EUTHANASIA. 465 



failed to agree with one who throughout life had eaten very 

 little animal food, and who, though indulging in ale occa- 

 sionally, had seldom tasted wine. He died at the mature 

 age of one hundred and fifty-two, but not of pure old age, 

 the condition of euthanasia. Harvey, the celebrated anato- 

 mist, who dissected Master Parr's body, found in it no signs 

 of natural decay. And here it may not be inopportunely 

 stated, that when Master Parr had outlived a century by 

 some years, a certain youthful indiscretion brought on him 

 the penalty of doing church-penance in a white sheet ! 



Speculating on the average age of mankind, and animals 

 in general, some have expressed surprise that the organism 

 should wear out at all, seeing that the materials of it are so 

 constantly replenished; others, on the contrary, have won- 

 dered that the mechanism should last so long as it ordinarily 

 does. 



In reference to the former, it has been said that every 

 part of a living animal's body undergoes renewal once in 

 about three months ; but this is not strictly correct. Every 

 soft part of the body may, indeed probably does, come under 

 that process of regeneration in the time specified, gelatine 

 or the soft portion of the bones inclusive. The composition 

 of our bodies alters with age, notwithstanding. During life 

 something goes on comparable to the furring of a tea-kettle 

 or the fouling of a steam-boiler. Hard earthy concretions 

 deposit in the heart, impeding its movements ; in the arte- 

 ries, impairing the elasticity needful to their vital functions. 

 Vainly are the soft portions of our bodies renovated, whilst 

 those earthy depositions continue to be formed. The longer 

 we live the more brittle do we grow. Young children can fall 

 about, rarely breaking their bones ; whereas old people often 

 fracture their limbs by the mere exertion of turning in bed. 



Bearing in mind the fact, that as we grow older we be- 

 come more brittle, this is explained; and being explained, 

 shall we not marvel that life's fire burns so long? Consider 



HH 



