Imperial Valley press., 1936-12-06
Physicians
Assign Six
Life Stages
Which Part Do Folk
Wish Prolonged?
Is Query
By LOGAN CLENpENING, NJ. D.

BY LOGAN CLENDENlNO, NJ. H.
SHAKESPEARE, through the
mouth of Jaques, defined seven
ages for man; the infant, the
whining schoolboy, the lover, the
soldier, the justice, the lean and
slippered pantaloon, second child
hood-sans teeth, sans eyes, sans
taste, sans everything.
Medical science realizes that the
span of life is divided into stages,
but does not entirely follow Shake
speare. 1t makes six divisions:
infancy-from birth to the age OF
8: childhood-from the age OF TO
the age of II; adolescence-from
IL to 20; maturity-from 20 to 90;
middle age or vigorous old age
from so to IS; senility-from 90
On.
When we think about extending
the span of life the question arises,
which particular period do you
want extended? 1t was the prob
lem of Faust. He was to be re-
leased from his bargain if at any
moment in life he felt like pro-
longing it indefinitely. At what
period in life will you, like Faust,
he tempted to say. Stay! Stay!
Thou are so fair!"?
Few people, I believe, would
wish to prolong the period of in
fancy. It is a period of animal
enjoyment. Childhood is not very
much better. 1t has no continuity.
You remember detached episodes
of your childhood. but nothing in
between. To lengthen it would
merely add to the number of epi-
sodes, others like them in quality
to the point of surfeitude and
yet, ironically, medical science can
do more to prolong infancy and
childhood and to make them safe
than any other period of life.
Sigh for Adolescence
We may sigh for the pleasures
of sweet sixteen, and yet I sup
pose few people who remember
distinctly that dreadful period of
readjustment would want to live it
over again. 1t is the time when
we are trying to get used to the
world as an adult. but without the
means or power to make the world
take us seriously.
Carl Van Doren, in his interest
ing new book, Three Worlds, +,
speaks of the profound melancholy
that settles down upon young men
lsoeause they are unable to trans
igte their dreams and desires into
action.
At the other end of the line. l
don't suppose many people want
TO stick around after 65. At least.
Z they want to stick around, they
dent want TO stick around at the
sge OF IS and cider.
Nor em 7 thoroughly convinced
that my friend, Walter Z. Pitkin.
is right that life begins at 20. 1t
sometimes begins TO get very un-
comfortable at 40 Wnat with in
spmria. rheumatism, palp-tation Of
the heart. deafness, eyeglasses,
false teeth and hair in the eaIs.
So I suppose the real choice for
the period of rrolongation would
De somewhere between 25 and 40
Nedical science cannot prolong
this period, but it can do q
good deal to keep people from dy-
ing off before the later ages are
reached.
We will discuss some of these
tilings in the column this week.
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
J. o.: 81 am engaged 70 a young
man who spent two years in a san
ltarium for tuberculosis. He has
been home two years, is working
and has had no sign of trouble. His
doctor told him he was well. Ny
friends constantly tell me that tu-
5erculosis cannot be cured, and
hat am exposing myself and will
sooner or later get it from him."
Answer: tuberculosis can be