The Elixir of Life.

Southland Times, Issue 10243, 27 August 1889, Page 2

The Elixir of Life.

The latest of the " fairy tales of scif nee" is, perhaps, the most astounding of all, for t fulfils the fabulous promises of the Fountain of Jouvence, and realises the 1 reams ef the seekers after an "elixir of ife." It is nothing lees than the discovery )f the means of arresting the progress of )!d age, and of extending the term of itfcuan life. Had it been proclaimed by myone bearing a less diwtiDguiithed name ban that of M. Brown-Sequard, one of he most f amoas physiologists in Europe, t might well be received with incredulity, tat it was announced by him at the last nesting of the Biological Society in Paris, if which he 19 the president, and he stood lofore the distinguished members of that )ody a living attestation of the value and fficacy of his discovery. He is now ip wards of 72, and has bsen.of opinioo or the laat 20 years that it ii poe. ible to rejuvenate the human frame without having recourse to the blaok rts of Mophistophles. The pjtperi' aents instituted by himself and oiht-ri* ?ith respect to the transfusion of eslthj jo.gns blood (gtQ \k» vital o|

invalids led him to reflect upon the possibility of transferring the living cells of a youthful and vigorous being to the eysteni of one who was neither. After a sories of experiments with onirua's, ho found th'; time had arrived for testing the truth of bis theory by applying it (o s burns*; being. He felt that it was hazardous, and therefore he operated upon himself. Ho took parcels of . certain organs of very yonng guinea pigs, triturated them, while still palpitJiU'cg, in a mortar, dilated them with distilled water, puafiod and clarifies the liquid thus obtained, and injected it hypodermically with a syringe like morphine, a cubic centimotre sufficing for a dose. The firet experiment was made on the 15th of May, and after the second injection, writes M. Gtißton Calmotte, who aapplies the corapterendn of M. Browo-Seqaard'e address to the Biological Society to Figdro, he felt himself entirely transformed. " Up to this time half an hour's work Etanding in his Inboratory completely knocked him up, Now he can continue for three hours at a stretch without experiencing the least fatigue. His appetite has improved, his sleep is calmer and more restorative, his stomach fulfils its functions more per ectly, he pursues his intellectual labours with remarkable facility and lucidity, and his dynamometric strength is greater than it was by 141 b." The fullest details of the discovery will appear in the transactions of the society ; and M. Calmette Btated that the voice of tbe venerable savant was stronger and clearer, and his countenance more animated than heretofore, and that under his thick white eyebrows his eyes seemed to glitter with the light of former years. " The emotion augmented aroand him, and the audience was speedi'y allured and convinced." M. Brown Saquard concluded his address by declaring that the effect of the injections was equivalent to the deduction of 10 years from his age ; and thunders of applause greeted the declaration. Other physiologists, it is said, are experimenting in the came direction, aud their reports will be awaited with considerable interest.