Читать книгу Old Age Deferred. The causes of old age and its postponement by hygienic and therapeutic measures онлайн

91 страница из 141

The above facts of the preservation of the sexual glands in advanced old age, proves also the important fact that though the actual age be there, the symptoms of it may not be very pronounced if but the sexual glands are in good order. Of course the condition of the other ductless glands is of importance, for old age must be regarded as the consequence of the degeneration of the different ductless glands, and not of one gland alone.

When we consider the splendid health enjoyed by most of these patriarchs and the good condition of their organs, why should we deny the possibility that they were disposing of at least one lively spermatozoön, and thus we shall have no reason to doubt their happiness as fathers.

We must also add that the truth of the extraordinary age of these persons has been proved, in most cases, by documents, sometimes even in courts of law; also by the recollections of very old people who, in their own early childhood, personally knew them.

That people with strong sexual impulses very often reach a very advanced old age, we can often observe. There are plenty of examples in the history of the world. Thus, the greatest debauchery did not prevent Louis XV becoming very old, and the Emperor Tiberius lived to be 78 after his notorious life. However, in the same way as with alcohol and tobacco, we would here repeat “Quod licet Jovi, non licet bovi” (or, “what suits Peter may not suit Paul”).