Evening journal., 1899-05-30
WHAT OLD AGE MEANS.
Changes in the DSdy That Arc
wrought by the Pass
ting NenrA.

lUUUlllOIk
In the human subject the principal
changes which we note are atrophie
and degenerative in their nature. The
muscles and glands are the parts more
especially involved in senile atrophy,
although other soft parts are affected
TO some extent. There is dimunition
In size of the cellular elements. though
withoutinvolving any essential change
in their structure. The muscular
fibers become small and are said TO
take on more uniformity of size, while
the spleen and Emphatic glands un-
dergo a remarkable dimunition in
weight and size, which increases as age
advances. There is also some shrink
ing in volume OF the glandular struc-
lures of the digestive tract. Wherever
fat has accumulated it gradually
wastes away. 1t is said that atrophy
begins to take place before degenera-
ton commences. Elementary and
fatty infiltrations Of the elements are
common, as are also calcacerous in
crustations. As an instance Of the To-
cation of this fatty degeneration,
muscular fibers, both voluntary and
involuntary, might be mentioned. 1t
is also found in blood vessels, especial
" the terminal arteries of the brain,
and to some extent in the nerve cells
and in the parenchyma of glandular
organs. Elementary infltration, it is
claimed, is not so frequently met with
as is fatty infiltration. In the psneal
gland, in ligaments, cartilages, ten
dons and the walls of arteries cal
careous deposits are common In the
brain and spinal cord the neuralgia in
creases until it frequently predom-
mates over the nervous element, and
there is tendency TO the deposition
of amylaceous bodies in these parts.
The fatty elements of the brain are
diminished while the water and phos-
phorus are increased IN quantity.
The height and weight of the body
on account of these changes are dimin-
ished, the body as a whole being short
err and lighter while its individual
parts are also lessenedin size, with the
exception of the heart and kidneys.
The heart. as rule, is hypertrophied,
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 a general de-
crease in vigor; the power Of the mus
cles is lessened; the combustion going
on in the body is diminished, as IS
| shown by a decrease in the amount OF
corbonic acid gas exhaled The vital
capacity OF the lungs Is decreased. al
though there is a quickening Of the
respiratory rhythm The pulse rate
rises. the secretions are diminished
and the quantity of urine is less. Such
briefly stated. are some Of the charac
j terlstics OF old age This period oil
life is more liable to certain diseases
as those due to arterio-sclerosis, to Ger
tain forms OF rheumatism and govt
and so on.
What produces these changes In th'
! body which drag us down 10 III,
grave? Is there no way 10 retard o.
prevent them? If we could obviat'
them, even in measure, how grea
would be the benefit and with whatr
ioicing would the eOrth's inhabitant
hail the discovery, especially thos
among them who have begun 10 ento
p the shadows which gather about life
evening! In the cycle through which
r a portion of the material world re
S voives-from the organic 10 the inor
Q ganic, from the living to the dead an,
$ back again to the living-it would az
pear that, as old age approaches, tn
: material of the animal body takes OF
J more and more the nature of the inol
ganic and becomes more and NOR
= akin to- the mineral world When q
individual starts in life he appears {
be endowed with a certain power o
ability 10 maintain his status in tn
II highly organized animal world and I
= resist largely the tendency Of his If
n sues TO become in their chemical u;
ture more nearly akin to the minerr
D, kingdom.
g What this power consists in ] do nc
IL know but IL seems to be greatly in
paired by age. Now. il by introdu,
le ing into the body certain agents While
might render the excess Of accumula
. ing mineral matter more soluble. s
that Il could be more easily eliminate
is from the body, we might get rid Of on
r. element that contributes largely I
the deterioration and degeneratio
"a that come with old age Again. Q
IN animal and vegetable tissues whe
young possess in a large measure III
s resistance toward the changes this
~ take place in sonilty. Then. VII
u would it not be q feasible and ration
idea for those who are approachir
* the period of life when senile chang
begin 20 make their appearance
take as nourishment only the tissue
Of young animals and vegetables al
81, thereby supplement their waningpo'
No er of resistance with that CT those O
"a ganisms which contain il in abu
H. dance? And, also as we now have
IS process of treating certain discas,
conditions Of different organs Of Il
body with the products Of the corr
spending organs of animal bodies Gar
sd l believe with some success). WI
to could benefit not be derived by adni
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