It may be expected, I should now say, at what period of Life the state of it that we call aged, begins: but nature has herself left this undeterminable. The weakness and infirmities of age come at different years, in different constitutions: I could at this hour point out a very young man of eighty-seven: and the purlieus of Covent-Garden abound with very old men at seven-and-twenty: but to speak in general terms, it may be said, that the period of Life, for which we are giving rules and regulations, begins about fifty-eight; tho’ the greater Infirmities of age do not advance till several years after.
CHAP. I.
How a person in Years is to know he is in Health.
It is allowed, we know so little of nothing, as of ourselves: it has been said often of the mind; but it is not less true of the body. Fancying we have certain diseases will sometimes bring them upon us: and there is as great danger in forcing ourselves to believe, against our feeling, that we are well; when we have some disorder.
To avoid both, let the elderly man read here, with a free mind. Let him not suppose, because God has blessed him with long health, he is above the reach of sickness; nor neglect the care which may conquer, in its beginning, a disease that would in the end conquer him. Let him be as ready to acknowledge real disorders; as careful to avoid imaginary.
Health consists in a good digestion of the food; and free circulation of the blood. The appetite, and the condition of the stomach after eating, will shew the first; and the latter may be known best by the pulse.
That old person’s digestion is always good, who has a sharp but not voracious appetite; and who feels no pain, nor sickness after food. To preserve this, let him be content with somewhat less than he could eat at every meal: to keep the stomach in order, do not overload it.
The best time to feel the pulse is in a morning: a little after getting up; and before breakfast. It should be a rule never to omit this examination. A constant and regular attention to the pulse will shew its slightest variations; and when any such happen, let care be taken of the health.
There are methods of counting the strokes by a watch; but ’tis idle and mechanical: a repeated attention in the plain way is better.
A frequent examination will inform us what is the condition of our pulse in health; and all deviations from this shew or threaten sickness.
While an old man feels his pulse regular, finds his digestion good, and with a mind at ease can take his usual exercise freely, he may be certain he is well. We shall tell him how to keep so: and when a fault is seen in time, ’tis easily remedy’d.