Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-12-29
The New ElIxir Of Life.

4
legged discovery by Prof Metchnlkoff
Of the Pasteur Institute of a series ol
lymphs each OF which will rejuyenate
particular organ of the body again
brings forward a theme which has at
tracted the eager attention of man
kind from the earliest days 1t Is
pointed out that If the different organs
Of the body can be each reviviied, then
the effect that could be naturally ex-
pected would be the physical regenera-
tlon of the whole man and a consider
able prolongatlon of his average age
OF course, speculation viii not stoI
here. If the organs can be rejuvenat-
ed once, 1t is to be presumed that the
process can be repeated again and
again, and so the long sought elixir OF
perpetual youth and continuous life
will be at last discovered. CT course
even IL such discovery were made, II
would benefit but portion o fthe race
There would still remain the risk of
death from accident, which would des-
troy completely many organs nece-
sary to the continuance of life. Many
of the casualties of war would also
still continue to be beyond the aid of
the elixir. Millions would also contln-
lie to indulge in habits which would
have such deleterious effect upon some
Of the vital organs as to place the lat
ter beyond all hope of any permanent
rejuvenation by the precious elixir.
The society of really Ancient and Hon
orables would therefore not be a very
large one, and there would probably
be more ancients without the affix than
with it, because it is TO be feared that
the old adage that he good die young
would continue to have much truth in
| it.
But even those who successfully
used the elixir would probably in time
come to spurn its aid. The matter of
living forever upon this earth they
would come to find very serious and
arduous undertaking. The physical
rejuvenation would not be accompan-
led by an entire new deal mentally and
morally The brain faculties might
! be relnvigorated, but memory would
not be obliterated Sorrow would still
make its mark there and while lapse
of years would assuage the hurt of
soma particular afIliction other rev
ones would be continually crowdlng
The mind until it's weight of woe
would become intolerable and death
woulS be welcomed and perhaps
sought.
When Methuselah came to the end
of his 969 years of life he probably
viewed his coming decease as the most
gratifying thing in his experience.
And he had a comparatively easy time
of it, compared with the fate of man
of like age at the present day. For in
Methuselah's time there were a lot CT
other people who were somewhere
near his own age. His father, Enoch,
lived 365 years and didn't die even
then, being translated TO heaven in or
der that ne might not see death. Me-
thuselah also had the companionshlp
of his grandfather, Jared, who lived
for over 700 years after his grandson IS
birth Methuselah also had the comp
any Of his own son, Lamech, for TT
years, and in fact outllved him by five
years, and also that of his grandson,
Noah, for several hundred years, so
that he did, not become friendless and
lonely. Then also the customs Of those
days did not change in a thousand
years as much as they do now in a
century, so that altogether Methusellh
hat an easy time of it compared with
The fate of a patriarch of like age al
the present day.
A modern Methuselah might as a
youth of 20 have fought at Hastings
with William the Conquerer in 106t
and still have 116 years of life ahead
of him. Or he might have been born
as far back as A. D. 931 and still live
through the coming year. If, in his
boyhood he had known a patriarch
who diad then after attaining the same
age as Msthuse,ah, the modern imita-
tor of the latter would today upon the
authority of the friend of his youth be
able TO definitely put at rest the ques-
tlon as to when the Twentieth century
began. Even though the modern Me-
thuselah were today really more than
10 centuries old he would find a lot OF
people likely to impeach his testimony
as to what occurred in his boyhood
days, And right here is subject
which suggests how unhappy would be
the lot of the oldest i1habitant pro
duCed by means of 'the elixir of life
He would always be telling stories
which other folks would be adducing
the alleged facts of history to refutt
and the chances, are that he would
come in time to hold a reputation faI
below that of Ananlas, A modern
MethCselah would be an awkward per
son to have around. He could always
be expected to out-tell the very best
story told by any one else,an to brand
The supposed newest yarn as one
which he first heard just after the bat
tie of Hastings. The deepest snow, the
worst wearher,the greatest flood would
all be reduced by him frcm black let