New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-28
THE OLD FOLKS or NEW-EN GLAND.

ular Science Monthly" the greater part of an
article on the Prolongation of Human Life, by
Mr.. Hammond, an associate editor of The
Boston Globe" who has lately taken advantage
Of the facilities which his newspaper connec-
ton gave him to obtain great mass of stalls
tics relating to New-England men and women
above eighty years of age. He offers few
suggestions but his article is not an argument
in behalf of any theory. 1t is digest of the
facts of which a large body of observers-pre-
sumably skilful in noting and recording what
they observed-had put him in possession
Many Of these facts are curious and novel, and
others neither new nor novel afford valuable
confirmation of former records. All parts of
New England and all conditions of people seem
to be impartially represented in the statistics
which, however, as a matter OF course, DO not
pretend to completeness. Following are some
of the congratulations which Mr.. Hammond has
obtained:
Less than per cent of the old people have
remained unmarried-a confirmation of former
observations and of the general belief. The
old women exceed the old men in number, and
in Massachusetts, the excess is far greater than
ulation can reasonably account for Mr.. Ham
mond suggests-perhaps without sufficient
ground-that the mortality among fishermen
early in the century is thus strkingly revealed.
Five out of six of the New-England old folks
have light compilations, abundant brown hair,
and light eyes, blue or gray, but in what ratio
these characteristics appear in the whole pop
uatiOn is not shown, and the omission is worth
supplying if possible Longevity without reg
ularity of habits appears to be rare, but the
regular habits are by no means necessarily such
as professors of hygiene would prescribe. Thus
the diet has been regular, but students OF
cuisine would be apt to exclaim "What Diet ~
The facts about occupations are striking,
though their real significance cannot be esti
mated without tabular exhibition OF the ratio
in which the entire population is distributed in
respect to vacations. But of 1000 men 46l
have been farmers through life, IS clergymen,
IL lawyers and IL physicians; and Of 1900
women 500 have been farmers wives, and all
but so of the rest housewives. The inference
from the statistics confirms the teaching that
physical activity is conducive to long life, and
Mr. Hammond thinks he is warranted in draw
ing, or at least suggesting, the conclusion that
proprietary independence is also an important
factor He boldly disclams the conviction
that sanitary conditions have any influence,
and cites the facts that town where such con-
ditions are conspicuously unfavOrable from the
professional point Of view is the town which
shows larger proportion Of old people than
any other in New-Engand; and that in Boston
the largest number Of very old people is found
in the North End and South Boston districts
where the sanitary conditions appear to be the
worst. These facts, of course, have no con-
elusive force, but they serve to emphasize the
consciousness Of that amazing vitality which in
great cities everywhere, and perhaps not less
in unnumbered hamlets, deiies with apparent
impunity every rule which science has laid
down. As regards heredity, the facts about
the ancestors and the brothers and sisters of
these old people are too meagre to warrant de-
auctions. Mr. Hammond concludes with the
interesting proposal that the next census in
clude statistical information about all the peo-
pie in the United States above ninety years of
age, its character to be determined beforehand
by those best qualified to say what kind Of in
formation would be most valuable to the world.
We venture to suggest theory concerning
longevity which seems to us to possess some
elements Of plausibiity at least 1t is con-
ceivable that death may ultimately result from
the cumulative effect of long series of minute
deteriorations, each caused by trivial accident
scarcely noted and Immediately forgotten and
no one of them possible of detection by the most
autopsy. The recuperative energy
of nature is extraordinary, but no one can say
where it stops nor when it fails to operate. 1t
may be that the individual who lives long is |
the individual who makes his earthly pilgrim
age without slipping, or being jostled, or stub |
bling his toes, or humping his head or twisting |
his joints-who, in short, whether by chance or
by habit of spontaneous provision, escapes |
the mulhfarious little pitfalls that beset hui
mainly.
THE SUFFERING IN DAKOTA.
A distressing story is told Of the condition |
~ pun,bap ~ Taxx;cb co1op;ctc IN, n,I-oto