The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-10-07
4nisrflanU.
s,eriad Of Human Life.

- =
NJ. FIourens the distinguished French
phySiqIogist, has recently published book
iu wh;c.i he annQnpces that the normal
period qi the life Of man is one hundred
yegrs. The grounds on which ne comes
to thla acE pEiiosophic conclusion may
b. b..aay stated. 1t IS we oe!ieTe. a fact
IL ratpa4i history, that the length OF each
anina''s lie is in exact proportion to the
period hc is in growing. Butfou was
.aIsrc ii this truth, and his observations
ed him to conclude that the life in diff
ferept species Of auima.s IS SIX or seven
titaes as rug az the period of growth
When Button wrote the precise period, at
which animals loa.e off growing, or, to
epeak more correctly, the precise circum-
stlqee r,ich indicates tuat growth has
ceased, was not known. NJ. Fluurens
has ascortained that period, aud thereon
lies his present theory. 'It consists,
savs he, ''in the union Of the bones TO the
epiphyses. As ioag as the bones are not
un:;ed 70 their epiphyses, the animal
grows As soou as tac bones are united To
the epiphyses, the animal ceases - grow.
Now. in man the uuio1 Of the bones "a
TIE epiphySes takes place, according 10
M. .lJlr rs, at tho age of twenty; aud
Consequently, he prociaims that the nat
ur1l "a Itiun Of life is FIVE times twenty
years. at is Low fifteen years, since l
commenced researches into the physlo-
logical law of the duration of life, both IN
man and in some of our domestic animals,
end have arrived at the result that the
normal duration of man 5 life IS one cen
tury. Yes, eentury'S lie is what Prov
idcnce meant to give Us" Applied to
domestic animals, u. Flourens theory
has. be tells Us, been proven correct -
''Tho unicn Of the bones with the epiph-
yses, takes place in the camel at eight
years of age, and he lives forty years; III
the horsc al FIVE Years, and he lives TWEEN
ty-fye years IL the OK at four years, and
he lives from fifteen 10 twentr years; ia
the dog at tive years, and he lives from
ten to twelve wears; aud in the lion at
four years, and ne lives twenty. As a
necessary consequence Of the prO|Onga-
ton oi life to WHICH ". Ll1orens assures
maa he is entitled, be modihcss very con
siderahIy his different ages. 81 pyo!ong
the auFation of infancy" says hc "up t.
tea years because that It is from Pine to
ten that the second dentiti0n is termioa-
ted. / prolong adolescence up to twenty
years. because 1t is at that age that the
Development Of the bones ceases, and con
sequeutly the increase Of the body in
length. | pro!ong youth up 10 the age
OF forty, because it is only at tdat age
that the increase Of the body il bulk ter
inmates. After forty, the body does not
grow, properly speaking; the augnen'a-
tion of its volume, which then takes place,
is not q verltable organic development,
but simple accumulation of fat. After
the growth, or more properly speaking,
the development in length and bulk has
terminated, Ian enters into what I cal!
tie period Of invigoration-th is, when
all our parts become more complete and
tirmer, our functions more assured, ano
the whole organism more perfect. This
period lasts to SIXty-hVe or seventy years
and then begins old age, which lasts fol
thirty years.
But though II. Flourens thus length.
ems mans days, he yarrs him, more than
pnoe, that the proiongation Of them can
only be obtained On one rigorous condi
tion--''that of good conduct, OF existence
ALWAYS occupicd-of labor, Of study, mod
deraiion, of sohriety in all things" Il
those who may be disposed to ask Why il
is that of men destined TO live hundred
years, s. few 90 SO, NJ. Flourens answers
t-lumphanLlv-"Hith cur mauners, Owl
passions, our torments, man does not die
he kills himself" Aai he speaks a
great length, of Ceanaro, Of Lessius, anC
mentions Parr and others, to show ;ha
by prudence, and above all, sobriety, lif'
c2n easily be extended to century o
mo~a