South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-06
Dangers Of Middle
Age
BY Ada Patterson

The state health department of
New York has told how everyone
may live five years longer than he
otherwise would. 1t has told US that
while the chances for life OF children
have increased il years that for the
person over As they have been short
ened to two. Like the red light fam
ing down the railroad track is its
warning. Beware Danger!
Two words occur very often in its
solemn warning and its serious ad-
vice. Excess, moderation, modera-
ton. excess. Your chances Of life lie
in moderation. Your practical GER
tainty OF shortened life is in excess.
This is a life of free will Choose.
That. in effect is the wisdom of the
New York health department. and il
sums the wisdom of all the health de-
partments OF all the ages
The state health department has
made a discovery The peoples of
England and Sweden have learned
how 10 live. Their death rate after
middle age is dropping considerable
percentage. Who does ours rise?
The answer 10 the question lies in
the two of 10 reiterated words of our
good advisers. Moderation, on one
hand, on the other excess.
Whatever Americans do they are
liable 10 do excessively, so the de
partment tells us But drop into any
English or Swedish assemblage and
witness the calm that overlays their
deliberations. their sports their bust
ness discussions. Again moderation.
There is a hint to the wise, and the
Americans are without doubt wise
They are shrewd. Their minds work
with lightning like Quickness Sup
pose every American should sit down
and think upon those two words:
Excess, moderation. What does it do
to excess? he may ask himself
Eat? Probably. Drink? Probab-
~ Rest? Almost certainly no.
Sleep? Again, almost certainly no.
Work? Yes the American who
works almost always works to excess
especially if he be a man who works
with his brain. Plays? Perhaps, but
only a small number Of persons are
disposed, or have the opportunity, to
play too much.
The health department advises
everyone who has passed 40. and in
sists that everyone who is 10 or more
shall consult his physician at least
once a year. Better if it were every
six months. Thus the weak points
will be discovered and the physician
can tell him and he can himself sup
plement the information, how to
change. in one particular. or many,
the methods Of living, so that he may
secure the promised extra five years
of life.
The health department makes a
further point well worth our thought.
At 40 a person has reached the time
of his greatest usefulness. 1t can be
indefinitely prolonged if he wills that
it shall.
One point, overlooked by that same
wise health department. or left to
own discovery is this: Forty-fve is
the age of dignity. not of folly. Our
thoughts and our acts should match
and both should have the calm and
power of LIES high sun. 1t is the
age at which to garner and apply the
wisdom gained by the experience Of
all the years before. It is not too
| late to turn over a new leaf" 1t is
not impossible to begin again. But
! it is the age at which no excuse of
! immaturity will be accepted. Then
or never the world eXacts of a man
! his best.
1t is the time when he should pay
| his rent for the space he has occu-
! pied in the world He should give
| back much for much given him.
| Then if ever he should be able TO say
I to the young, walk by my lamp. 1t
sheds the light of the experience
/ which hath profted."