The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-02
Old Age.

To convey something like a true idea of
the chances against living to extreme old
age, the following statements by the two
eminent Psychologists, Hufeland and Haller,
may be referred to. According to Hufelahd,
out of every hundred born, fifty, or exactly
one half, die before ten. In the next decade,
between ten and twenty, twenty die. Be-
tween twenty and thirty, ten. Between thirty
and forty, six. Between forty and fifty,
FIVE. Between fifty and sixty, three. 1t fol-
lows, then, that out of the original hundred,
only six remain who stand a chance of living
beyond sixty, Halter mas industriously col
lected l, 113 instances of persons who have
lived above 100 years; aud, according to him,
the duration of their respective lives was as
follows: 1000 lived from 100 to 10, 50
from 10 to 120, 20 from 100 to $50, Is
from $50 to 40, from 40 to $50, and
only 2beyond $50, viz, Old Parr and Jenkins.
Amongst the circumstances that favor lOngev-
ity, climate is prominent, and the sort of
climate most favorable to longevity has al
ready been indicated. Diet comes next in
order, and this should be moderate but nour-
ishing. A rainy atmosphere in cold climate
does not seem insalubrious, otherwise Ireland
would not number and have numbered such
an array of old people; not to state that
considerable proportion, perhaps the greatest,
of English and Scottish patriarchs have
resided in the western and hence the rainiest
counties. The physique of an individual,
his size and shape, is an important considera-
ton Neither the very big nor the very
small are usually long lived. Very tall peo-
pie are not so likely to be long Lived as
people of medium height. Tallness often
originates in the disproportioned growth of
some one part of the body, a circumstance
conducive to weakness. Nor is this all to
be alleged against extreme tallness Very
tall persons are apt to acquire habit of
STOPPING, whereby the vital organs are com
pressed Persons Of medium height rarely
stOop, and usually they are more active than
tall persons. Medium sized and short per-
sons have this however, to be set down to
the debtor side of their account. They are
prone to corpulence, condition unfayora-
bic to longevity. Psychologists tell us that
the endurance of animal life mainly depends
on the extent of thorax and moderation of
the hearts impulse. Neither the easily ex-
cited nor the easily depressed are commonly
long liyers. Intense study is known to be
unfavorable to long life. Out of one thous-
and seven hundred and twelve persons who
lived about a century, FOntenelle-who did
not quite reach one hundred years-is the
only author of note. His temper was re-
markedly tranquil. His buoyancy of spirits
youth of old age, as the French call ire
NAMED to the last. The Psychologist Blumen-
bach has made graphic sketch of the pro-
gress of human life onwards to the grave.
Having traced it up to manhood, of this he
says, it is the longest andnoblest epoch of life.
Our nature is then at its highest perfection.
The bodily functions are most vigorous and
regular, and that noblest prerogative of the
mind, mature Judgment, is established
Advancing in years, the powers of life
decrease. Then comes old age, dulling the
senses external and internal. The hair grows
white and thin; the teeth gradually drop out !;
the head droops upon the neck; the body
upon the legs; even the bones begin to waste
Thus do we come to the extreme point of
physiology, death without disease, the eutha
naSia of old age. Then the extremities grow
cold, the eyes grow dull, the pulse beats low
and small, sometimes intermittent. Next
the breath stops, stops and returns, stops for
ever with one long forcible expiration
Blumenbach came to the conclusion that
there is no period which can be said to be