is peculiarly used to denote the animated state of living creatures, or the time that the union of their soul and body lasts.
The Prolongation of Life is made by Lord Bacon one of the three branches of medicine; the other two relating to the preservation of health, and the cure of diseases. See Medicine.
The theory of prolonging life he numbers among the desiderata. Some means or indications that seem to lead to it, he lays down as follow.
Things are preserved in two manners; either in their identity, or by reparation. In their identity; as a fly or ant in amber; a flower, or fruit, or wood, in a conservatory of snow; a dead carcass in balsams. By reparation; as a flame, or a mechanical engine, &c. To attain to the prolongation of life, both these methods must be used. And hence, according to him, arise three intentions for the prolongation of life: Retardation of consumption, proper reparation, and renovation of what begins to grow old.
Consumption is occasioned by two kinds of depredation; a depredation of the innate spirit, and a depredation of the ambient air. These may be each prevented two ways; either by rendering those agents less predatory, or by rendering the passive parts (viz. the juices of the body) less liable to be preyed on. The spirit will be rendered less predatory, if either its substance be condensed, as by the use of opiates, grief, &c.; or its quantity diminished, as in spare and monastic diets; or its motion calmed, as in idleness and tranquillity. The ambient air becomes less predatory, if it be either less heated by the rays of the sun, as in cold climates, in caves, mountains, and anchorites cells; or be kept off from the body, as by a dense skin, the feathers of birds, and the use of oils and unguents without aromatics. The juices of the body are rendered less liable to be preyed on, either by making them harder or more moist and oily; harder, as by a coarse sharp diet, living in the cold, robust exercises, and some mineral baths; moister, as by the use of sweet foods, &c. abstaining from salts and acids; and especially by such a mixture of drink as consists wholly of fine subtile particles, without any acrimony or acidity.
Reparation is performed by means of aliment; and alimentation is promoted four ways: By the concoction of the viscera, so as to extrude the aliment; By exciting the exterior parts to the attraction of the aliment; as in proper exercises and frictions, and some unctions; and baths: By the preparation of the food itself, so as it may more easily infuse itself, and in some measure anticipate the digestion; as in various ways of dressing meats, mixing drinks, fermenting breads, and reducing the virtues of these three into one: By promoting the act of assimilation itself, as in seasonable sleep, some external application, &c.
The renovation of what begins to grow old, is performed two ways: By the intemperance of the habit of the body; as in the use of emollients, emplasters, unctions, &c. of such a nature, as do not extract but impress: Or by purging off the old juices, and substituting fresh ones; as in seasonable evacuations, attenuating diets, &c.
The same author adds these three axioms: That the prolongation of life is to be expected, rather from some stated diets, than either from any ordinary regimen or any extraordinary medicines; more from operating on the spirits, and mollifying the parts, than from the manner of feeding; and this mollifying of the parts without is to be performed by substantial, imprints, and ocults. See Longevity.
Vegetable Life. See Plants.
Life-Rent, in Scots law. When the use and enjoyment of a subject is given to a person during his life, it is said to belong to him in life-rent.