Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-09-04
The Duration of Mans Llfe-A New Idee


The Duration of Mans Llfe-A New Idea
A work has recently been published by
VI. Flourens, the celebrated French physi
ologist, in which he asserts that the natural
length of a mans life is five times as long
as the period of growth, and assuming that
the latter is twenty years, concludes that
the destined pilgrimage of man on earth is
one hundred years.
From his own observations, and facts de-
rived from the observations of Button, and
from natural history, he believes that the
proportionatc length of life in animals to
their periods of growth is established, and
now claims to have discovered the peculiar
physical change in the system of both ami
mails and man which indicates the compile
ton of growth at consists" says NJ.
Flourens, "in the union of the bones to the
cpiphyses. AS long as the bones are not
united to their epiphyscs, the animal grows.
In man the same effect takes place at twcn-
ty, and consequently the duration of man S
life is five times twenty. 1t is now fifteen
years since L commenced researches into
the physiological law of the duration of life
both in man and in some of our domestic
animals, and / have arrived at the result
that the normal duration of mans life is
a century. Yes, century's life is what
Providence meant to give us"
NJ. Flourens brings some striking and
interesting facts forward to prove the truth
this theory ofas applied to domestic animals,
and claims that it has an exemplification in
the relative duration of growth and life in
the camel, horse, OK, dog, and other domes-
tic animals. In dividing the several pe
riods of mans life, M. Flourens proongs
the duration of infancy up to ten years,
because it is from nine to ten that second
dcntltion terminates; adolescence up to
twenty, because it is ut that age the deyel-
opmcnt of the bones ceases; of youth, up
to the age fforty, because it is only at that
age that the increase of the body in bulk
terminates. After forty" he says, (" the
body does not grow, properly speaking the
augmentation of its volume which then
takes place is not vcritable organic devel-
opment, but simple accumulation of fat.
After the growth, too, more exactly speak
ing, the development in length and bulk
has terminated, man enters into what nav
be termed the period of invigoration that
IS, when all his parts become more complete
and firm, and the whole organism more
perfect. This period lasts to sixtyfve or
or seventy years, and then, begins old age
which lasts for thirty years"
Although we cannot entirely agree with
the theory of Nj. Flourens, that with cor
rccted manners, passions, and habits, the
life of man can be prolonged to the length
ened period he mentions, we yet think that
with the good conduct he recommends,
moderate labor, study, and systematic
course of living it may not only be extern
ded, but it's evening may be sustained in
beauty and vigor until night has entirely
set in.
ABERNETHY was sent for by an inn.keoper,
who had quarrel with his wife who had
scored his face with her nails so that the
poor man was bleeding and much disfgured.
DIR. Aberncthy, admonishing the offender,
said: . Madame, are you not ashamed of
yourself, to treat your husband thus--thc
husband is the head ofall; your head. mad
anne. in fect?" Wei, Doctor" ticrcely re-
turned the yirago, land may not scratch my
f,,,,f, hOod