Huntsville gazette., 1886-12-18
LONG. HEALTHFUL LIFE
A Case Of Longevity in the Six
teenth Century.
Lewis Cornaro, an Italian Centenarian,
Who Unfolded His Secret of Health and
EDjoyment-Be Temperate in All
Things, Useful and Cheerful.

Luigi Cornaro was descended from
all illustrious family of Venice, where
he was born about the year 1463. Ow-
ing to some political misfortune in the
family he was debarred from all right
to share any public honor, or in any
employment of the republic. He mar
ried one Veronica, of the family of
Spilembergs, at Undine, city of Firuli,
by whom he had daughter, Clara.
This daughter married gentleman of
fortune, having large possessions in the
island of Cyprus, by whom she had
eleven children, of which Cornaro
speaks with much pleasure and delight.
Chagrined at being excluded from any
participation in public affairs, he re-
tired to Padua, where he had consider
able estate, and resided there the re-
mainder of his life.
He tells us, in little book which he
wrote when nearly hundred years
old, that he was formerly of hot,
choleric disposition, and that his con-
stitution, naturally delicate, became
after while in such deplorable condi-
ton from his excuses that, before at
tanning the age of forty, his physicians
announced to him that unless he COM
pletely revolutionized his mode of life
his days would soon como to an end.
Upon desiring them to inform him ex-
actly what course he must pursue they
replied ''that he must always manage
himself as a sick person, eat nothing
but what was good, and that in small
quantity He had sense enough to
heed the simple prescription; or, as he
expressed it: Il thought it disgrace
not to have courage enough to be wise. ;"
He began at once to lead sober life,
and by degrees accustomed himself SO
much to the habit of being temperate
in all things that at the end of a year he
found himself much recovered in health
and free from the pains of Indigestion,
fever gout and other ills which had
afflicted him. Elated with his success,
he became enamored with the enjoy
ments of health, and thereafterfollowed
with care and assiduity the habits of an
abstemious as well as ''sober, right
eous and godly life
The rules which he practiced and
offered for the guidance of others were:
First, in taking care of the quality, SO
as to eat and drink nothing which
would offend the stomach; secondly, in
the quantity, so that no more should
be eaten than could be easily digested.
1t was also Cornaro's theory and prac-
tice that, as we advance in years and
our powers naturally weaken, we
should not tax or overburden them by
efforts to create strength which the
constitution was not capable of produc-
ing. He therefore limited himself
gradually to that quantity OF food
which he deemed proper to sustain
life, so that at the last the yelk of an
egg often sufficed for single meal.
Health under this regime became q
pleasant hobby with him, and certainly
served to make his life happy, useful
and long. This extreme abstemious
ness, though successful in his, might
not be so in every case, therefore he
advised each to study his own consti-
tuition and adjust himself accordingly;
but that temperance in all things is the
one thing requisite. When nearly
eighty he yielded to the arguments OF
his friends, that his constitution re-
quired more nourishment than he
allowed himself, and was induced to
try the experiment. 1t had liked to
have proved fatal. Notwithstanding
the increase was very small. in twelve
days, from state of perfect health, he
was attacked with collie, sleeplessness,
and finally thrown into fever from
which he hardly recovered.
Not only in his diet w as Cornaro
particular, but he used other means
conducive to health. He avoided as
far as possible exposure to the weather,
abstained from all violent exercises
and late hours. One other important
habit which he adopted was, he says,
mot to abandon myself to melancholy
by banishing out of my mind whatever
might occasion it, He also offers the
true argument that temperate life
fortifieS the constitution to with
stand the exposures to the ills
and accidents of life, and cites the
occasion, when he was seventy years
of age, of being overturned in his car
riage and dragged considerable dis
tance. He relates that ''They took me
out of the coach with my leg broken,
a leg and arm out of joint. and, in a
word, in very lamentable condition.
They sent for the physician, who ex-
pected l could not live three days to an
end However, they resolved upon the
letting of blood to prevent the coming
of fever, as often happens in such eases.
was so confident that the regular life
which Ihad led had prevented the con-
tracing of any i'll humors that | OPP
posed their prescription. ordered
them to dress my head, TO set my leg