The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-08-20
THE CAUSES OF LONG LIFE.
A Centenarian Who Was Moderate
Drinker and Ate Whatever He Liked.
Tan

London Lancet.l
The causes of life and of death are, to
some extent identical. Influences which kill
the weak, strengthen the strong, and in the
mutual reaction of perfect constitution and
a mode of life free from those lethal infuen-
ces which no strength of constitution can
resist may be found the secret of extreme
longevity. The history of centenarians often
illustrates this, but it is not often that the
conditions of their existences can be accurate
ly known Not long ago the death was an
nounced, at the age of 102, of Reverend
Canon Beadon of Stoneham, the particulars
of whose life are in this respect of some in
terest- Born in the year IVY, he succeeded
his father in the living of Stoneham in 1912,
| the living having been held by the two,
father and son, for more than 100 years. His
! ancestors presented examples of moderate
but not extreme longevity, his father having
died at so and his mother at Sc. Canon
Beadon was probably the last person living
| who remembered the Lord George Gordon
riots At the time (1780) he was three years
of age, and he distinctly recollected having
been held up to the window by his nurse to
see the soldiers in the streets.
His good health was almost uninterrupted
| in early manhood he had slight illness, the
| exact nature of which is difficult to ascertain,
since it occurred in the year 1898. He was
|
dered, and deep-chested, with very long
arms and large hands. In early life he pos
sessed great muscular power, which was well
indicated by his frame. Even when long
past 20 his strength of wrist was remarkable.
He was fond of shooting and fishing; the
former amusement he kept up till "a, the lat
ter till 8S. When mddle-aged he could
walk out shooting from morning till night,
exposed to any amount of cold and wet, and
completely knock up many younger men.
He seemed quite Impervious to the ailments
to which ordinary men are subject. He
never knew what headache or rheumatism
was. His digestion appeared perfect, and
he could eat anything with impunity. He
not only ate heartily at every meal, but used
often to eat biscuits, ETC., between meals. He
was moderate drinker"-by no means 8
total abstainer, and was to the last extreme
ly fond of sweet things. AS he grew Older
his step became slower, but he never tottere6
in his gait. To the last his complexion wa
ruddy in tint, never showing the parchment
like appearance SO often an accompaniment
of extreme old age. His condition remained
as in middle age up to his death, neithe
stouter nor thinner.
, At 81 he had his first severe illness-ai
attack of bronchitis, contracted through go
ing out on a very cold day-and he was new
, er afterward quite the same. Up to this dat
he had taken service in his church ever,
, Sunday and his three months duty in Well
Cathedral. his voice continuing distinct an,
powerful; but after the attack of bronchiti
, he was more or less an invalid. Neverthe
less he was able to answer himself, 20 letter
of reorganization which he received on hi
hundredth birthday. The late severe winte
, tried him very much, and he had sewers
colds and slight attacks of bronchitis from
all of which he recovered, and he died q
f last peaceably and painlessly, from mer
e ] decay of nature During the last year @
wo of his life, if fatigued or out of health i
D any way, his mind was not perfectly cleal
e but he never lapsed into anything like '.sec
e ond childishness." He was possessed of
o most imperturable temper and singularl
, even spirits, and would not allow anythin
i to worry him. The two places where h
n passed almost the whole of his life, Wei
o and Stoneham are relaxing in climate. On
Y of his nephews is now living, aged SO, tw
o died last year. aged 50 and IS respectivel,
!. and at the time of his death Canon Beado
d had great-great-great nephews and neic'
r living.