The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-21
MARKS OF LONG LIFE.
Four Characteristics of individuals
Who Attain Longevity.

Long life Is not an accident. 1t is not
even an inheritance, for the Inheritance
of physical vitality sufficient to make
centenarian may be dissipated away in
20 years of riotous living. The scion of
a long lived race may die early las he
often has died) of debility or wasting dis
ease induced by unhygienic living. On the
other hand, a small stock of vital force
husbanded carefully may often proIong
life to healthy and efficient old age.
A careful examination will show that
certain physical characteristics are usual
ly associated with longevity. Perhaps
the most noticeable Of these Is carriage.
Ninety-nne out Of Il hundred people
have curvature of the spine. The octo-
genarian is the hundredth man. His
spine is n straight line, his head erect.
his chest broad and deep. This means
that the vital organs are" properly sup
ported by the attachments provided by
nature and that they do not rest upon
and crowd each other. The heart. lungs.
stomach. liver and kidneys are thus en-
abed to do their work uninprded, and
their activity in providing food for the
ISSUES and in removing waste natter
which is the prime cause Of diseases a
potent factor in longevity. A large trunk,
with legs short in proportion. straight
spine and an erect carriage are among
the most obvious characteristics Of those
who attain great age.
Another Characteristic, less evident to
the unframed observer, but equally i'm
portant, is the habit Of slow, deep res
pration. The oxygen is the only real
fpad Tn np1y th,, II,
system becomes tissue. Deep, full breath
ing means an Immensely increased
amount Of oxygen ingrstcd and an equal
ly augmented quantity of poisonous mat
ter eliminated by the lungs. Mental
quetude is essential to proper breathing.
The excited man. the emotional indvid-
ual, who suffocates with joy, palpitates
with enthusiasm, chokes with rage,
gasps with establishment. signs from the
intensity of his attachmcnts-the emo.
tionul individual by every inequality in
his respiration abbreviates his life.
Another physical characteristic Of lon
gcylty, most important Of all and sell
dom or never noticed. is ease and repose
Of movement. The old person-the hale,
vigorous. healthy old man-moves easily,
lightly, silently. He has always moved
that way. That's the reason he Is here
now instead Of with the others who,
with their gasps and signs. their clinchpd
brows and twir!ing thumbs, their intense
emotions and little complaints. are gone
and forgotten. Ease Of movement aud
grace depend upon muscular relaxation.
Muscular relaxation is impossible except
when the mind is tranquil.
A fnurtb nnnulinrity ..f th.,n ,,,kr Iu,
long is that they are invariably small
eaters. Commands die young The &C.
togcnarian is always frugal. The enor-
nous physiological task of dgcsting
and cxcretng daily pounds Of food not
needed by the organism is not performed
by the frugal eater. and so he has the
more vitality to cXpend in thought. in
working and in living ont his century.
We live not SO much because of what we
eat as because of what we do not eat.
Much has been written on the subject of
longevity. but little that today possesses
any beyond merely literary interest.
The influence Of occupation, Of climate.
of stimulants, Of location. Of race and
breeding upon longevity opens interesting
fields for discussion, but affects the mat.
ter only indirectly.
To rccnptuatc The four leading char
acteristics Of the individual who attans
longevity are large thorax, deep. full
slow breathing, muscular relaxation and
frugal habits regarding diet. - Health
Culture.