Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-26
GIVING UP BUSINESS
A DANGEROUS LUXURY
Mental and Physical Degenera-
ton Follows Retiring. a
Doctor Warns.

A warning somewhat surprising has
been publicly issued in England by q |
physician who say that 10 retire from
business is a dangerous luxury and Is
apt to be followed by degeneration OF
both mind and body. lie gives strik-
ins examples TO illustrate the truth OF
his contention. While this conviction
forms the text OF a. dissertation adj
dressed to Englishmen, 1t is obvious
that the doctors conclusions are appi-
cable TO men the world over. In Will
mington during the last year several
notable instances OF men OF very ad-
vanced years who are still in the har-
ness have been brought to public at
tcntion--indeed. it is commonly believ-
cd that the activity and interests of
these men have served 90 prolong their
lives far beyond the expected span.
The doctor who now voices his con-
Sictions is the medical correspondent
OF The London Times. There comes,
he says, sooner or later, TO every man
of business the question: shall re-
tire and have quiet life, or shall
carry on?"
II Is not an easy question to answer.
he comedies. AS a rule the difficulty
Is made greater by friends and rela-
tives who. with the best intentions,
urge that a strenuous life should give
place 10 life comparative leisure. The
business man is told that he has
earned" his rest; that the time has
come TO make way fors younger men,
and that he deserves the long holiday
which he has SO often proposed, but
never taken.
II is suggested that he should travel,
or go and live in the countrySor play
golf. Pretty pictures of ripe old
axe. among apple orchards or rose
gardens are painted. Sometimes the
social joys of a large house and sport
arc held out as additional allurement.
This is all very well, says the rhysi-
clan. but speaking. of course, for him.
= alone. ne deliberately urges the
business man 10 meet all these bland
ishments wsth a firm NO" In Civ
ing this advice he assumes that the
business man is fairly healthy-that
Is 10 say. that he has no severe mfr
nifty az body or mind. He assumes
further that there does not exist any
absorbing outside interest. a hobby
which has always really held first
place. and which has only been put
into the second place because absolute
necessity dictated the second course.
The view which he is urging is not
entirely founded on medical knowl.
edge. II is founded rather on persona
=. rience OF somewhat exceptiona
kind.
Misery Of Enforced Inactivity.
II happened that one OF the physi
clans relatives was a business mar
connected with industry in a larg'
provincial city. The industry was o
very fourishing kind and most o
those engaged in il were rich mer
Some OF them were very rich men. A
time went on a number of them re
tired TO the country and changed thei
manner Of life. All OF these speedil
died. Not only that, the doctor say:
but their ends were rather miserabl,
They pined away for want of some
thing to do. The new soil was un
suitable to the old tree.
Then, as IL happened, the industr
fell on evil days and TO retire from
became more or less impossible. tn
men who had been looking forward I
a "quiet old age'H were forced TO &c
to work again and employ all thei
energies in saving what they could {
their business from ruin. The
thought no more Of ease in the countr
or aimless travel abroad.
And almost without exception the
are still alive-and working. One {
them is 81. He goes regularly to~h
business. travels forty miles by trai
almost daily between two cities, ar
rises every morning at 7.3o. Anothe
Is about IS, another just over 40. The
are remarkable men. hale and we
able TO enjoy life and 10 take a kee
interest in all its manifestations.
This. II may be said, is a speci
case. No doubt. adds the writer, bl
professional life Of many years h;
not in the least degree altered II
view which this instance first calls
into being. The truth, as a dncti
sees it. is that you cannot transpla,
men after they have shaped the
careers. There is no more nelancho
spectacle In. a West End consultir
room than the countryman whose wi
and family have persuaded him
come and live in town. He miss
everything; he finds nothing to tal
the place OF his accustomed joys j
grows flabby and weak from want
the stimuli 10 which his body is a
customed TO react, and so he goes doS
the hin TO death in a few years.
II Is the same thing with the bu
ness man who loses his life's occup
tiou. He may not realize il, but
his mind is given to his daily work
meets him at every turn. He is sha
ed 10 ~ II. so to speak. Pleasure "a
Interest and enthusiasm are bound
IN IL. Just as the country man nee
the buffetings OF his winds and I
tang OF changing seasons. so does I
city man draw his renewed energ
from familiar sights and sounds a
faces Take these away and life
comes weary. fiat, stale and unproi
able"
There is o physical as well as a ms
talssids 10 the picture. says the ply
elan. our bodies follow our min
They quicken as our minds are auis
ened, Ia the absence of mental stin
they tend to fall into desuetude. Dec
and death are the end Of this proce
Man. indeed. is made by his wo
the writer affrms, supported BY il,
1uycnated by IL. Take il away and
begins 10 look around rather heIple
~ on world that is all strange q
M which he has no part His rich
u be possess them. hang like a m
stone around his neck.
of such people says the physici