THE CONSERVATION OF ENERGY. 345 



of the town dweller is unknown. But enough is currently reported to 

 make the conclusion inevitable that the sine qua non of longevity is 

 a certain amount of time spent in the country. The city child is 

 subject to a number of disturbing conditions other than mere absence 

 of creature comforts, which undermine the constitution by throwing 

 too heavy a burden upon the sense organs, through which exhaustion 

 of the central neurons follow; these conditions are such as noises, a 

 perpetual round of hurry, unending sequences of incident exhausting 

 the attention, to which are superadded the physical discomforts of 

 vitiated air and effluvia from human beings and waste organic prod- 

 ucts, besides offensive gases and infection-laded dust, etc. All these 

 and others more than offset the civic improvements which have 

 their value, of well paved streets and shelter from winds, better 

 housing and many conditions furnished in cities and not in country 

 places. What has been said does not obtain in respect to well condi- 

 tioned villages and suburbs; at least to the same degree. All this 

 makes for an alteration in the character and quality of symmetrical 

 development. When adult age is reached, these conditions are merely 

 exaggerated. The rush and hurry of competition still interferes with the 

 acquirement of full organic vigor, which demands for its fruition, ade- 

 quate time and leisure, so that cellular stability may be safely secured. 

 To those of comfortable means, who can from time to time withdraw 

 from the agitating circumstances of city life and enjoy periods of rest 

 and quietude elsewhere, there is less left to be desired. For those who 

 can choose their manner of living, the natural instinct may be trusted 

 to secure selection of those opportunities in the life of most persons 

 which will make for better conditions for continuance of life. To 

 those who have reached middle age, and to whom the desire comes 

 of conserving their powers to the utmost, it is distinctly possible to 

 gain excellent success. So far as the general circumstances of life are 

 concerned, there should be no difficulty in intelligent persons deter- 

 mining for themselves what had best be done. This of course will 

 consist in relieving themselves from worry, strains and anxieties, and 

 in the periodic withdrawal from the hurly-burly of effortful existence ; 

 in modifying their diet, in omitting the use of stimulants and nar- 

 cotics and in spending long periods of time under pleasant conditions, 

 in practical retirement. Above all, amusements should be simplified 

 and accepted rather than sought after. There is enough. Heaven knows, 

 of happiness to be had in keeping the eye, mind and heart open to the 

 enjoyment of those opportunities which lie in the pathways of every one. 

 It has been my experience to know a number of men and some 

 women who, when the occasion came to them out of the fullness of 

 opportunities for choice, instead of contenting themselves with enjoying 

 life, rushed after such sports as were popular or fashionable, thought 

 to be amusement, and the following of these exhausting pleasures cut 



