The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-13
THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN.

We have on several occasions alluded
to the death-traps that assail mankind
on every hand, especially the devices of
the enemy to rake us away to the charnel
house by means of the stomach through
the enticing tidbits of the table, but it
seems to be fact, nevertheless, that the
average duration of the lives of men is
gradually lengthening, especially in cities
where, after all that has been said and
written in favor OF the greater healthful
ness and simplicity of country
life, the luxury Of existence
and the attainment OF longevity appear
to have achieved their best success In
Paris and elsewhere in France, where
gastronomic science appears to have at
tained its fullest development, and in
London and the island of Great Brit
tain, where the sound principles of sani-
tation are about as thoroughly under
stood as anywhere in the world, we see
more hale old men in the full possession
of all their mental and a sufficency Of
their physical powers than at any former
period in the history of the world. In
New York many more men of advanced
age are met with daily in the important
avocations of life than were seen on
an average fifty or even twenty-five years
ago. The New York Times of recent date,
commenting on this fact, remarked that
in the metropolitan papers of the day
before the deaths were recorded of not
less than ten persons, all over seventy
two years old, and of these one was sew
enty-nine and two eighty-six years of
age. The frequency with which we find
men of sixty years who are bodily and
mentally active, agile and for all the
practical purposes of life younger than
Others are at forty, is really worthy Of
attentive consideration as to causes. Prob.
ably we might find the answer why this i,
thus by rejecting that fewer people
nowadays gorge themselves immod
erately with illy-cooked and unwhole.
some food or destroy the coatings of theil
stomach with orgies of which fiery alco
holic beverages are the basis, or expose
themselves to vicissitudes of temperature
unprotected by suitable clothing, or sleeE
in rooms devoid of ventilation. Men ea
better prepared food than formerly; they
use more light wines and beer than ou
former consumers of New England run
and fiery whisky and brandy; they venti
late their rooms both for living and sleep
ing, and wear garments that keep the bacl
warm and the feet dry far more thar
they did fifty years ago. Moreover
when deadly sewer vomits f" IN its fe
yer and diphtheria breeding emanations
or a we'll, polluted with the leechings o
a cess-pool, strikes down alike the aget
and the youthful, the pauper and tn
millionaire, men do not wiring thei
hands, and sit down to exclaim at tn
mysterious dispensations of Providence
that called this one away to brighte
cline for purposes wise, if known, bu
incomprehensible to the finite mind, the,
take measures to promptly discove
the cause of the mortality and when dis
covered to abate the nuisance. Man,
of the dispensations of Providence, it j
true, are past finding out, but scienc
and common sense have at last mad
r plain this fact that person who squar
: ders his youth in licentiousness and dii
: sipation, wastes the vigor of bis youp
: manhood in debauch and throws ava
. the priceless jewel of his good name byev
: courses, will in all probability be so love
Of the angels as to be early called
| another sphere of usefulness wheI
the temptations Of the world will, W
D hope, not spread out for his entangl'
ment. At any rate the laws Of healtl