THE FOUR LAWS OF AGE 247 



We have lingered so long together studying phe- 

 nomena of growth, that it is natural to allude to one 

 more, which is as singular as it is interesting, namely, 

 the increase in size of Americans. It was first demon- 

 strated by Dr. Benjamin A. Gould in his volume of 

 statistics derived from the records of the Sanitary 

 Commission a volume which still remains the classic 

 and model of anthropometric research. Any one, how- 

 ever, can observe that the younger generation of 

 to-day tends conspicuously to surpass its parents in 

 stature and physical development. How to explain 

 the remarkable improvement we do not know. Our 

 discovery of the fact that the very earliest growth is so 

 enormously rapid, makes that earliest period especially 

 important. If the initial growth can be favoured, a 

 better subsequent development presumably would re- 

 sult. In brief, I find myself led to the hypothesis that 

 the better health of the mothers secures improved 

 nourishment in the early stages of the offspring, and 

 that the maternal vigour is at least one important 

 immediate cause of the physical betterment of the 

 children. Much is said about the degeneracy of the 

 American race, but the contrary is true the Amer- 

 ican race surpasses its European congeners in physical 

 development. 



You will naturally wish to ask, before I close the series 

 of lectures, two questions. One, how can rejuvenation 

 be improved ? the other, how can senescence be de- 

 layed ? These questions will strike every one as very 

 practical. But the first, I fear, is not an immediately 



