The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-03-10

orists.
We have not space for reply to the
Deans essay. AS sample of his argu-
ment, take his observations ON. the in
crease of the average of life during the
past two or three centuries. The aver
age has increased and is still on the ad-
vance. Hence, the doctor concludes
that we are not degenerating. In reply
let it be stated that there are no reliable
statistics of the average of life three hum
dred years ago. The most reliable facts
are found in the German reports, which
show an advance in the duration of lie
from q to 40 years during the past three
centuries.
Notably within the present century
yea, within the past quarter of CEN
tury-the duration of life in our large
cities has considerably increas ed.
Had the Dean told the whole truth he
would have stated how it Is that the av-
erage of life has been increased. He
would have stated that by the greater
care which infants have received, fewer
have died in early childhood. 1t is the
death of infants that cuts down the av-
erage--for every dead infant counts one
in the divisor and nothing in the divi-
dend. Then he should have stated that
the great sanitary improvements of the
past two centuries have destroyed the
plague and very much decreased the raw
ages Of epidemics.
He should have given the fact from
Michelet that no human being in Europe
bathed himself for 1000 years and hence
the spotted plague, black death, sweat
ing sickness, besides numerous manias
and terrible epidemics. This tact was
recently quoted by DR.. Playfair before
the British Social Science Association.
The Dean should also have stated that
the average age of the people of Geneva
is not 40 years, nor those of England 45
years, as is commonly reported. The
average age OF no people on the globe,
even of the exceptionally healthy locali-
ties where few infants die, is over 40
years. The general average of Switzer-
land, or Geneva alone, or of England, or
of the United States is not over % years.
To show the absurdity OF an average of
45, or even 40 years, apply small
analysis.
One-half die under six years Of age;
call the average of child mortality three
years. One-half of the remainder die
under forty years of age; call their aver
age twenty-five years. .One-half of the
balance die under sixty; call their av-
erage forty years. 1t follows that, to
make general average of forty years,
125 out of every 1000 persons born must
reach an average Of 21S years of age, aud
half OF these must live TO be 250years old
Is not this absurd?
But what is meant by an average dura-
tion in life of forty years? IL means
with the children excluded. With the
children excluded the average of Gene
va was never as low as twenty-one years,
unless in a generation of plaques and
epidemics.
The increase of human life is wholly
accounted for by the progress of science,
and not by the increase of humor vigor.
Indeed, science has increased the aver
age OF life in spite Of physical degen-
eracy.
The Dean says that our life assurance
shows that the average IN America is
higher than in England. 1t ought to be
so, because this country was first settled
by the most vigorous blood of Europe
just as the West is settled by the best OF
Yankee blood. The census shows Ohio
to be much healthier than any New Eng
land State, and Missouri to be fully as
healthy as Massachusetts.
That we have physically degenerated
is unquestioIably true, deductively as
we'll as inductively. Dr.Allen has proved
it inductively and DR.. Bartholow has at.
tempted to reiute him inductively, and
we have shown the fallacy of part Of his
reasoning. Let us now apply the deduc-
tive method:
/. Sanitary science has preserved
greater number of the weak to procreate
WtdhES6S3 CucI cloIc, Iuelc 10 du luClcuSc
of physical weakness as compared with
previous times.
2. Our country was settled by the
strongest, and as some are born weak
among even the strongest, we are grow
ing weaker from generation to genera
ton.
8. Our increasing gentility is attended
with increasing physical decay.
Frank Frayne Gives Free Show.
Last night, about halt-past eleven
O'Clock, while policemen Blake, O'Keefe
and Burs, of the middle district, were
endeavorIng to kill wild hog which cre-
ated great excitement on Lexington
street, in front of the new City Hall, aud
had fired some fifteen or twenty shots,
without any apparent effect on the ami
NAL, the audience from the Holiday
street theater were just leaving the
building, and Mr.. Frank Frayne, the
sdead snot," hearing the tusillade going
on, inquired the cause.
Upon being told, he procured one of
his rifles and ran to the scene of the FIR
ing. Seeing the hog was still alive and
as dangerous as ever, he asked permis-
sion to try his hand; this being granted,