New-York tribune., 1919-10-20
Elixir of Life
Believed Found
In Coast p rison
Gland Grating Operations
From Bodies of Hanged
Men Said to Meet Age.
Old Quest for You'll,
Mind and Vigor Restored
Prisoner of 73 Declares
He Feels Like Boy Again;
Ha!f-Wit Made Normal


Soecfrl Correspondence
San FRANCISCO. Oct. 19.=rhe elixir
OF life, the fountain of youth.
has at last been found in the belief
of hundreds of prisoners at San Quen-
tin.
With ten of their number tiourishing.
apparently-literally growing younger
rs the result Of operations performed
by DR.. Leo Stanley, the pen:tentiary
resident physician, and DR.. c. David
kelker. his assistant-the grating Of
the interstitial gland that is supposed
to restore youth and vitality is becom-
ing popular within the high walls of
the prison.
Experimenting Ten Years
The new operation, the transplanting
OF the interstitial gland from the body
OF hanged man to the body of q liv-
ing man, is but the latest, the most
pretentious development Of the surgery
which DR.. Stanley has been practicing
tor ten years within the prison walls.
lie is but 33 years OF age, quiet,
studious young man, man possessed
of the nerve which q surgeon must
have.
What DR.. Serge Voronoff has been
practicing upon animals in an effort
to restore vitality and thus perpetuate
life Dr.. Stanley has for more than a
year been practising upon men. The
idea. however, is not his, nor does he
claim it.
He makes no boasts, no predictions;
he does not even say that what he has
done will prove permanently succe s.
full. or BENEFICIAL. But, whatever the
ultimate, he is given credit for having
pioneered to this extent without ever
having seen the operation performed
he himself performed it more than q
year ago-and thus far the results have
been entirely successful, so successful
that in addition to restoring vigor to
prematurely old young men and nat
urally old men, the mental processes
also have been Quickcned In one in
stance, that Of the first operation per
formed, the subject, 25 years of age,
Is GcclaroA to have crossed the border
line Of half-wittedness into the realm
of ralionaiity as result Of the gland
grating.
The most interesting case yet turned
out is that Of "B"-a man Of seventy
three, serving an indcterminate SEN
tence Of from one ear to life. He
entered the penitentiary nearly two
years ago. His prison photograph
taken at that time, shows man hag-
gard and with the parchment skin OF
advanced age. lie showed little inter
est in life. He had dwelt for twenty
five years on little ranch home by
himself down the Peninsulaa And then
he was detached from society, a dis
graced man and put away His neigh
bors made no doubt he was being
shelved for life.
But "B" is looking into the future
with confidence and hope, With the en-.
thusiasm OF youth.
Twenty two years a~o "B" was fitted
with rlasses. He has worn the sam1
glasses since, and that, from the stand
point of the oculst, is a pretty good
indication that he is well preserved
man But he has had TO wear these
glasses.
The glasses have become fixed
habit, part Of his physiognom But
the other day he laid them aside un-
consciously, uncon sciously took up some
6nc print, unconsciously read it, Two
months following his operation he was
able to read type without glasses that
he could not have read twenty-five
years ago.
Vigorous as Young Man
II am happy to feel that am again
vigorous as q young man." he said
"and really am, but ! am happier to
know that | am going to be spared
many years yet. Many years? Why
bless ou, feel THAT | am going to
live forever.
Il feel q spring in my tread, q
sprightliness that was fore. RI to me
for many years. can run, jump.
do not tire. My hair is white, but not
with years. I am boy again--a
buoyant-say, | can't tell you how
feel. ! feel as though | were beginning
life"
There arc wrinkles in "B's" face. but
they are the wrinkles of a man OF
fifty. Those who have known hir' ever
since he entered San Quentin say he
is not nearly 50 wrinkled as he was
two years a@o. that he holds his head
higher, that his mind is BRIGHTER. He
was downcast man, crushed. NOW
he is an outstanding man, his shoulders
thrown back, his chest stuck out. his
eye clear. And his voice is deep.
As long aco as 1914 DR. Frank
Lydston, of Chicago. began to expert
mont in gland grating. Dr.. Stanley
began early last year.
First Operated August 9. 1918
DR.. Stanley. had read Of what Lvdston
had done and reasoned that what an
other man had done he could do. His
first operation in intcrstitial grating
was performed August 9, 1918, on n
man of twenty-five, of dull mentalit +,
who was serving sentence for at
tempted burglary. He went about the
prison with head hung, his face with
out expression.
On August 8, 1919, man was hanged
for murder, the intarstitial gland was
removed and grated upon the young
prfs6ner. Three days later the young
man was improved mentally and physic-
ally. Ten days after the operation ne
was walking with head erect, there was
a look of intelligence in his face, he
moved with alacrity he had gained
fifteen pounds and had grown merr
and given to rcpartec.
Encouraged by the results, DR.. Stan