Is this an argument?

Question

Dr. Oliver Wendall Holmes once laid out the dictum that the key to longevity was to have a chronic incurable disease and take good care of it. Even now, 150 years later, this works. If you have chronic arthritis, you are likely to take a certain amount of aspirin most days of your life, and this may reduce your chances of dropping dead from coronary thrombosis. When you are chronically ill, you are also, I suppose, less likely to drive an automobile, or climb ladders, or fall down the cellar stairs carrying books needing storage, or smoke too much, or drink a lot...

Answer 1

Sure it is. An argument is one or more premises that support a conclusion. We might re-write the paragraph this way:

Premise: People who have chronic arthritis are likely to take aspirin most days of their life.
Premise: Aspirin, if taken regularly, may reduce the chances of getting coronary thrombosis.
Premise: Coronary thrombosis is a dangerous disease.
Conclusion 1: Chronic arthritis causes disease-preventative behaviour.

Premise: Other chronic illnesses are similar to chronic arthritis.
Conclusion 2: Chronic illness in general cause disease-preventative behaviour.

Premise: Chronic illness makes you less likely to drive an automobile, climb ladders, smoke too much, drink a lot, and so on.
Premise: Driving an automobile, climbing ladders, smoking too much, drinking a lot, and so on are all activities which are dangerous.
Conclusion 3: Incurable disease help you avoid dangerous behaviours.

Premise: Engaging in preventative behaviour improves longevity.
Premise: Avoiding dangerous behaviours improves longevity.
Final conclusion: Incurable disease increases longevity.

Written that way, it's also easier to pick out specific points you may not happen to agree with. But agreeable or not, it's still an argument. You'll note that not every premise is overtly stated. That's okay too. Most of us use a lot of implication when we speak.

Answer 2

You will understand the key to longevity when you realise
the seat of vitality.

Many western scientists tried to locate the seat of
Prana (life, vitality) in the body. Some proposed the
heart to be the seat of Life. Just because the heart
stopped beating, you can not say that the person is
dead. There are many cases in medical history that
people revived to life after some hours of stopping of
the heart. Some medical experts theorised that a body
will not revive after it's brain ceases to emit the
electrical signals. Even this theory could not stand
the test of truth. Modern medicine knows that the first
organ to decompose in a dead body is the private organ.
There is not single case in the medical history that a
person revived after the private organ started
decomposing. Chandogya Upanisad says (VI.5.4):

" Water when drunk becomes three fold; it's coarsest
portion becomes the urine; it's middle portion the
blood, and it's subtlest portion Praana."

The definition of Prana is 'that which continues or
sustains life'. It is the same organ which 'creates'
life. Many philosophical texts say 'water is life'!
The major content of our body is water.

Maharshis of the yore have put a cryptic meaning in the
word Prana - it was derived from the Sanskrit word
'Neeram' (water) by reading it in the reverse
direction. (Consonants P and M are equivalent because
they are labials).

The Yoga texts say that Prana is effected by Apana (the
downward pulling energy in lower parts), Vyana (the digestive
system, exessive load on it reduces life span), Samana
(the ability to provide balanced supply of oxygen throught
the body), and Udana (controller located in the throat which
regulates production of D.C. electricity by the heart).
Some texts say that the most powerful factor that reduces
Prana is Apana.

It is a known fact in India that practitioners of Yoga lived
the full span of life without any chronic incurable disease.
Many centuries of its use is the proof.

Answer 3

Your point is valid. But also an incredible commentary on our thinking as humans. Often, we have to become ill to appreciate our lives and take care of ourselves. If we did all the things you mention when we are healthy, our lives would be longer still.

Answer 4

This is like cleaning spilled milk on floor and not taking precaution so that milk will not be spilled again.

I think we just need to locate cause and screw it.
And effect will end.