Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-10-05
The Records Of L0ngevity-Curi0us
illustrations.

PHYueLeeIsTs from the days of Galen
have established rules and regulations for
the preservation of life, which are all in
eluded in the mutual laws. Upon strict
of these laws and upon such
natural conditions as the parentage, con-
and form of the individual, Ion
gevity depends. Hereditary longevity is
regarded by DR.. Noirot as tie most i'm.
portant prognostication. Rush said he
never knew an octogenarian who could
not quote similar instances in his family.
From statistical report of the hospitals
and work houses of London, out of 597
octogenarians, 303 were descended from
long lived parents.
Regarding the parentage, Bacon makes
the curious statement that "those that
resemble the mother most are longest
lived" The same author describes the
most favorable organic alton of old age,
" as one with head small in proportion
to the body, moderate neck, wide nostrils,
large mouth, ears gristly, teeth sound, a
raw-boned body, broad chest, large hand,
short foot, eyes large, and facility for hold
ing the breath" Medical authorities, as
rule, rely more on the general physique
than on minor details. The celebrated
Hufeland favors one of the middle size,
with complete harmony of all his parts,
senses not too delicate, pulse slow and
regular. Lavater lays more stress upon
the countenance. He says "every man
destined to reach an advanced period of
with soft skin, and the nose somewhat
curved" With respect to the sex, there
has been much discussion; but it is GER
tain that women attain as great age as
men, Notwithstanding their inferiorily of
form and sedentary habits. Tisseh ex-
plains this want of exei else as b-ing COM
pepsated for by their talking so much.
The health of the human race is very
dependent upon the external conditions of
life, especially the character of location
or habitation, and Country geograph-
ically situated so as to combine regularity
of the seasons with uniform, mild and
moist climate is the most conducive to the
of life. The moist unfavor-
able localities are those where extremes
of temperature prevail. In Iceland aud
Siberia, both with extremely cold eli
mates, seventy is the standard of extreme
age, while in China, with its enormous
population, centenarians are 80 rare, that
when the Emp eror in 1884 assembled tie
Oldest inhabitants of the Empire to the
number of 5000, there were only four
whose ages exceeded century. Noun
famous regions, on account of the purity
of the atmosphere, offer superior advant-
ages to those of low countries. Scotland,
Switzerland and Wales are remarkable in
this respect. Ancient Greece and Italy
were celebrated for their salubrious ell
mates, which partially explains the many
instances of extreme age among their dis
tinguished men of antiquity. Sophocles,
Thales, Demo, and Xenocrates exceeded
ninety; and Plato, Pindar, Scion, Keno
phan and Pythagoras lived beyond eighty
years. Cities have been aptly termed 1.-The
graves of the human Species" on account
of the mortality resulting from disease en-
gendered by the impurities OF the atmos-
phere.
Many of the cases of remarkable lon.
gevity are very doubtful. Numas de Cusna
is said to have died in 1866, at the age oi
$50; but the following are some of the
most authenticated instances:
Peter Lortan, of Hungary, aged 1856
Louisa Truxo, negress, of South Amer
ica, 176; John Rovin, of Hungary, 172
Sarah, his wife, 1854; Henry Jenkins, o.
England, 1859; Mrs. Judith Scott, of Eng
land, 1852; Thomas Parr, of England
1872; Ivan de Outryei, of France, 146; thu
Countess of Desmond, Of Ireland, 140
Alexander NJ Cullock, of Scotland, 1872
Peter Garden, Scotland, 131.
Very little information regarding tn
means of preserving life can be obtained
from an examination of the habits of thes
aged persons.
''What is one mans poison, Signor,
Is another's meat or drink
-Beaanontssad Fletcher.
It is related that old Lortan's only foo,
was milk and cakes, with brandy. Jen
kins appears to have subsisted on salte,
beef and sour, leavened bread. De Outrye
lived on corn meal; Parr drank ale ant
sherry, aEd many centenarians have beel
addicted to the use of liquor and tobacco
Whatever may be the effect of diet upol
longevity, it ia certain that the occupation
or profession exerts great influence
Farmers are gene rally the most favored
having the advantage ofpure air, plenty O
exercise, wholesome diet, and freedom
from excitement. Clergymen are long
lived, for they lead regular lives. The Gel
| ebrated Wesley attained the age of eighty
eight, having preached sixty-six years
Tailors, shoemakers, printers and watch
makers die young from the confinement O
their pursuits. Masons, plumbers, ant
painters are usually unhealthy, while cal
penters and bookbinders are more fOrtu
nate; stablemen and dyers live long. On
would not suppose that those connecte
there are many instances of very old az
tors. Garrick lived till he was 63; Kembl;
66: Mrs. Siddons, 76; Colley Cibber. sc
and Forrest is upwards of 10. Poets, as
class, have died very early; but it is que
tionable whether this is cue to the immoi
crate use of the brain or their own excesse
Byron died at 36, Burns at SO, Goldsmit
| at Al, Spencer at z6, Thompson at d
Dante at so, and Tasso at 30, etc.
| The pursuit of the arts and science
seem to favor health many of the mo-
| illustrious artists attained great age
Titan lived to be ninetY-six; Michael Al
| gelo, eighty-nine; Claude Lorraine, sever
| ty eight. Physicians, although expose
to constant rsks from disease, ususll
reach old age, but not extreme age. Law
yers are short-lived. In short, all profe
sions requiring much study have tel
dency to shorten life, and eighty const
tutes the maximum age. With literal
men, sleep-the most important auxilial
of health-is too often neglecte
Sleep is as necessary after il
tellectual as physical labor. tt
loss of sleep has been know to o
casion death, as in the case of Lol
Littleton, and newborn infant could n
survive twenty -four hours if kept awsk
Shakespeare appropriately calls slee
"nature's soft nurse" The married sta
is more favorable than the single. Buffc
declares that marriage is the proper sta
of man." and Psychologists affirm III
nearly all the remarkable cases of 10
gevity were married persons. Old Pa
tried wedlock again at the advanced al
of one hundred and twenty.
Philosophers have represented old a.
as uneviable on account of the physil
; decay accompanying it, yet there is oft
, no diminution of the strength and Wig
of the intellect at the most advanc
. period of life. Necker says that the e
of three score and ten is an agre. able a
j for writing" At eighty, Plato col
: menced Greek, and PlutaIch Latin VIII
! nearly the same age. Arnauld, when tn
: old, translated "Josephus." Theosphrs
t tus, when ninety, began his work on t
Character of Man" and the famous Izz
= Walton, at the same age, published sor
|. poems. Sir Christopher Wren continu
4 his astronomical and r,hilosophica1 1abr