The Springfield herald., 1911-08-11

other quality. He inherits the tenden-
cy to live longer or chorter than the
grand average of his ancestors them
selves; and 1t is because OF the indis-
criminate mixing OF all degrees of this
potential life that the grand average
at present hovers over the decade be-
tween 10 and so years
But. says Metchnikoff. neutralize In
the body OF the man who dies at rs
the poisons generated by bacteria:
stop the ravages Of the phagocytes-
those soldier-cells o. the body that feed
OF the delicate mechanisms OF the
nerve cells-when Elan grows old
and your man Will live 80 years
longer.
Now here we have the test and turn
ing point of Metchnikoff's claim: II 100
years be the average of the healthy
mans !ife-bacterial poisons apart
some lives would be longer and some
shorter than tne average. according
to the inherited potential OF the indi-
vidual; and the indiscriminate mixing
of these potentials would leave the
race In relatively the same condition.
with reference to longevity. in which
1t now is. Some few men with low in
herited potential would die of old age
at 90: some would live to be two cen
turtles old: and the average life OF man
would hover around 12o years.
But there are some who go farther
than MetchnikofY and urge that the
science of the chemistry of life can ad-
vance no good reason why life should
not be prolonged for indefinite ages.
with the body In a state of buoyant
youth and health-if once the work
going on in the nucleus of the cell
could be even fairly understood.
Maupas. the French biologist. re-
juvenated" dying race of microscopic
animals whose bodies consisted OF
single cell. Now the human body is
merely great cosmos of cells held to-
gether. probably by ties too elusive
for the microscope or for experimental
demonstration. They can scarcely be
regarded as Independent individuals.
but they are true cells. none the less.
When a man dies and decays, we be-
hold the slow death of universe of
cells-infinite II measured from the
standpoint Of the infinitely little cells
composing 1t.
II this universe of cells-this great
family Of cell-races-could be rejuve-
mated. as Maupas rejuvenated his Par
amoecia. who can say that 1t would not
continue in life vortually without end?
Refreshen the nucleus-that micros-
copic organ whose activities determine
Inheritance. length of life, health and
the rest of it-and maintain 1t refresh.
ened. and man may live forever!
The Frenchman Leduc has recently
published the most fascinating results
of his work with artificial cells which
behave startlingly like the living cell
itself. Fischer. the German chemist.
has built up compounds Identical with
the complex compounds that form the
framework OF the living molecule.
Natural sugar-splitting ferments have
been found-ferments that split up
sugars that have no existence-so far
as Is known-in nature. but which
have been artificially made by synthe-
sis. The drug flenl can swallow with
impunity enough morphine to kill 100
men Christian Science can, and does,
through the central nervous system.
produce Ia the body results wholly In
expllcable by known facts of physiol-
ogy.
Why should not some of The re-
searchers now busy with the activities
of the nucleus hit upon a method
and they are trying-not only of re-
juvenating the nucleus. or the potent
stuff contained within 1t. but of keep
ing 1t young?
Insane dreams sometimes come true.
and sometimes the brass of yesterday
is the bullion of tomorrow.
Copyright. 1911. by the Columbia Press
Syndlcate)