FINDING THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17223, 14 December 1923, Page 3

FINDING THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.

A PROBLEM THAT HAS PUZZLED ALL AGES.

before tbe coming of modern science man has tried hard to find the secret of eternal youth (writes a physician in “ Pearson’s Weekly ”) And nowadays, the more we know’ about the structure of our bodies the more difficult is it to explain why we decline into old age. The body cells would appear, in theory at auv rate, to be capable of going on for ever, and except in cases of disease seem to die from a gradual cutting off of their proper rood. Tbe growth and development of both our minds and bodies is now known to depend on certain glands in various parts of the body which were long regarded as insignificant. Unlike ordinary glands, they have no obvious secretion and no ducts or tubes, and hence the name “ ductless Modern research has shown that although these glands have no ducts they manufacture and pour into the blood chemicals which are of the most vital importance to us. The first of these glands to be discovered was tbe thyroid gland, a small two-lobed structure in the neck on either side of the “ voice box ” or Adam's apple. It influences not only the growth and nutrition, but also the temperature and the rate of the heart’s beat.

Children born without thyroid glands develop into uncouth dwarfs, but if given extract of sheep’s thyroid their growth becomes normal. In adults a lack of thyroid secretion makes the individual fat, lethargic and semistupid ; over secretion leads to much nervous excitability and loss of weight. jf. Another important gland on the top of each kidney. It is a cockedhut shaped body about the size of a large bean. These two adrenal glands, as they are called, are of vital importance in maintaining the system in normal working order, and if they are removed or diseased there is increasing loss of vigour and death. The normal growth of our bones is dependent on a small round gland the size of a pea which is lodged deeply beneath the brain in a little bony hollow m the skull. Disease cl this pituitary gland leads to overgrowth of the hands, feet and la o. resulting in a lion-like appearance. It is also the principal cause of the exceptional stature of giants. Just over thirty years ago an elixir of life was produced which was made from the crushed glands of sheep and injected beneath the skin. Much excitement nas caused at the time and many false hopes raised among the credulous. Some of the aged volunteers claimed to he rejuvenated to some extent, but this was possibly merely due to suggesI.!r Serge Yoronoff has replaced this somewhat crude inoculation by grafting the gland directly into the human

body. For this purpose he uses the glands of those monkeys most similar in structure to man—lienee all the jokes about ‘‘ monkey gland.” £<» lar the actual transplantation or ductless glands in general has not b

een crowned with much success, and the tendency is rather to use the active extracts. Thus thyroid extract, and new insulin, have proved of marked value.

Whether we shall ever he equally successlul in our attempts at rejuvenation is another matter, but in the lii'ht »<i' modern theory the postponement gf old age is not. quite so improbable as it at first sight seems.