The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1875-12-25
Longevity and Health Of Farmers

The Fourth Annual Report of the
Massachusetts Board of Health con
tains some interesting Statistics of the
average length of life of persons en-
gagged in different occupations, which
show the average life of the farmers of
that State to be iilv-tivc and onc-tourth
years; much longer term of life than
is cnjovcd bv any other class of people
within its boundaries. The class nest
in point of longevity is composed OF me
chan;cs who pursue their a>ocations in
the open air. The live htjv-two and
one half years on the average.
Many tables of statistics have been
compiled for the purpose of determine
ing the average length of life of PER
sons engaged i'll different pursuits, With
VARYING results; but all agree III plIc-
ing the farmers near the head OF the
list OF long lived worhmcn. it would
naturally be supposed that farmers. hN-
ing as they do to SO great an extent IN
the open air, having always at their
command the freshest and most nour-
ishing articles of food, escaping the
worrimcnts and annoNIurcN iu,cpara-
ble from all commercial pur uit~, being
1T liberty to liv their own hours OF IL
bor, to work slowly or rapidly At pleas
urc, and able to procure at all times an
abundant supply OF pure air, would I've
far more healthy and long g-livcd than
any other cl,s, of persons: tut, although
the report of the Ma,s.t!!u'ctts Board
of Health places them at the top Of the
tt,,t t.tl ,l,, rn,,i,fl l,,l
:, tistcs gathered throug houl the C"ull-
would not make SO good 4 showing
in tncr favor. 1t is not bv obedience to
the laws of health that their longevity
is caused. but it is due to the etrcngth-
cning influence Of open air lilc, which
even such reckless disregard of sanity
laws as is shown 5y the majorily Of
farmers, cannot wholly countcract
Agrculturists shoul hc the most
healthy cl,ss Of people; and that they are
not, and arc not the lungcst-liN cd, is due
entirely to their utter disregard Of and
contempt for sanitary laws. The very
advantages with which farmers arc
blessed, are, in too many instances,
changed 10y carelcssncss and ignorance
into evils which injurc health and sholt
en- life.
One of the most frequent complaints,
in the rural districts, Is rheumatism; Il
disease produced in most CAGES by cN
posurc To cold or ~tnrm " i.l insufficient
clothing for protection, or by a damp
and inpcricctly ventilated dwelling,
Living largely in the open air, farmers
often forget, or, if they do not forget,
fail to act upon their knowledge, tha. a
sudden change from the warm kitchen
to the damp, cool night ar, without the
protection of additional clothing, must
produce an injurious chill to-thc system.
lhcv fail to reflect that Il house with Il
lcakv roof or neglected cellar causing
damp walls and a continual cXhaation
obnoxious vapors, will, ntalliby, though
perhaps slowly, sap the strength OF the
hardest and most robust man; while It's
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 Sc
we're in proportion to the extent TO
which they arc exposed TO the evil.
Upon the tIulv irightiul mortality
caused bv the widespread and unsus-
pcctcd contamination of wells and els,
terms by drainage from ccss-pools and
vaults, they look as the dioPcnsation of
Providence; without dreaming that it
is caused by their own caIclcssmess,
negligence, and ignorance.
It is not because the American far:
mcr is lacking in intelligence, that he
suffers SO many abuses to exist without
effort to reform them; but, because he
is so intent upon moncymaking that he
cannot spare the time to think Of his
health, to provide himself with the APP
plianccs for comfort and improvement
which are brought to his notice, and to
read and study modern researches AMI
discoveries in hygiene and physiology
until the inevitable / suits o! di....-
gard of the laws Of his being -sieknca,
and an impaired constitution have rcn
dcrtd l..n. burden t. hin. Ell ana 10
lis triclI-, a4I have .acanaci!a..4 MIN