Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-11
OLD ACE DISEASE
THAT'S DURABLE?
French Scientist Claims Life
May Be Prolonged by Use
of Serums.
HOLDS iNFIRMITY A "BUG''
Organizes Society Of Optimists, Hop
ing to Prove Fountain of
Youth Real.


the land of perpetual youth, or
something like 1t, which exists in
the mythology of nearly every race
and country, will be discovered one
of these days, according to Professor
Elio Metchnikoff, the noted micro
scopist.
Before society in Paris called
the Optimists, Professor Metchnikoff
told of experiments conducted by
himself which led to the conviction
that old age is germ and not an
| inevitable condition that cannot be
eradicated. The Optimists' society
! comprises in it's membership many
persons distinguished in science,
philosophy, literature, diplomacy,
medicine and art, and also soldiers
and aviators. Nine. d'Agincourt is
the high priestess.
The object of the society, as its
name indicates, is to look on the
bright side Of things. Professor
Metchnikoff certainly adhered tc
that fundamental principle in hold
ing out hope that the spring which
Ponce de Leon sought in Florida
exists in every land where science
is progressive.
OLD AGE Is A GERM.
According to what Professor
Metchnikoff told the Optimists, hi.
. inquiries into the reasons for menta
, and physical decay in the human an
imal had extended over a period O
many years. A close observer and /,
persistent experimenter, he had &C
cumulated a mass of material which
T had convinced him that old age wa
not a mere wearing out of the human
, machine but malady with a specifi
. germ.
Further experiments, he said, ha,
located the virus which was inher
ent in every human being. In mol
NAL life it was thrown off as year
progressed, until finally it seized o.
mans vitality, causing the hair t
turn gray, the skin to wrinkle an
the limbs and essential organs t
deteriorate.
Professor Metchnikoff worked ou
his theory into the conviction tha
the kidneys and the main digestiv
tube are the principal seats of tn
germ. Going further he prepare
serums with which he treated anthol
poid apes. The outcome of thi
treatment, he said. confirmed his col
. lectures in every particular. TIL
young monkeys showed symptoms c
old age after short period of tn
administration Of Injections, bu
this was not accompanied by an
acute disease in any organ. Aft.
month or so a 9-months-old mol
key had all the appearance and a.
tions of advanced years.
LIFE IS NOT PERPETUAL.
To these statements Professc
Metchnikoff added the assertion tha
his experiments had progressed t
point where only step or two wa
required to find the remedy. He e,
pressed the belief that as inocul
tion for smallpox and diphtheri
would give immunity from these di
eases, so the lower animals could
freed from the ravages of age an
the human animal could have h
life prolonged beyond the usual pc
10 dby protective serum. Not thu
life could be prolonged indefinitel
in man, he explained, but he believe
| that a span Of considerable lengt
could be added.
H Professor Metchnikoff has been
| persistent advocate of the theoI
that life could be prolonged throug
artificial means and his advocacy
| a preparation based on sour milk Il
that purpose was followed by grei
vogue of this preparation and XII
dred lacteal foods in England, Anne
ica and the continent of Europe.