GRANNY GORTON'S BIRTHDAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2543, 22 June 1895, Page 4

GRANNY GORTON'S BIRTHDAY.

Saturday, January 21st, was a great day in Central Village, in the State of Connecticut, in America. . On that day Mrs Jonathan Gorton was 100 years old and formally received her friends, of whom hundreds were present. She wore her host block silk gown, with a rose in the bodice. The venerable lady was seated in a comfortable armchair on a platform in the best room of her house. Then the train of callers filed through, each and all shaking hands with her. “ Granny Gorton," as she is called, is a trim little body and very nimble on her feet. There was never anything ailed her, she says, and, except that her eyesight isn’t quite so good as it used to bo, she is as active as any woman of 50. Why has Granny Gorton lived so long P Why is she so active now ? She lets out the secret herself when she says, “ There was never anything ailed me." That’s it, and all of it.

People who live 100 years are not so very rare. The deaths of 45 such were reported last year in England—22 men and 23 women. Yet, compared to the multitudes who die, these are nothing—nothing. Can wo not keep things from ailing us, and so live long as Mrs Gorton ? Yes, if wo will take the trouble to do it! Men and women 100 years old, still vigorous and clear-headed, should be a sight so common as not to bo remarked, and will be yet in the future. Why not so now? “Ask yourself the question,” as the boatmen say down on Deal beach. Here’s how it is: A woman’s tale. She says she fell ill when a girl of about 15. She lost her appetite, had pains in the sides and chest, frequent headaches, and was often obliged to lie down on the couch and rest. All this didn’t promise long life, did it ? Noit was a bad start. Well* sho got worso instead of bettor. Sim was often sick, vomited her food, and spitting up a sour fluid. For five years she wont on this way. This brings us to October, 1881. She was then in service as parlour-maid at Leamington Hastings, Warwickshire. Here she suffered from constant sickness, retching and heartburn. The chest pains were so bad as to bend her two double. No position that sho could take relieved her. He stomach was so tender and sore that everything she ate pained and distressed her. For months and months she only took liquid food—milk and beaten eggs, and so on. Sho got weaker and weaker every day, so she says. Of course; how else could it bo ? A doctor at Rugby told her she had “ ulceration of the chest,” which she didn’t at all. What is “ ulceration of the chest ?"

He gave her medicines and advice, but she grow ho better on that account. This young lady was now about 20 years old, with a poor outlook for ever being much older. She didn’t expect it, nor did her friends. Then another doctor, being consulted, said “ ulceration of the chest,” like his medical brother at Eugby. Both wrong. “ After six months’ medical treatment," she says, “ I give up my situation and returned to my home at B uxton Lamas,Norfoik. This was in June, 1882. Then I was taken so bad I had to take to my bed. My mother thought I was in a decline.” Now, the word " decline ” means consumption, as we all know; a disease common in. England and incurable everywhere. Thousands of bright girls and young men “ decline ” into their graves every year in this populous island. Sad enough it is to see. Well, at this point her good and-wise mother interfered in her daughter’s case. She gave the doctors the go-by and sent to Norwich for some bottles of Mother Seigol’s Curative Syrup. In two weeks the young patient began to feel better, and in throe months she got a now situation and went to work.

" Since then, fifteen years ago,” she says, " I have kept in better health than ever before in my life,, thanks to Seigel’s Syrnp. Tours truly, (Signed), (Mrs) Sarah Eleanor Baker, 8, King’s street. Church road, Tottenham, near London, September 30th, 1892.” A dozen words more and we’re done. Mrs Baker’s ailment was indigestion and dyspepsia, nothing else, and quite enough. The “ ulceration” was inflammation of the inner coating of the stomach, a symptom of the disease. Wo wish her a long and happy life, and merely add that if all her sex could avoid or cure this one trouble most of them might live to be as old as Granny Gorton.