Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-01-24
NUMBER 4.
LONGEVITY.


A Roman Judge made the first reliable
records of human longevity. His statis-
tics were collected and published during
the third century. His tables were ADOPT
ed by the Roman courts, and made tho
guide in determining tho value of life.
estates, reversions, etc., for hundreds Of
years.
In modern times the Oldest trustworthy
accounts are those of Geneva, Switzer-
land. From these and other records kel t
during the last four hundred years, we
learn that the length of human life dur
ing the last sixteen centuries has just about
doubled.
Diseases, which in former times were
destructive, have disappeared, and some,
which formerly swept away whole peoples,
now only attack individuals. Small pox,
between 1872 and 1857, annually caused
from seven to ten per cent. of the NOR
tality Of London. Now, through the
most benetlcent of all discoveries, vacci-
nation, this loathsome disease is well-nigh
banished from civilized nations. Measles,
which formerly caused from eight to
eleven per cent. of the deaths, has now
fallen below two per cent. From 1875 to
1877, twonty per cent. of the deaths among
children came from teething, while now
the rate has fallen below one por cent.
And even consumption, which many peo-
ple think II modern disease, was formerly
more fatal than now. In tho seventeenth
century, seventeen per cent. of the deaths
were caused by consumption. The per-
centage in London, where mortality from
this disease is still great, is now not more
than ten per cent. One hundred years
ago, tevers caused the death of one-sixth
of tho people of London. From 1857 to
1860 this per cent. was reduced two thirds.
Some diseases now unknown made fright
ful havoc in those days of low civilization.
The Black Death " carried Off twenty
five millions of tho inhabitants of Europe
during l34S and l3i0. The "Sweating
sickness" was another terrible sccurge.
From 1903 to 1865, each year there died
in London alone from ono thousand TO
ten thousand and four hundred persons OF
tho Plague. For the last two hundred
years this scourge has appeared only oc-
casionally, in those parts of Egypt and
Asia, whore civilization has not removed
its causes. Two hundred years ago, tho
deaths averaged annually about one in
twenty OF the living, even in the most
favored districts. From 1916 to 1865, the
deaths in England were ono in forty-two.
From 1904 to 1852, the births in London
don were 600,075, and the burials 06I ,SS2.
From 1851 to 1860, there were in London
$50, 2G3 births and 6l0, ,473 burials. In tho
former period, for every 100 births there
were 1877 burials. In the latter period,
for every 100 births there were 7S burials.
Fifty years ago tho Life Insurance Com
pany Of Philadelphia used table based
upon an expectation of twenty-eight years
and five months from birth. The life
table Of tho United States, calculated in
1860, made the expectation forty one
years.
The distinguished Mr.. Finlaison calcu-
lated that one quarter was added TO
human life during the eighteenth century.
Formerly people lived in holes aud cav
erns Of the earth. Even within a brief
time, the laboring classes in England
lived in houses without floors. The ground
was often wet and muddy. To avoid this,
straw and rushos were spread over the
ground, which were put on fresh without
removing tho old. Erasmus, who care
fully studied life in Great Britain, declares
that in some cases tho straw and rushes
would not be removed for twenty years,
and was not unfrequently filled with fish
bones, broken victuals, and the excrotions
Of dogs, children and men. Life in tho
cities was terribly exposed. They were
unpaved, undraincd, and the streets were
made the receptacles Of every kind of
filth. Crawling about in this mire of in
describabIe filth, inhaling fetid, pestilen-
tial exhalations, struggling through this
sea of vleness, the people sought to pro-
pitiate Heaven by prayers and entreaties.
Even as late as the nineteenth century a
number of intelligent people in Scotland,
when the cholera was threatening that
country, instead of insisting on thor
ough cleansing of cellars, yards, cesspools
and streets, petitioned for day OF ma
tional fasting humiliation and prayer.
Lord Palmerston, in reply, urged imme-
diate and thorough sanitary measures
otherwise" said he, "pestilence will
surely visit you, in spite of all the pray
ers of united but inactive people,
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