Wichita eagle., 1888-12-19
ghe aaaia daily aele aa1eanesday gorniu sleeember 49,
HOW TO PROLONG LIFE.
AN INVESTIGATION OF LONGEVITY
BY CAREFUL INQUIRY.

Habits of Persons Who Have Lived to
Four Score or More-Testimony That
Conflicts with Popular Ideas-The I'm
portance of Complexion.
Clement NJ Hammond is an associate editor
Of The Boston Globe, and he has taken an
ingenious, if homely, method of ascertaining
the facts and conditions that usually accom-
panv longevity. Briefly, be sent out blanks
TO the representatives of the paper in every
county of the New England states, asking
for the following information In relation 20
men and women Individually over the age
of 80:
Name, residence age, nationality; whether
married or single: general description, in
Guiding size, weight, complexion, ETC.; chill
dren. how many, ages state of health, etc. !;
habits, hours of rising, retiring, meals, exer-
else, etc occupations, past and present; food
and drink quantity, kinds, ETC.; attacks OF
sickness, if any, and at what ages, nature of
disease, ETC. 4; 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," Nj Hammond received
full and detailed descriptions Of no fewer
$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, the married people
Of New England live longer than those selfish
or unfortunate ones who affect a life of single
blessedness; that is the fate or good fortune
f 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. If
that fact be not sufficient to give rousing
impetus to the worship of Hymen, then must
it be concluded that the men and women Of
modern days are no longer in love with length
of years
Another popularity revealed by N1r Ham
mondis canvass, and it is popularity, Is the
fact that dark completed" people are not
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 folks
the answers furnished to Mr.. Hammonds in
quiries all point to the fact that longevity,
save when it is accompanied with regularity
of habit, is rare.
These old people, men and women alike
are put down as early risers and retirers, al
most without exception, and fully nineteen
out Of every twenty have observed this Gus
tom throughout life, except, perhaps, at some
short period in youth. Meals have been
eaten regularly, three each day, with dinner
at noon, the exception being so rare as to in
dictate nothing Exercise in most cases has
been hard work up to Is or 70, and after that
period has consisted when the regular occu
patton has been given up of walking, gar
dening, or both. Except in cases Of sickness
these old people are as active and as fond OF
constant occupation Of some sort today as
most men and women are at 35."
The nature of the occupations they have
followed is significant Out of 1000 men,
through life 46l have been Farmers; 81 have
been carpenters; 10, merchants; I'll, mariners;
80, laborers; AZ, shoemakers; II, manufac
turers; %, clergymen; %, masons; is, black
smiths; IS, bankers; u each iron workers.
mill hands, physicians and lawyers; and tho
rest are divided among nearly all the other
trades and professions.
Their food is strong plentiful and plainly
dressed; they are given to the inhibition Of
tea and coffee in considerable quantities. OK
whisky in moderation, and to the use of to-
bacco somewhat copiously.
THE MORAL IN IT.
Mr. Hammond says: while the farmers
of New England and their wives are Clearly
people, they are not much given TO bathing.
This neglect may not have prolonged their
existence or made them more healthy, but il
Is to be presumed that it has not cut off many
years or caused much disease. Neither are
the members of these households well in
formed in relation to sanitary matters. They
know little Of the unseen dampness to which
the human system is constantly exposed, and,
knowing little, care little. May not this be
an influence in favor of prolonged existence,
paradoxical as the suppositon may seem? In
bingham, Mass. with only 1 900 inhabitants,
there are eighty people over SO years Of age,
and out of these seventy five are of light COM
plexion- In no other town in New
England so far as could be learned, is
there such a proportion of old peo
pie. This town is on the sea coast, lies
very low, is without sewers, and has only
recently put in a system of water works.
From a sanitary point Of view the conditions
here are about unfavorable TO long Life as
could be conceived outside the crowded por-
tons of the large cities. And in Boston,
where the sanitary conditions appear to be
the worst-in the North End and South Bos-
ton districts-the greatest number of very
old people are found"
The moral Of Mr.. Hammonds very inter
estlng article is, therefore-geJ married, be
farmer, or at least live and energize in the
open air, don't change your occupation, eat
and drink plentifully, take your whisky and
your tobacco when you have mind, but,
more essential still, get into a position of
worldly independence where you may never
have TO fret yourself about your daily viatica,
and finally and above all things, cultivate u
light complexion.-Detroit Free Press.
Trusts in Chivslry and Her Revolver
Many lafias II