Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-06-28

rate d1leT lie are VI Tic oCSCA-
erative class, involving the heart, blood
vessels and kidneys. Indeed. where
! one of the conditions exists the others
usually are present to a greater or
lesser degree.
These conditions may be due to nerve
strain affecting the heart and arteries
or to the circulation in the blood Of
poisonous principles, the products of
indigestion and insufficient combustion.
In fact, these troubles are usually the
result of intemperance in eating, drink
ing, working or playing.
Degenerative Diseases.
A most commendable and enthusi-
astic campaign is being waged against
tuberculosis and other infectious dis
eases, but deaths from heart disease.
kidney trouble. paralysis, ETC.. excite
no comment and are taken as a matter
of course. The death rate from tuber-
culosis has been reduced about so per
cent in the past thirty years, while
during that same period the death rate
in the United States registration area
from diseases of heart, blood vessels
and kidneys has increased 1O5 per
cent.
This is nut to crack for well mean
ing people who shut their eyes to all
that is unpleasant and sinister in our
civilization and hug the thought that
the world is necessarily growing better
every day.
The mean duration Of life has IN
dOubtedly greatly increased in the past
century, but the increase is due to the
lowering Of the death rate among
young people. After middle life there
has been a decided increase in the
death rate. At least the evidence avail
able in this country warrants this be-
lief. No such increase is shown by
British statistics until the age of sixty
five is reached
The high cost of living may be a
factor in that the struggle for exist
ence is harder and involves more
however, that too much prosperity is a
, much more potent cause of the high
! mortality at the advanced ages.
The amount Of food that is wasted
in the average American family is ap
palling, and this surplus of nutrition
= combined with the strenuous life an(
= Incorporate habits fostered by oul
= rapidly developing and complex civ
, ilization, may we'll account for the re
] | grettable increase in the mortality
| from degenerative diseases,
Principles of Prevention.
AS | have already suggested. goo(
start in childhood thrice arms a MAJ
= against these degenerative affections
But the strongest constitution in ma
turity may yield to abuse. and tn
, | time is coming when the man wht
throws away the splendid asset O
sound health will be looked upon as
social enemy. Since the degenerativ
affections that lead to premature oil
| age are the result of intemperance
using the term in it's broadcast sense
temperance, also used in it's widest sig
D1icance, is the keynote of prevention
Importance of Exercise.
is a slowing down of the vital activi
ties a Discrimination for exercise oftel
develops. This is to a certain exten
normal. The man of forty who at
tempts to keep up with football, base
ball or even tennis is taking heav,
chances. The strain on heart and ar
| terleS may lead to chronic change
more than counterbalancing the bene
tit from exercise But with the aban
donment of active sports and with neg
'ect to exercise there is often an in
crease in the amount of food am
stimulants taken. and with increasin.
business care. or social activities th
furnace becomes clogged''
1t is important. therefore. to pre-
serve proper balance in these things
Slow down in the matter of StrenuOu
competitive exercise, but get enough
exercise to burn up your food and pre-
Y vent the accumulation of fat and foo,
poisOns.
: Slow down in the matter Of diet ant
Go not let the pleasures of the tab
tempt you to gradually increased in
dulgence in rich food as the more &C
tive pleasures of life are relinQuished
Golf, billiards, hill climbing. hunt
i ing, fishing, are all beneficial forms o
n exercise which may be INDUCED ia
into old age.
Alcohol In Old AGE.
1t used to be thought that wine wa
, a good stimulant in old age, but th
W1sest physicians now pronounc
against this view. There is no SCUM
s physiological reason why alcoho
n should be beneficial in old age, and il
= clinical practice it is found to be in
furious. How the feeble tissues of tn
q aged can be benefited by a cell poiso
J. like alcohol it is difficult to conceive.
{. Value of Bathing.
n Regular bathing, preferably the COG
l. shower or plunge. by keeping up
IL good skin action relieves the heart an