Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-17


To be told that under proper condi-
tionS we ought to live one hundred
years, and that the discouraging doc
trine of the influence of heredity In
shortening life is only true in 4 limited
sense, is interesting to most people.
So, also, is the circumstance that we
are living longer than we used to live,
and the assurance that much may be
done yet TO prolong our lives. These
and analogous topics were given in a
recent lecture by Dr.. John Foster, of
Bradford, England, read at the Febru-
AIRY meeting of the Medico-C hirugical
society: The late Dr. Farr in his de-
scription of the march through life of 3
million children, has given the follow
ing results: Nearly $50, 600 will die in
the first year, 81, 900 in the second year,
2S, 600 in the third year, and less than
1900 in the thirteenth year. At the
end of forty-five years 500, 600, or one
half, will have lied. At the beginning
of sixty years $40, 600 will still be living;
at the beginning of eighty years, co.
900; at eighty-ive years So, 900; ut nine,
ty-five years, 2,100 At the beginning
of 100 years there will be 223, and
at 10S years l. The mean lifetime of
both sexes in England was calculated
some years ago ut 40. S5S, nearly or Al
years. Mr.. II. Humphreys has shown,
however, that in the five years, 1876 to
1880, the mean age at death was 1856
(emales 45.3), being gain of nearly
% years. This within twenty wears,
Notwithstanding an increased birth
rate, density of population, and the I'M
sanitary condition of towns suddenly
grown large, more than D years have
been added to the life of every inhabit-
ant of England.
1.-The Spectator asks: What is the
kind of life which is increasing? Are
we young longer, or mature longer, or
old longer? Do we live longer, or are
we only & little slower in dying?' l
am bound to admit that some of the Gain
in early life is lost in middle life; that
while the expectation of life at birth is
20 or more, the expectation from 35 to
so is a fraction less. But notwithstand-
inc the slight increase of mortality at
80 and upward, q large portion of the
additional survivors live on to the high
er ages. OF 1000 born, the additional
number of survivors is 50 at the AGE of
45, rs at 55, 9 at 65, 3 ut 20. and L at
50. The increase is much greater
among females. By far the greater
proportion of the increased duration of
human life in England is lived between
20 and Co." 1t is interesting to as
certain what is the natural limit of ex-
istence. DR.. Farr says the natural life
time of q man is q century. That is
the time the body will live under the
most favorable conditions. Another
most interesting question is: ''When
does old age commenced" DR.. Farr
divided life as follows; Boyhood, 10 to
Is years; youth 10 to %; manhood, %
to So; maturity, 90 to 70; ripeness, 70
to IS, and old age So and upward.
In taking the period of 60 to IS. and
still following the fortunes of the mill
ion children born, we find that 309029
enter this age and 161, 124 leave it
alive. Diseases of the brain, lungs and
heart are the most common; 81 400 died
of old age The number that enter the
next decennial-75 to 85-are 161, 1914,
and the number that leaves it alive is
SO, 565. About 122, 500 die chiefly of
lung, heart, brain and other local dis
eases. Nearly 800 die of atrophy,
debility, and old age. Some writer
says he has met few or no cases of
death from old age, every body dying
of some recognized disease. 1t is true
that symptoms of disease are obscured
in old age, many cases of pneumonia
and other intlammations escaping rec
ognitiOn. But it is also true that many
deaths attributed TO disease are mainly
due to old age; slight injuries, cold,
heat, want, or attacks which in early
years would have been shaken off OF
the million with which we started,
2, 135 live to the age of 95-223 to 100.
Finally, at the age of 108, one solitary
life dies.-Ne2O York Sun.