Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-17
HOW TO PROLONG LIFE.
AN INVESTIGATION OF LONGEVITY
BY CAREFUL INQUIRY.
Habits of Persons Who Have Lived to
Four Score More-Testimony That
Conflicts with Popular Ideas-The Em-
portance of Complexion.


Conflicts with Popular Ideas-The Em-
portance of Complexion.
Clement NJ Hammond is an associate editor |
f The Boston Globe and he has. taken an |
ingenious, if homely, method OF ascertaining |
he facts and conditions that usually accom- |
ANY longevity. Briefly, he sent out blanks
o the representatives of the paper in every
,ounty of the New England states, asking
or the following Information in relation to
men and women Individually over the age
If 50:
''Name, residence, age, nationality; whether
married or single; general description, in
,luding size, weight, complexion, etc; chill
iren, how many, ages, state of health, etc;
habits, hours of rising, retiring, meals, exer-
rise, etc. occupations, past and present; food
and drink, quantity, kinds, etc. attacks of
sickness, if any, and at what ages, nature of
disease, etc; condition of teeth, hair, beard,
skin, etc, at time when seen by correspon-
dent; age at which father and mother died
and of grandfather and grandmother, when
ever possible
In reply to these queries, which, by the
way, were to be based on accuracy rather
than enterprise" Mr.. Hammond received
full and detailed descriptions of no fewer
s, 500 cases Of bona fide octogenarianism, and
the cases were confined to no particular kind
of locality, but came in indiscriminately
from hill and valley, sea coast and inland.
Climate and temperature were thus elimi-
mated as factors making for length of life.
HABITS OF LONG LINERS.
As might be expected, | married people
of New England live longer than those selfish
or unfortunate ones who affect life of single
blessedness: that is the fate or good fortune
# married people everywhere. But the pro-
portion of the one class to the other of the
New Englanders who attain the four score
goal upsets all ordinary reckoniDgs, for the
married ones number no fewer than ninety
five in every hundred of those on the list II
that fact be not sufficient to give rousing
impetus to the worship OF Hymen, then must
it be concluded that the sacn and women OF
modern days are no longer ill love with length
of years.
Another popularity revealed by Mr. Ham
mond's canvass, and i: Is peculiarity, is the
fact that dark "complected' people are no
in the race for longevity with the light com
plected," for five out of every six of the New
England old folks under review are blonde
with blue or gray eyes, and abundant brown
hair.
As to the habits of life of these old folk.
the answers furnished to Mr. Hammond's in
quirieS all point to the fact that longevity
save " hen it is accompanied with regularit.
of habit, is rare
"These old people, men and women alike
| are put down as early risers and retlrers, a
most without exception, and fully ninetee
out of every twenty have observed this cui
tom throughout life, except, perhaps, at som
short period in youth. Meals have bee
eaten regularly, three each day, with Dime
at noon, the exception being so rare as to il
| dicate nothing Exercise in most cases ha
been hard work up to G5 or 70 and after tbs
period has consisted when the regular occl
patton has been given up of walking, ga,
dening, or both. Except in cases of sickne
these old people are as active and as fond I
constant occupation of some sort today I
most men and women are at s..
TIE nature of the occupations they ha'
followed is significant. Out of 1000 NE
through life 46l have been farmers; go ha'
been carpenters; 70, merchants; 81, mariner
40, laborers: ~, shoemakers; al, manufa
| turers; % cler,rymeu; 23 nnsons; l6. blac
smiths; l6, bankers, Il each, iron worker
mill hands, physicians and lawyers; and Il
rest are divided among nearly all the 9th
trades and professions.
Their food is strong, plentiful and plain
dressed; they are given to the inhibition
tea and coffee in considerable quantities,
whisky in moderation, and to the use of
baceo somewhat copiously.
THE MORAL IN IT.
Mr. Hammond saws; while the farme
of New England and their wives are clean
people, they are not much given to bethin
This neglect may not have prolonged tbs
existence or made them more healthy, but
is to be presumed that it has not cut of ma
, years or caused much disease Neither @
the members of these households vel
formed in relation to sanitary matters. IN
know little of the unseen dampness to viii
the human system is constantly exposed, al
knowing little, care little. May not this
an influence in favor Of prolonged e1isten
paradoxical as the supposition may seemG
bingham, Mass, with only 1000 inhabitan
there are eighty people over so years of al
and out of these seventy-five are of light co
plexion. In no other town in n
England. so far as could be learned,
there such a proportion Of old p
pie This town is on the sea coast,
very low, is without sewers, and has oil
recently put in system of water wor
From a sanitary point Of view the conditit
here are about as unfavoratie to long life
4 could be conceived outside the crowded p
tions of the large cities. And in Bost.
where the sanitary conditions appear to
the worst-in the North End and South B
ton districts-the greatest number Of "
old people are found"
The moral of Mr. Hammond's very int
esting article is. therefore-get married, b
! farmer, or at least live and energize in
open air, don't change your occupation,
and drink plentifully, take your whisky 8
your tobacco when you have a mind, b
more essential still, get into a position
! worldly independence where you may ne
have to fret yourself about your daily Wait
and finally and above all things cultivat
|, light complexion.-Detroit Free Press.