Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-12-14
3flisttllang.
l. Longevity and Health or Farmers.

The Fourth Annual Report of the Mas
sachusetts Board of Health contains some
interesting statistics of the average length
of life Of persons engaged in different
occupations, which show theiaverage life
Of the farmers of that StatcSto be fily-
five and oue-iourih years; a much longer
term .of life than lis : enjoyed BY any
other class Of people within its boundaries.
The, class mex, ingpoint1.O of longevity is
composed of mechanics who pursue their
ayocations in the open air. These live
dny-two aud one.half years on the aver
age.
Many tables Of statisticsJ, have been
compiled for the purpose Of determining
the average length Of life Of persons en-
gagged in different pursuits, with varying
results; but all agree in placing the far
mcrs near the head Of the list OF long
lived workmcn. 1t would naturally be
supposed that farmers, living as they do
to 50 great an extent in the open air, hay-
nc alw-ys at their command the freshest
and most nourisLing articles Of food,
escaping the worriments and annoyances
uscparable from all commercial pursuits,
being at liberty to Tx their own hours Of
labor, to work slowly or rapidly at pleas.
ure, and able TO procure at all times an
abundant supply Of pure air, would be
lar more healthy and lopg-lived :han any
other class of persons; but, although the
report of the Massachusetts Board of
Health places them at the top OF the list
in that State, table compiled from sta
tis;ics gathered throughout the country,
would not make so good q showing in
their favor. 1t is notify obedience to the
avs Of health that their longevity is
caused, but it is due to the Strengthening
influence of open air life, which, even
such reckless disregard Of sanitary laws
as is shown by the majority OF farmers,
cannot wholly counterfeit. Agricultur-
ists should be the most healthy class of
people; and that they are not, and are
not the lcugest-lived, is due entirely to
their utter disregard Of aud contempt for
sanitary laws. The very advantages with
which farmers are blessed, are. in 100 many
instances, changed by carelessnesss and
ignorance into evils which injure health
and shorten life.
One of the most frequent complaints,
Il the rural districts, is rheumatism "a
disease produced in most cases by expos.
ure to cold or storm with insufficient
clothing for protection, or by damp and
imperfectly ventilated dwelling. Living
largely in the open air, farmers often for
get, or, if they do not forget, fail to act
upon their knowledge, that a sudden
change from the warm kitchen to the
damp, cool night air, without the protec-
ton of additional clothing, must produce
an injurious chill to the system. They
fail to reflect that house with leaky
roof or neglected cellar causing damp
walls and continual exhalation Of nox-
ious vapors, will, infallibly, though per-
haps slowly, sap the strength Of the
hardiest and most robust man while its
life destroying effect upon the women, who
are subjected to its influence the greater
part of the day, which the man spends in
outdoor labor, is rapid and severe in pro.
portion to the extent to which they are
exposed to the evil. Upon .the truly
frightful mortality caused by the wide
spread and unsupported contamination OF
wells and cisterns by drainage from cess
pools and vaults, they look as the dispen-
s4tion of Providence without dreaming
that it is caused by their own carelessness,
negligence, and ignorance.
1t is not because the American farmer
il lacking in intelligence, that he suffers so
many abuses to exist without effort to re-
form them; but, because he is so intent
upon money making that he cannot spare
the time to think Of his health, to provide
himself with the appliances for comfort
and Improvement which are brought to his
notice, and 20 read and study modern re-
searches and discoveries in hygiene and
physiology until the inevitable results Of
a disregard Of the laws Of his beinO-