WHY WE GROW OLD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1739, 2 May 1913, Page 6

WHY WE GROW OLD.

"TAKE CARE OF YOUR' ARTERIES." EVILS OF OVER-EXERTION. Wliy some men grow old in body and mind while young in years, and why others remain alert and sprightly even to their three-score-and-ten, is tho subject of an inquiry now lieing carried out by Dr. Andrewes, pathologist to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, at tho instance of the Local Government Board. A very largo part of tho mortality of men over forty-five is due to degeneration of the heart and arteries. This degeneration is natural and'inevitablo in old age, but it may come on twenty or thirty years before- its time when the strain put on tlio vessels exceeds their endurance. And not: only is life shortened, but alio efficiency is lowered. In young children the blood pressure is very low and tho arteries are elastic. The pressure gradually increases until in the young healthy adult it is one-third greater than in tho child. To meet this increase of ■pressure tho arteries become stronger and then remain at their full power for a va-riablo period. About the age of forty this stage comes to an end. "Most men at forty are conscious of some limitation of their physical powers." The third stage is that of arterial degeneration, and while the arteries lose thoir elasticity and grow more unfit tlio blood pressure tends to increase, putting a greater strain on them. "No one passing middle age can escapa it [decay of the arteries]," says Dr. Andrewes. "More than any ono other factor artorial decay determines tho natural span of life; those who survive beyond Hie allotted term are, in the main, the fortunate or prudent individuals in whom the process has been slow in its course." If wo could postpone arterial decay we should remain comparatively youthful, active, and fit for both work and pleasure until lato iu middle life. The chief avoidable causes are: l'livsical overstrain, which raises the blood pressure lo a harmful degree. Vessels so strained wear out sooner. Men who have devoted themselves immoderately to athletics arc likely to shorten their lives in this way. Tho most serious conMiqiu'iices occur in untrained persons who clieili mountains and indulge iu other forms of exeroi-e. A sedentary life and over-eating also produce arterial decay and limit one's Smoking and perhaps Hie free consumption of alcohol will wear out the vessels and bring on old ago, j