The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-04-29
PEOPLE WHO LIVE LONGEST.

Long life is not an accident. 1t is
not even an inheritance for the in.
heritance ofplysical vitality sufficient
to make a centenarian may be dis
sipated in twenty years ofriotous liv-
ing. The scion of a long-lived race
may die early Gas he often has) of
debility or wasting disease induced by
unhygienic living. On the other
hand, small stock of vital force
husbanded carefully may often pro-
long life to healthy and efficient old
age.
A careful examination will show
that certain physical characteristics
are usually associated with longevity.
Perhaps the most noticeable of these
is carriage. Ninety-nine out of 100
people have curvature of the spine.
The octogenarian is the hundredth
man. His spine is straight line,
his head erect, his chest broad and
deep. This means that vital organs
are properly supported by the attach
ments provided by nature, and they
do not rest upon and crowd each 9TH
er. The heart, lungs, stomach, liver
and kidneys are thus enabled to do
their work unimpeded and their
activity in providing food for the
tissues and in removing waste matter
(Which is the prime cause Of disease)
is a potent factor in longevity. A
large trunk, with legs short in pro-
portion, 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
important, is the habit of slow, deep
respiration. The oxygen is the only
real food, for only the matter oxidiz-
ed in the system becomes tissue.
Deep, full breathing means an i'm
mensely increased amount of oxygen
ingested and an equally augmented
quantity of poisonous matter elimina-
ted by the lungs. Mental quietude
is essential to proper breathing. The
excited man, the emotional individ-
ual who suffocates with JOY, palpi-
tates with enthusiasm, chokes with
rage, gasps with establishment, sighs
from the intensity of his attachments
the emotional individual by every
inequality in his respiration abbrevi-
ates his life.
Another physical characteristic Of
longevity, most important of all and
seldom or never noticed, is ease and
respone of movement. The old per-
son-the hale, vigorous, healthy old
man-moves easily, lightly, silently.
He has always moved that way. That
is the reason he is here now instead of
with the others who, with their gasps
and sighs, their clinched brows and
twirling thumbs, their intense emo
ton and little complaints, are gone
and forgotten. Ease of movements
and grace depend upon muscular re-
laxtion. Muscular relaxtion is i'm
possible except when the mind~is
tranquil.
A fourth popularity OF those VINO
live long is that they are invariably
small eaters. Gourmands die young.
The octogerarian is always frugal.
The enormous physiological task of
digesting and excreting daily pounds
of food not needed by the organism is
not performed by the frugal eater,
and SO he has the more vitality to ex-
pend in thought, in working, and in
living out 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 sub
iect of longevity, but little to-day
possesses any beyond merely liter
ary interest. :.
The influence of occupation, OF
climate, of stimulants, of location, of
race, and of breeding upon longevity
opens interesting fields for discussion
but affects the matter only indirectly.
To recapitulate The four lead
ing characteristics of the individual
who attains longevity are large throat,
deep, full, slow breathing, muscular
relaxation, and frugal habits regard
ing diet. Cnltn,e.