Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-28
| MANY RECIPES
FOR ATTAINING
| DESIRED OLD AGE

cret of long life that 400 years ago
eluded Ponce de Leon, today lies IN
every mans grasp, say authorities.
Five thousand centenariansn ow liv-
ing in America could point out his
mistake to Ponce de Leon. who died
broken old man because he would
accept no substitutes for the fancied
fountain of youth.
Better habits of life, they testify.
and modern science, to say nothing
of the stimulus of radio, provide an
ample substitute for the reyivifying
waters.
The frightening of the average life
span, to which the four centuries since
Ponce de Leon have added 81 years,
and the increase in the number of
those who escape death up to the age
of 100, indicate, say longevity experts.
that man may again achieve the
healthy old age of Moses. who 'wa-
100 when he died: and his eye was
not dim, nor was his force abated."
Hard work and lots Of it," and al
ways take things easy" are two of
the neatly balanced longevity recipes
given by IS centenarians discovered
by the Associated Press to be living
today in relatively small area
around New York. Other recipes are:
mo smoking and drinking
Three teaspoonsful of whisky each
morning and night"
Working, fishing and minding own
business
Taking lively interest in other
people"
mot wearing shores"
"Cultivating soothing piety."
'Long-lived parents and grandpa
rents" say coldly calculating geriat-
rists, who stress the Importance of
heredity.
However, 1t is true that we are
developing in greater numbers the in
dividuals who will be the parents of
centenarians of the future" said DR..
Haven Emerson of Columbia Univer-
sity.
While the actual number of persons
100 years old and over has increased
in the United States from 1904 in 1900
to 1867 in 1920. their proportion to the
total population has decreased from
.0046 to .0040, census bureau figures
show.
Discount that somewhat on the
basis that census takers have be-
come unwilling to list as 100 many
who claim that age" said George n.
Van Buren, of the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Company.
Thirty years ago I sac one per-
son of a hundred years where l see
three today said DR.. Frederick l..
Hoffman of the Prudential Life In
surance Company. But more i'm
portapt than the gain in age is that
in youth.
Fifty years ago o5 was the prime
of life for a man, and so was old, J"
=. ss- xnv,;,,
and there are numbers of virile men
of 20 and So
Then, women We're "old" at 40, "old
maids" at 25. Today they marry at
80 and 40 and children are born at
so and 60.
The main reason is that people are
leading more rational lives. A
healthy leanness has replaced the old
ideal of fat and forty" Hard work.
of an intermittent and congenial
kind. is appreciated as a secret of
longevity.
The frightening has also been due
In part to the cutting down Of in
FAINT mortality, through medical con-
troll of many infectious diseases such
as diphtheria The average life ex-
pectancy of baby today is So and
that of a man of so in fair health, 21
more years.
"There is no reason why this con-
quest of the causes of death should
not go on" said DR.. Eugene Lyman
Ffske of the Life Extension Inst-
tute.
Il don't know of any limit to the
life span" he continued. There IS
no underlying. complete. necessary
reason for death. Death is always
caused by poison. injury or the fail
ing of q substance necessary to life
1.-THE future will bring a lengthen-
ing of the period of youth, and fol-
lowing that. of the working period.
Old age will be less heset by sordid
maladies. marked only by a lessening
of the will to live"