The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-01
H u M P H R { y S
CHANGES OF OLD AGE.
A Possible Way to Avert Them Is
Suggested.

Suggested.
DR.. Albert Saitz in the Medical Record.
In the study of living forms from the
protocol 10 the mammals, and from The
prototypes to the seed plants, we find
certain changes and conditions eharac-
teristic of old age. In the human sub
ject the principal changes which we note
are arophic and degenerative 10 their ma
ture. The muscles and glands and the
parts more especially involved in senile
trophy although other soft parts are al
fected TO some extent There is a dimin-
ution in size of the cellular elements,
though without involving anw essential
change in their structure. The muscular
fibres become small and are said TO lake
on more uniformity of size, while the spleen
and Emphatic glands undergo a remark
able diminuton in weight and size, which
increases as age advances. There is also
some shrinking in volume of the glandu-
lar structures of the digestive tract. Where
ever fat has accumulated it gradually
wastes away. 1t is said that atrophy be-
gins to take place before degeneration
commences. Elementary and fatty infil-
trations of the elements are common, as
are also calcareous incrustations. AS an
instance of the location OF this fatty de
generation, muscular fires, both volun-
tary and involuntary, might be mentioned
1t is also found in blood vessels especially
the terminal arteries of the brain, and to
some extent in the nerve cells and in the
parenchyma of glanduar organs.
Elementary infiltration, it is claimed, is
not so frequently met with as is fatty in
filtration. In the pineal gland, an hga-
ments, cartlages tenders, and the walls
of arteries calcareous deposits are COM
mon. In the brain and spinal cord the
neuroglia increases until 1t frequently pre-
dominates over the nervous element, and
there is a tendency to the deposition of
amylaceous bodies in these parts The
fatty elements of the brain are diminish
ed. while the water and phosphorus are
increased in quantity.
The hight and weight of the body on ac-
count of these changes are diminished, the
bodv as a whole being shorter and lighter
while it's individual parts are also lessen
ed in size with the exception of the heart
and kidneys. The heart as rule is by
Dertrophied while the kidneys are at
least the size they were in middle life.
Changes take place in the skin, rendering
it dry and wrinkled, the hair becomes thin
and white, the teeth drop out, the body
bends. These changes induce general
decrease IN vigor; the power of the mus
cles is lessened; the combustion going on
in the body is diminished, as is shown by
decrease in the amount of carbonic-acid
gas exhaled The vital capacity of the
lungs is decreased, although there is a
ouickening of the respiratory rhythm. The
pulse rate rises, the secretions are dimin
of ri
Such. briefly stat ted, are some Of the char
acteristics of old age. This period of life
is more liable 10 certain diseases, as those
due TO arterio-sclerosis, 10 certain forms
of rheumatism and govt, and so on.
What produces these changes in the
body which drag us down to the grave?
Is there no way TO retard or prevent them?
If we could obviate them even in a meas
ure. how great would be the benefit. ana
with what rejoicing would the earth's in
babitants hail the discovery, especially
those among them who have begun to en-
ter the shadows which gather about LIES
evening. In the cycle through which a
portion of the material world revolves,
from the organic to the inorganic, from the
living to the dead and back again to the
living it would appear that as Old age
approac hes, the material of the animal
body takes on more and more the nature
of the inorganic and becomes more and
more akin to the mineral world When an
individual starts in life he appears to be
endowed with certain power or ability to
maintain his status m the highly organ
lied animal world, and to resist largely
the tendency OF his tissues to become in
their chemical nature more nearly akin to
the mineral kingdom.
What this power consist in I do not
know. but it seems to be greatly impaired
nv age Now, if by introducing into the
body certain agents which might render
the excess Of accommodating mineral mat
Ter more soluble, so that 1t could be more
easily eliminated from the body, we might
get rid of one element that contributes
largely to the deterioration and degenera-
zion that come with old age Again. all
animal and vegetable tissues when. young
Dossess in a large measure this resistance
toward the changes that take pace i'm Sc
nility Then, why would it not be a FEAST
bic. and rational idea for those who are
approachiag the period of life when senile
changes begin to make their appearance
10 take as rourishment only the tissues
of young animals and vegetables, and
thereby supplement their waning power or
resistance with that of those organisms
which containt 1t in abundance? And !
a:so. as we now have process of treat
ing certain diseased conditions OF different !
organs of the body with the products of
the corresponding organs OF animal bodies !
(and / believe with some success), why |
could benefit not be derived by admins.
tering the quintessence of the organs to |
young and healthy animals to those whose
bodies are beginning to show the effects
of age and in. that way furnish them ar
tihciany with the power 10 resist the en-.
croachments of time? Two or three times |
a year. for instance, we might administer
this treatment for week or two at a |
., nd hal Wa nfeyI,f
retard in this way the capture of lifes !
citadel by the kingN Of the glass; and |
gcythe?
-e-p-o
"A Future Diplomnt-"Do you believe |
IN Santa CLAUSE" Little Frankie-.You |