Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-12
DR.. |. L. Nascher, in His Interesting
New Book, Says the Most Important
Measure in Defezring Old Age Is
Making People Take an Interest
in Life and Discusses Other Ways
of Prolonging Youth.
By DR. William Prescott Appleton
By DR., William Prescott Appleton

and the old man feels young again. Whatever
the means may be, the end to be attained Is
the same, therefore, mental activity must be
encouraged, and pride in personal appearance
stimulated. II this much is accomplished there
will be little difficulty in dealing with the old.
The other principal hygienic measures are
food and exercise Cleanliness and clothing are
secondary for notwithstanding the Importance
of cleanliness from an esthetic point of view.
many reach advanced old age who have rarely
taken bath and who have had little choice
in the selection of clothing. Fresh air is neces-
sary, and the air of the country Is better than
the air of the city.
The aged pay less attention to the calls OF
nature. The family should not place too much
reliance upon the patients assurance that it is
"all right" daily bath entails too much
ertion for the old man who has no attendant to
help MIN in and out of the tub. tepid bath
once a week will accomplish all that is neces-
Bary in the case of the aged, but daily additions
OF the hands, face and neck should be insisted
upon. The common laundry soap should not be
used as 1t makes the skin excessively dry.
Either mild soap like CASTLE soap or plain
borax can be employed, and sea salt or com.
mon salt should be used for the bath.
For the bromidrosis offensive sweatingl.
washing with Florida water cologne water
and powdering the part with a mixture OF
stearate of zinc and salicylic acid will generally
relieve and may cure this condition. AS the
surface temperature of the body is generally
low, and the aged do not perspire rapidly, they
should wear warm woollens all the year round.
warmer than a heavy overcoat, and there is
less weight to carry.
The legs and feet should be especially looked
after, as the lessened surface sensibility makes
the aged less sensitive to temperature changes,
while the poorer surface circulation in the
lower limbs makes them especially liable to
chilblains frost bites and frozen feet and toes.
This is a frequent cause of senile gangrene
The same precaution need not be taken with
the face, but in very cold weather the ears
should be protected.
An important article of wear is the shoe,
which should be selected with due regard for
corns, bunions, hammer-toes and broken-down
arches. 1t should have rubber heels and arch
supporters, whether there are broken-down
arches or not
Apparently insignificant, yet really OF great
Importance" says DR.. Nascher. lis the cane
upon which the old man depends for support
when the senile HYPNOSIS and waste of the mus
cles OF the back make him stoop. With the
cane he is able to maintain fairly erect posi-
ton, and if he uses it as soon as he begins to
notice the tendency to Stoop or to fall into the
attitude OF the SLOUGH he will keep erect
and lessen the strain upon the back muscles
ana the compression OF the intervertebral discs.
The cane should be sufficiently long so that
when the point is on the ground at the distance
OF the ordinary step from the body the user
Will not be obliged to stoop over when grasping
the handle. Most canes are too short, and the
man must do the very thing the cane is In.
tended to prevent"
The diet of the aged must be regulated by
the state OF the teeth, stomach and intestines
and by the metabolic activity and assimilation.
The senile organism requires less food, it can
dispose of less food, and less is assimiated
Owing to the changes in the stomach digestion
is slower and weaker. With bad teeth the food
is not properly masticated, consequently it is
swallowed in Jumps, which are digested with
difficulty or not at all Dentistry can remedy
this defect and here again it is often necessary
to play upon the old mans pride in appearance
to induce him to undergo the annoyance and
sometimes positive distress connected with the
making and wearing of artificial teeth Women
submit to these discomforts more readily than
men, for their natural vanity induces them to