The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-22
PROLONG YOUR LIFE.
Centenarians Follow Outdoor
Pursuits.
LONG LIFE AMONG THE POOR.
Dr. xsmmerman's Summing Up Of the
"Art OF acknowledgements
and Occasional Festivals.


OF capital crimes included every form OF
inaanticide, the neglect Of health vas not
only permitted but deliberately encouraged
BY the almost universal belief IN tho merit
OF self-toTtgTe and self-abasement. and the
consequent indifference % physical disconl-
fort, whirsu vas by no Deans confined 10
the converts Of worid-renouneing monks.
Among the life-loving nations of pagan an
tiqnlty, on the other hand, fnau-slayers
could often compromise their offense by
the payment of q sum varying from the
equivalent of q good mich cowito the price
OF ten horses; but that indirect encourage
ment of homicide was Offset by the general
worship of health, beauty. comfort. sport
and physical pEowess-all the direct result
OF an optimism that sanctioned the enjoy
ment OF paradise on this side of the grave.
In that sense, the belief in the value of
temporal existanee can be accepted as one
OF the few conditions undoubtedly con-
ducive 10 the psoiongation Of human life.
Another such condition Is country life,
or, rather, outdoor life. Among
the centenarians OF all nations and
Of all times. 3 significant plurality were
either rustics or city dWeilers addicted TO
outdoor pursuits. Centenarians are re-
markably frequent among the bailiif-ridden
Doors of Southern Russia, and the five
oldest persons of modern times were care
worn if not abjecfly poor viliagers-P Peter
Czartan, who died in a hamlet near Bel
grade, liza, In his iS5th year: the Russian
heggar. Kamartzik. a native Of Polotzk,
who reached the age OF los years and died
in consequence of an accident; the fisher
man jenkins. Who in spite OF lifelong
penury lived at least a century and q half
1.-THE estimate of nis neighbors varying
from l5s to 169 years.: the negress Truxo,
who died in slavery on the plantation of
Tucuman physician, in her 10th year; and
the day iaboror, Thomas Parr, who at
tanned the pretty well authenticated age of
l52 years, and who died few weeks after
his removal from country air and indi-
gence to comfort and city quarters. If
dietic restrictions tend to prolong human
life. the rule would seem TO be chiefly con-
frmed by its exceptions. The children
OF Israel are apt to ascribe
their certainly remarkable longevity to the
Mosaic interdict of hogs flesh; but the
equally Iong-iiyed Mingrelians, after receiv-
ing Abu-H assan's stern ultimatum, sIslam
or the sword r informed his commission
ers that. however willing they might be 10
propitiate the wrath OF Allah by q reason
able tine, the national assembly had de-
clded TO choose war and pork IN preference
10 peace without it. John II. Brown. n.
D.. the Berwick EscuIapius, erumerates a
long list of patients who had postponed
their funeral by following his plan OF sys-
tematic hygiene-the plan, namely. Of
'stoning down. plethora hy Bleeding and
cathaFtics, and OF "toning up" debility
b means of beef and brandy. Bnt leo
years ago the philosopher Lacien called at
tenfion to the exceptional longevity of the
pythagorean ascetics, whose religious by-
laws snjoined total abstinence from wine
and all sorts OF animal food. The naturalist
Brehm describes the robust physique of a
Soadan chieftain who at the reputed are of
los years, could huri stone with force
sufficient to kill jackal at a
distance OF fifty yards, and thought moth
ing OF starving for week or two Il his for
ayers happened TO return empty handed
but the same traveller mentions that his
swarthy Nestor now and then compen-
stated such fasts by barbecues lasting from
ten 70 twenty-four hours. and including A
melangc OF marrow-fat and pepper-grass
besides dozens Of hard-boiIed cranes eggs
ierboa stew and deep draughts of clarified
butter. Long fasts certainly enhance the
vigor Of the digestive organs, but the net
result Of repeating such experiments seems
rather difficult TO reconcile with the experi.
enee Of Luigi Cornaro. the venitian re-
former, who managed TO outlive aIl his
cousins and schoolmates, and abscribed
bis success TO the mathematical regularity
of his bill-of-fare. which. during the last
sixty years OF his seIt-denying existence.
had been limited 10 twelve ounces OF solid
food aud fourteen ounces Of fiuids--wine
chiefly. a beverage which the Soudanese
eniT would have rejected with a snort Of
yir;eous horror. Or. virchow, though bv
no means an advocate OF total abstinence
admits that the longevity OF the SEM
itlc desert-dweilers can be explained
only by their caution in the use Of st.mu.
lants-a virtue which in their case w0uid
indeed. appear 60 offset an unusual number
OF circumstannal disaavantagcs--thir
heTy suns fiery passions being decidedly
unpTopitions 70 length OF life And. here.
81 last, We may strike bit OF terra firma
in the quicksands OF speculative hygiene.
Take q hundred different animals saws
the sanisariAn Schrodt and you will and
them TO prefer hundred different sorts az
solid food. but they al drink milk in in
fancy, and asterwaE1 water and. consider.
lHe the infinite variety of comestihIes a
healthy human stomach contTiveS 10 digest,
We might very well agree 70 deserve that
privilege by limiting the variety Of our bever-
ages.
Instinct does certainly abhor the first
taste Of alcoholic liquors, and statistics
prove that ia ST. dimes ard among al ma
uoas the disease resisting rover OF the hn-
man organism Is diminished by the hAhttual
use Of toxic sfimniants MohAmmeg.
Bnddha and zoroaster agree on that point.
ard The eSoieric teachings Of Pyfhagoras
may have qualified his rather faacsfnI 90.
iec&sons 10 grApe-iaiee by the practical
hope Of longevity. A eomY5efe lixf OF in
falliels prescriptions for the Sr0lcngasion
q human lie would 81 4 yolamiuons
book. and would include some dec aeeiv
curious specifics. TO shat do yea as
criee yoaE hale Old age - the Empe7or
Augustus asked = eentenAFiaa whom be
found wrestling IN the pzlzstEH and handy
rs sakes Win The young athletes. sIntGs
nnlso foTis cleo. said the Old telIow-
0a for the skin and mead water ard
honeyj for the inner man.~. Caraazns
saggests that old axe might be Indefinitely
postponed By seHsi-aaid diet warmed
tiiks mothers milkl 10 the sxacs tenapera-
tare ~ The human system. ard Nostzsre
accuses hss rival Manpert1is o. h4wing
hoped 10 attain . similar result BIZ vzrElsA-
Ing AS hide with sort Of resinous pAIaf
twA pez1 FsxiacxxA that woslid preveaG tie
vial strength from evaporatznr b. sxAala.
ton RoteTt BNrton recommends 'soas q
anApAsr ard eorEaoas fat RAr4ekasus.