Conservative *
oinu named Mesmor. He boasted of the
possession of extraordinary magnetic
power , which enabled him forthwith , by
its agency , to remove every disease and
prolong life. At the instigation of the
French government , a scientific com
mission was appointed to report upon
the various phenomena , and the practi
cal result was the discovery of what was
then called "animal magnetism , " after
wards "mesmerism , " and now "hyp
notism. " Mesmer had unquestionably
ascertained that the hypnotic condition
could be produced in certain persons ,
either with or without the aid of a"med-
him ; " but the rest of his assertions-
had no grain of truth in them. Prior to
the report of the commission , he had re
fused three hundred and forty thousand
livres ( about $68,000) ) for his discovery ,
which was unsaleable as soon as the
truth had beeu made known. Mesmer
lapsed into obscurity soon afterwards.
Last , but not least , in the rank of impostors
pesters , was Joseph Balsamo , alias Count
de Oagliostro (1743-1795) ( ) . During this
man's very remarkable career , he made
more than one fortune , which he subse
quently lost , and he died in prison in
1795. The well-known Cardinal de
Rolan was one of his chief dupes. Like
Saint Germain , Balsamo boasted that
he had discovered the elixir of life , and
throughout Europe there were almost
an unlimited number of persons who
were eager to possess his panacea. This
elixir was a very powerful stomachic ,
possessed of great stimulating proper
ties. It is a fixed law of nature that
every drug which tends to increase the
vital forces also tends to abridge their
duration. Concentrated and potent
stimulants , which are generally the
active principle of most "elixirs of life , "
while , for the time , increasing strength
in some way , are prone to lose their ef
fect , if their use is continued for any
considerable period ; and , in any event ,
they are prejudicial to longevity. Before
proceeding to mention the methods
which , as far as our present knowledge
goes , appear to be the most certain for
promoting longevity , I propose to exam
ine certain theories which , although of
very little practical value , are worthy of
some attention , because they show the
direction which men's minds have taken
in the past.
"Hardening" and Immobility
The plan of "hardening" based upon
a false supposition that by toughening
the physical organs they would wear
longer obtained at one time numerous
followers. When we reflect that the
main principle of life depends upon the
pliability of every organ , combined with
free circulation , it naturally follows that
rigidity must be unfriendly to long life.
Perpetual cold baths , exposure to keen
air , and exhausting exercise , were advo
cated by the "hardening school. " Like
most .enthusiasts , the disciples of this
school carried their ideas to excess , and
forgot that moderation in everything is
the best policy. Later on , a theory well
suited to the idle and luxurious gained
many adherents namely , to retard bodily
ily waste by a trance-like sleep. One
fanatic , Maupertius , went so far as to
propound the possibility of completely
suspending vital activity. Even some
well-educated physicians , having ob
served the restoration of apparently dead
flies by exposure to warmth , were struck
by the feasibility of promoting long life
by the agency of immobility. The error
of this hypothesis , from a physiological
point of view , is self-evident , as want of
exercise is absolutely poisonous to health.
Physical well-being must depend , to a
great extent , upon a constant meta
morphosis of the tissues , and a de
structive plethora would certainly be
induced by attempting vital suspon-
sion.
The Rosicrucians.
That celebrated sect of mystical phil
osophers , the Rosiorucians famous for
their profound acquaintance with nat
ural phenomena , and with the higher
branches of physical , chemical and med
ical science considered that human ex
istence might be prolonged far beyond
its supposed limits. They professed to
retard old age by certain medicaments ,
whoso action upon the system would
curb the progress of natural decay. The
means by which they undertook to check
senile decrepitude were , like other mys
teries of their fraternity , never revealed.
The celebrated English Rosicruciaii ,
Dr. Fludd , whoso writings , such as
"Fama Fratornitatis" and "Deolaratio
Brevis , " became famous , is said to have
lived a century. The Rosicruoians be
came extinct about the year 1700. The
history of the society is very obscure.
The chief disadvantage of the various
ancient plans which have been set forth
for the promotion of longevity is that
they are all deficient in one important
respect , viz : They all regard one special
object , to the neglect of other conditions.
However beneficial any theory may
prove , it must bo materially inadequate
for fulfilling its purpose , should numer
ous other matters of the greatest im
portance , bearing upon the human econ
omy , be ignored. The real art of
longevity consists in cultivating those
agents which protract existence , and by
avoiding all circumstances tending to
shorten its duration. This is un
doubtedly the most reasonable method
for obtaining the end in view. Modera
tion in all things , avoiding , as far as
practicable , every morbific condition ,
and open air exercise , are much more re
liable methods of prolonging life than
are any of the elixirs ever manufactured.
Health and longevity can only be at
tained by an intimate acquaintance
with , and obedience to , those natural
laws which govern our physical econ
omy.
In 1889 , Dr. Brown-Sequard , an emi
nent physician , who was a professor of
physiology at Harvard from 1864 to 1869 ,
announced that he had discovered , not
an elixir vitae , but a rejuveuator. A
description of its composition would be
out of place here , but it may be men
tioned that it was a liquid , and that it
was injected under the skin. The first ,
experiments were tried upon dogs , and
with such good results that Dr. Browii-
Sequard then used his rejuvenator upon
himself. Although he was more than
satisfied with its effect , hi the hands of
others , it proved a complete failure , and
was quickly forgotten , as might have
been anticipated , for old age is a normal
and purely physiological condition.
Scientific Investigation.
Finally , turning to what is scientific ,
the late Sir George Humphrey , an Eng
lish physician of repute , devoted a great-
deal of time to an elaborate investigation
of facts concerning longevity. He ex
amined the family history of nearly
one thousand persons , seventy-four of
whom were almost one hundred years
old. His conclusions were somewhat
as follows : The most important factor
is a good constitution , which appears to
be largely dependent xtpon satisfactory
digestive and nutritive functions. An
energetic temperament and active hab
its are conducive to long life , but it is im
possible to avoid the conclusion that the.
vital machinery is wound up , so to-
speak , for a given period , and except for
accidents or in spite of thorn it is
likely to go 011 till the appointed time
has elapsed. This fact involves some
extremely complex problems in heredity ,
the solution of which is very far off. To
an individual who comes of a short-lived
family , extreme old ago is not often
vouchsafed. Upon the other hand ,
the Jews , who are remarkable for their
longevity , unsanitary surroundings and
uncleanly habits it is undeniable that
immigrant Hebrews are often uncleanly
seem powerless to increase the mortal
ity to any appreciable extent.
Buffalo , N. Y. , June 25 , 1901.
"The last word has not been spoken , "
says the Cleveland Plain Dealer ( Dem. ) .
"Congress is clothed with full'power
now to legislate as it sees fit for the gov
ernment of the insular territory of the
United States. Public opinion can
operate on congress. "
"The aggressive tariff worshippers
cannot too soon conclude that tariff re
vision has become inevitable and that
the people will not tolerate monopoly
abuses under the guise of protection , "
warns the Chicago Post ( Rep. ) . "The
manufacturers , with the cheapest labor
in the world ( cheap because of its effi
ciency and productivity ) , with unex
ampled natural resources to draw upon ,
want markets more than they want a
high barbed-wire fence to exclude for
eign competitors. "
