Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1961, Blaðsíða 34

40
Serumcholesterolnøgdin hjá Føroyingum
only a limited span of years. Degenerative processes will lead to old
age and death of the individual. The maximum life time beyond which
human life does not exist will hardly exceed 115 years. There is no
reason to believe that this maximum life time has varied within histori-
cal time. Statements of men who have attained to an even higher must
be taken with some reservation. In earlier centuries the registration of
birth was not trustworthy, and the memory of the individual often
failed. It has not been proved that »Gele-Royal« and »H-3 (procain-
hydrochloride)« lengthen life-time of man. In Western Europe the indi-
vidual lives in such protecting surroundings that the conditions are
present for attaining the maximum life-time. When some people are
trying to find an elexir of life I think it is because man whishes to
live an eternal life on earth and not forgetting it is good business to
make such an elexir.
If you accept a restricted life time, the man of science must confine
himself to look for the causes of inevitable degenerative processes in
organs with advancing ages and to prevent profylactically these pro-
cesses from injuring the individual too early. Different hypotheses are
set up and scientists are occupied with these problems because the
diseases in question (arteriosclerosis of the coronaries) are nowadays
increasing especially among young men in all the western world. Scien-
tists have tried to find connection with habits of smoking, eating, and
exaggerated intake of alcohol, which are nearly connected with living-
standard. The forced mode of life in the western world, which enor-
mously stress the individual, have also been in the searchlight.
Then the author briefly describes the pathologic-anatomical trans-
formations in arteriosclerosis, especially affecting the coronaries.
The observations of Keys'O.i' are described in details, especially his
observations made on Japanese living in Japan, Hawaii, and California.
The Japanese living in California consume more food rich in animaj
fats than Japanese living in Hawaii (40°/o against 20 °/o). In Japan the
inhabitants have a diminutive intake of animal fats. The fat in the food
is due to plant oils (10 °/o of the calorie-intake). The most important
difference between animal-fats and plant-oil are the contents of satu-
rated fatty acids in the former and unsaturated ones in the latter. It is
emphasized that fish, products of fish, meat, and whale-blubber contain
unsaturated fatty acids. The level of serumcholesterol is of importance
in arteriosclerosis. Prominent investigators have demonstrated that un-
saturated fatty acids make a fall in the level of serumcholesterol and
it is possible that intake of unsaturated fatty acids protects against
arteriosclerosis, but it has not yet been proved.
In Faroe Islands the population have other habits of eating than in
other western countries, and arteriosclerosis in the coronaries are sel-