It is a very interesting fact that seldom are all the various kinds of immoderation united in the same person. Thus, some persons may drink and smoke heartily and, perhaps as a result of the action of these poisons upon the sexual glands, may be better able to combat their sexual instincts. This will also explain the drinking habits of some old spinsters or widows. They “drive out the Devil with Beelzebub,” as the German proverb says. On the other hand, many total abstainers from alcohol and tobacco are far less successful in combating their sexual instincts, and for such persons marriage is a necessity. As a rule, celibatarians show symptoms of old age much sooner than married persons. If among those addicted to drink there are many instances of long life, among smokers such instances are much fewer. As Professor Pel says, there was only one man among many, of those over 100, who was a smoker (see Chapter XLII). It is also of interest that among very old people we find many with very decided sexual tendencies. Evidently such persons must be in possession of very active sexual glands, which indicates also a healthy thyroid (see Chapter V). We may class alcohol with tea and similar beverages. A small amount every day may be a good thing, but in large quantities they may all become injurious and tend to shorten life. Tobacco, according to clinical observations (Huchard), is apt to cause arteriosclerosis, just as alcohol in large doses; and this is also proved by experiments—e.g., those of Isaac Adler and Hensel—which show that atheroma of blood-vessels can be produced in animals, experimentally, by nicotine. Everything points to the fact that tobacco is especially injurious to the adrenals. We will treat of this subject more fully later on when discussing the hygienic treatment of old age. Many conditions of chronic intoxication, and hence premature senility, may be caused by faulty food, especially if taken in large quantity, for a long time. Even fresh albuminous food of animal origin, if taken in large quantity every day, may prove harmful. We have seen previously, in Chapters III and IV, that meat produces by its decomposition certain poisonous substances which should be destroyed by the ductless glands. Premature old age frequently occurs in people who live a sedentary life, and at the same time consume much rich food and alcohol. This causes obesity, and the muscles and nerves which are little used, are prone to show degenerative changes after a certain time. At any rate the processes of metabolism are diminished in these structures, since their supply of fresh arterial blood is always reduced if no work or exercise be performed.