The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-08-10
WHERE RESPONSIBILITY IN
HEALTH MATTERS IS PLACED
Long Life in Florida

One of the most interesting ar
ticles we have read in a long time
was given in last Sundays Tampa
Tribune, and was written by G.
M. Randall, NJ. d., under the cap
ton, ."Why Floridians Are
Longer Lived. This article should
have the very widest publicity
Editors cannot perform a higher
duty to the state and humanity
than from time to time to empha-
seize the more salient points in
this splendid article. Probably the
most effective way to present this
would be by giving excerpts than
presenting it as a whole because
of its length. An intelligent per-
son can see at a glance that this is
not an ordinary boost article, but
that it is written by . man
thoroughly informed as to the
scientific reasons for longevity in
Florida. The following paragraphs
represent some of the things Dr.
Randall said in his discussion of
this interesting question
"In studying so far as possible
the lives of 1880 men who have
lived upwards of 100 years from
Methusaleh to the present, the
writer can but observe that with
but sixty-fve exceptions they
have lived in the semi-tropics, and
incidently / would state that So
per cent. of the 1880 were practi-
cally vegetarians.
"Some factors of longevity
which obtain in Florida are these
No sudden changes of tempera-
ture and humidity. The temper
ature more nearly approaches the
normal body temperature. Less
energy or combustion, spoken of
in scientific language as 'oxida-
ton, is required to maintain nor
NAL bodily heat There is in con-
sequence less waste of products to
be eliminated or carried out of the
system leaving less burden on the
organs concerned in the carrying
out, or away, these products of
tissue waste and change, the prin-
cipal of which are the kidneys and
mucous membrane of the lNngs.
The skin is more active and takes
on the work of elimination which
further lessons the work of the
more vital organs. 1t has been
said by good medical men that
man or woman is as old as his
kidneys.
These sudden changes of tenn
perature and humidity engender
catarrhal inflammation of the nose,
throat and lungs, which favors
all sorts of infections, such as
pneumonia, diphtheria, tuberculo-
sis, infantile paralysis, and many
other diseases which Florida. is
comparatively immune from. In-
fantile paralysis, which is just
now disturbing the north ten per-
ate zone, will never be a factor in
the south temperate zone because
the point of entrance and infcc-
ton is the vase pharyngeal mu-
cous membrane made susceptible |
by catarrhal inflammation and al |
ways on the increase during pro- |
longed cold and wet seasons.
--'~"ida in summer is a safe
and heathful climate, much more |
50 than Maine, Massachusetts,
Connecticut Illinois or many
northern states. 1t is warm for
a longer time; July, August and
September run about the same.
The middle of the day is hot in
the sun, but not hot in the.- shade,
and there is nearly always
breeze; the nights are invariably
refreshing.
One important reason why
tlorida is Increasing in wealth
Ind population faster than any
other state in the Union is the
TACT that the healthfulness of the
state as whole is coming to be
understood by conservative men in
he north. Arcadia News.