powers in fair working order.
What does it mean unless that the aveage
of human life is lengthening and that the
Scriptural span of threescore and ten is
but a way station on life's journey?
With better hygienic and sanitary condi-
tions, what is to hinder the person who
takes care of himself from looking forward
to a full century of active useful life? This
is a beautiful world with so many noble
and wonderful things to learn, that the
longest life will be none too long. The pro-
gress in science, In art, and in the industries
will be something stupendous during the
coming century. Then let our young people
care for their health, cultivate their heart
and BRAIN and be there to see and enjoy
1t has been said that every man is born
with a certain stock of vitality, which stock
cannot be increased, but may be husbanded.
With this stock he may live fast or slow;
may draw his little amount of life over
large space or narrow it into a concentrated
one; but when his stock Is exhausted he has
no more.
He who lives moderately, drinks pure
water, exercises sufficiently, INDUCES in
no exhausting passions, pursues, no debli-
tatlng pleasures, avoids protracted study,
preserves an easy mind, and thus husbands
his quantum of vitality will live longer
% than he who lives intensively labors be-
yond his strength, visits exciting scenes in.
dulges his passions to excess, lives on tim
ulating food and drinks or permits his mind
to brood on his cares, wrongs or troubles OF
any kind.
Possibilities of Life
Flourens believes that man should live
100 years, and asesrts that life may be ex-
ceptionally prolonged beyond that period
''under certain conditions Of comfort, So
briefly, freedom from care, regularity of
habits and observance of the rules OF hy-.
giene," and then adds this aphorism: MAN
kills himself rather than dies.
Modern life is too full of luxury, dissipa-
ton, corruption, excitement and vice to pro-
duce many long-lived people. The higher
the pressure the shorter the duration of
existence Moderation in everything, mode
OF living, food, exercise and pleasure is the
true method of peserving good health and
prolonging life.
If you think it is too much trouble to pur-
cIIe this course. then go on, Inducing in
your excesses, mental and physical, keep