Old Age

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the period of altered vital functions and of generally diminished vigor and activity that comes with advancing years in living things. In man it may be either natural or premature, the latter being caused by overwork, diseases of various kinds, bad habits, shocks or injuries, alcohol, or worry. Old age is less a matter of mere years that of individual constitution and of the use or abuse one has made of natural qualities both of body and of mind. Physical old age has been described as progressive atrophy of the body tissues. The popular saying that a man is as old as his arteries is scientifically true. It is also well known that the vital functions are Watson, Thomas Edward, Sept. 26, 1922. Wilson, Sir Henry, June 22, 1922. Wright, Luke E., Nov. 17, 1922. Wu Ting-Fang, June 23, 1922. NEW STARS OR NOVAE, temporary stars which, from their sudden appearance in the heavens, are among the most spectacular of astronomical objects. They apparently belong to the class of variables, suddenly increasing enormously in brightness on account of some internal disturbance which upsets the ordinary balance of heat production and radiation and so causes an outburst of incandescent gases. Other explanations are that the outbursts are caused by collisions of meteoric swarms or by sudden plunges of a star into nebulous regions. New stars have been recorded from the most ancient times. The most famous was that observed by Tycho Brahe in the constellation Cassiopeia in November, 1572. It completely disappeared in about a year. A number were observed in the nineteenth century, among them being the spectacular Nova Aurigae, 1891-92, which remains at present as a nebulous star. The new star which appeared in Perseus, 1901, exceeded the first magnitude star Capella in brightness on February 23rd of that year. Many novae have recently been observed, particularly within the great nebula of Andromeda. NORWEGIAN SHIP CONTRACTS CASE. (See UNITED STATES, 1922-23.) OIL: WORLD SUPPLY & CONTROL. largely controlled by chemical substances poured into the blood by the so-called ductless glands, and according to Dr. Steinach of Vienna the symptoms of old age, whether natural or premature, are due to changes in the secretions of these glands. With age the glands weaken, and as a consequence all the body organs function less actively. By experiments first made on guinea pigs and rats, he found that all the ductless glands were reinvigorated by a vital fluid secreted by the so-called Leyden cells of the gonads or reproduction glands, and that therefore, by renewing these cells or their activities, a general rejuvenation of functions might be accomplished. Operations, it is claimed, that affect the desired result have been successfully performed both in Europe and America, chiefly in cases where old age has come prematurely through overwork, illness, or war wounds. In other wo words, premature old age may be regarded as a disease which in certain cases is capable of being cured. As for normal old age, Prof. Shaler has pointed out that the period when physical maturity is past is attended under right conditions by an extension of the intellectual interests and that it plays an important part in the progress and enrichment of the life of the race.