The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-02
DR.. Osler Is Right.
All ~ = ;sTha 5YifrfI1Dlspatch!! 81

Editor oil The Yi1rk9Io\Spdlcn;fs lsf4s vi
he say 81; ak 1nsnte sixty years
old should be given e year tos sing Inns
read the Bible and prepare for eternity nit
and then be led as lambs to tbs slaug t1ter
and chloroformed at 0 death. " 3 q
I The Killing off the Old no doubt wa +
an original idea at one time, and 1t s ows
extensive research, in Or. osler, for which
he deserves great credit, to have redis-
covered SO to speak, such aR old, valu-
able and important fact in political econ
5on,y. Surely, all men; sixty years and
over, VIII rlse up and call him blessed,
especially delighted with the proposition.
since i t will be an ideal way of avoiding
the pains, aches and discomforts which
usually accompany old age. OF course,
those who are passed ~ the seventy or
eighty milestone will apologize for hav-
ing lived SO long, but 1T is right they
Should BIO shown clemency, and excused
on account of ignorance OF the benefits
of the Oslerized idea, which is and has
been practIced by savage and pagan ma
tions from time immemorial.
Although approaching the benefits Of
Oslerism. it is true our old granufathers
and grandmothers, already beyond the
age limit, teach us to read and write. to
reverence the Lord. to love one another,
and also warn us against the pitfalls set
for us by the sharpers under forty, when
we go out into the world to seek our
fortunes. S3
The above reasons may not be satisfac-
tory to the unthinking class; it is all
very plain to those of us who thoroughly
understand DR.. Osler's philosophy. In
his invincible arguments he cites the
customs of pagan Rome, which ought
to convince even the most doubtful old
man who is ripe for the anaesthetic, IL
any live after reading his article.
The greatest objection I can see to the
theory is merely Il moral one. The Bible
tells us to do no murders; to honor thy
fatherEand mother. that;thy days may be
long. God allowed Methuselah to live
some nine hundred and Ssixty-nine years,
which must have been a great burden to
his generation, or generations, | might
say; Noah ran a pretty big boat at the
age OF six hundred. and made a good.
safe landing; but no doubt he, was too old
for his job. To lIezekiah's LIE was added
fifteen years. This, Of course. was done
sometime before DR.. Osler advanced his
theory. From the Bible again comes the
command: Thou shalt not lie," and the
prayer: Lead us not into temptation
Now. when the chloroformer starts on
his rounds. fear there will be some lit
i tie temptationto lie among tho timld old.
who may not be in full sympathy with
the sixty-year limit. And 1T is my belief
in night some would become ten or
twenty years younger, and swear to the
Same right stoutly
would suggest a an amendment to
4 Dr. Osler's admirable scheme a gentle
determination of hat useless mass OF
humanity which Carlyle would class as
fools OF all ages. This would be very
beneficial to the human race. as 1t would
destroy the weak, unproductiYe n ella So
and i generate a much higher type OF
man, much more 80 than merely eXter-
gnoinating the old. Il 8;5H
But there might be some trouble III
carrying out this idea, as no fool could
heS induced to see the great benefits tc
himself OF his early removal. and, II We
were not careful, the fool and the re-
beIlious old might unite and fall upor
us Oslerltes and destroy us wise lnel
before wa could devise some pleasant
and acceptable death for them, and thus
cut us orr before wo had spent our full
number Of active years,
But these are 3 m " De ais W hlc p l0r
Osler car readily oyerconle What coult
be Il mere simple thu n to change this in
borE love Sof man to n live, to desire no
to SllYaI q Possibly anot article from
I I5p. Osler on the subj ect might do this.
M j would suggest that Y all Of us whe
agree With Dr. Oslo unl 70 In present TIM
I him NIL In a valuable leather medal for M
great rad,scovsry, and Al ter Ills dealt
erect over HIS grave d an n Ind Structtb BIZ