The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-05
DR.. |. L. Nascher, in His Interesting
New Book, Says the Most Important
Measure in Defe1ring Old Age Is
Making People Take an Interest
i'm Life anu Discusses Other Ways
of Prolonging Youth.
By DR. William Prescott Appleton
By DR. William Prescott Appleton

ana 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 accom- plished there
Will be little difficulty in dealing with the old.
The other principal hygienic measures are
1000 ana exercise. Cleanliness and clothing are
secondary, for, Notwithstanding the Importance
oil cleanliness from esthedc point OF view.
many reach advanced old age who have rarely
taken a 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 atte&tion 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 az
ertion for the old man who has no attendant to
heip him in and out of the tub. A tepid bath
once week will accomplish all that is neces.
sary in the case of the aged but daily ablutions
OF the hands face and neck should be insisted
upon. The common laundry soap should not DO
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 sweatins)
washing with Florida water or cologne yate-
and powdering the part with mixture OF
stearate OF zinc and salcylic 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 woonens all the year round.
In Winter heavy underwear win keep them
warmer than 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.
Whhe the poorer surface circulation in the
lower limbs makes them especially liable to
chilblalns, frost bites and frozen feet and toes
This is a frequent cause of senile gangrena
The same precaution need not be taken with
the race. 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 not.
Apparently Insignificant. yet really OF great
importance, says Dr. Nascher,' lis the cane
upon which. the old 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 main tain fairly erect posi-
lon' ana IL he uses II as soon as he begins to
notlce the tendency 10 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 interyertebral discs.
The cane should be sufficiently long SO that
when the point is on the ground at the distance
OIL the ordinary step from the body the user
VIII not DE 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 intestine,
and by the metabolic activity and assimilation
me sen1ie organism requires less food 1t can
dispose of less food, and less is assimila ted
oWing TO the changes in the stomach digestion
is slower and weaker. With bad teeth the food
is not properly masticated. consequently 1t is
swallowed in Jumps, which are digested with
dlnicnny or not at all. Dentistry can remedy
this defect and here again it is often necessary
10 play upon the old mans pride in appearance
70 lnauce MIN 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, Tor their natural vanity induces them to