WHY WE DIE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2351, 5 November 1921, Page 3

WHY WE DIE.

Professor J. Arthur Thomson, of Aberdeen University, lias just written a ’book —“The Control of Life” —in which lie explains why we die. “Physiologically regarded,” writes Professor Thomson, “the process of ageing is manifold. The bones become lighter and less resistant, and .some of them break easily; the muscles become weaker and stiller —lienee the stoop; the nervous system becomes slower and less forceful, and the heart less vigorous, the arteries are less elastic; the parts begin to fail to answer to one another’s call, and then from hour to hour we rot and rot. Natural death is due to a mounting up of physiological debts —part of the bill is paid in every meal and in every night’s rest, but the book is never cleared, and, in spite of the holidays which knock off arrears, there is always a growing balance against us.” Death is inevitable, according to Professor Thomson, to whom, apparently, the art of life is to be young when you die. “Better than buttermilk is the cruse of the oil of joy,” he says. “Preventive measures are desirable, but we need more positive rejuvenescence; we need more changes, more interest, fresh experiences, some adventures, more beauty, more joy. Thus we increase our chances of being young when we die.”