Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-12-18
LONG. HEALTHFUL LIFE.
A Case OF Longevity in the Sig
teenth Century.
Lewis Cornaro, an Italian Centenarian,
Who tnfolded His Secret of Health and
EnjOyment-Be Temperate in All
Things, Useful and Cheerful.

Luigi Cornaro was descended from
an illustrious family of Venice, where
he was born about the year 1863 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, n city of Firuli,
by whom he had II daughter, Clara.
This daughter married Il 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
Chagriued 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 4 hundred years
old, that he was foruerly of a hot,
cholero disposition, and that his con-
stitution, naturally delicate, became
after a while in such a dcplorablc condi-
ton from his excesses 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 come 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 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, II thought it a disgrace
not to have courage enough to be wise
lie began at once to lead a 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 cnamOred with the enjoy
ments Of health, and thereafter followed
with care and assiduity the habits of an
abstcmious as well rs 'sober, right
oous and godly life. -
The rules which he practiccd and
offered for the guidance of others Werc
First, in taking care of the quality. so
as to cat and drink nothing which
would offend the stomach; secondly, in
the quantity, so that no more should
be eaten than could be easily digested,
Ii 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 pr0duc-
ing. He therefore limited himself
gradually to that quantity of food
which he deemed proper to sustain
life, 50 that at the last the yelk of an
egg often suiticed for single meal.
Health under this regime became a
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 ease, 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 Welded TO the arguments of
his friends. that his constitution re-
quired more nourshment 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 a state of perfect health, he
was attacked with collie sleeplessness,
and finally thrown into a 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 hanishing out of my mind whatever
might occasion il" He also offers the
true argument that a temperate life
fortities the constitution to with
stand the exposure. TO the ills
and accidents of life. and cites the
occasion, when he was seventy years
of ae >, of being overturned in his car
riael and dragged 4 considerable dis
tance. He relates that They took n.c
out OF Tie coach With my leg broken,
n ley and arm ont Of joint, and. in Il
word, in very lamentable condition,