New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
OLD AGE.

Attained the Age or ElBhN l'biHs ~ .u''"b
Unmphry NJ D. +. II. =, etc. 12mo' PIP. 2lO.
Macmillan d Bowes.
This is one OF the first and most extensive inquiries
that have been made Systematically INTO the
pbenomena OF old age. and while the information col
lectc although it more ground than mas ever
been gone over before cannot afford the data for alb
soiute conclusions its statistics point Enthusiastically
toward the development Of tendencies the further
growth Of which must be watched with deep interest.
There is fascination in the study of longevity when
all but genuine pessimsts must experience. rev
lives however Swallowed by trouble and suffering are
Thought not worth living by their posscssOrs The
pauper in the workh0use Clngs to existence as per
si.tently as the millionaire. and the fcebiest and
sickliest as A r,c demonstrate the futty of Schopcn-
hauers leading tenc; 10y refusing despite the misery Oh
their lot to exercise denial of the Will to i've Inc
majority Of do possess the resolution to SUD
ject themselves to systematic discipline physical OF
mental. in order to increase their chance OF thlV
length of years which nevertheless they crave after
and therefore it is probably that for generations anu
perhaps for ages to come, small minority ONLY VIII
pass far beyond the threeScore years and ten OF dl
ton and show the world what is possible in the way Oh
survival. Not. indeed that system and discipline nun
the secret Of long life so far is this from DeiE to
case that the statistics here presented emphasize
the general absence of any deliberate endeavof 10
prOlOng life i'm the majority Of instances.
carefully arranged circulars containing questions
concerning men and women eighty years OF age 10
30 filed ND by physicians. These questions furnished
data for generally trustworthy conclusions as TO inc
health. habits falngs, temperament ana evidence oi
mental and physical decline in the subjects III All
nearly nine hundred answers were received, and the
author has analyzed this body of information ana
drawn two legitimate differences. which are succincty
presented The first point Of general interest TO be
noted is the apparent justification for believing that
under the influences Of cvillzatOn the pTolonsa'oh
Of average human life may be hoped for. The second
point is that old age is gradually losing It's terroS
under the operation of the same Influences. modern
science having already devised many amchorauons
of senility that the decay of the old has been senby
checked their comfort largely increased. and their
liability to rude shocks and dangerous exposures
leSsened. When, however we begin to examine Dr.
Humphreys information in detail we perceive now
great is the difficulty Of formulating any principles
of longevity. For all attempts to show that thlS'
that or the other mode Of lie is most conducive Ia
its proloncaton break down before thc facts. 1t may
perhaps be said in general way that these facts tend
70 prove the superior value of temperate living. but
even here there are awkward statistics the wrong
side. Certain centcnarauS, for example, are re
corded as stating that they had always lived irrecu-
lary and Unexpectedly. one hoary old rcprohaje
of 1913 boldly declared that he had all his life got
drunk whenever he could, and always would do 80.
stH some comfort may be derived from the fact that
the majority of the centenarians cited used little
alcohol and it is not less e. the point that most Of
them were small meat eaters Dr. HGmphry IS
somewhat inclined to harp upon the early rising
habits Of the Old people, bat na~much as he considers
a person who goes to bed at a. m. and rises at 10
a. early riser, 1t Is not easy u grasp his con
ception Of the term.
The truth however Is that the evidence is remark
ably non conclusive and blind on the whole. Nou
inquire into the HYGIENE anteCedents Of cencnarans,
and discover that While some If tlem have lived
century without a serious NneSs. Others, and perhaps
as many, have had very illnesses. and also have
suffered from accidents. that any argument based
upon special immunity from eXhaustinS diseases must
fall to the ground and WITH every theory Of specially
vigorous and uninIaircd constitutions. In fact. the
most paradOXcai and contradictory conditions cOeNst
IN these cases. People of lifelong delcacy. well
people of exceptional robustness, 1--we 10 be cente-
narlans People of high intellect end people Of low
intellect flourish equally lcug. Snail eaters and great
caters defy death with the success. Smokers
and non-smokers drinkers and absaners, meateaters
and vegetarans, those who take much exercise and
those who take little arrive at the goal.
Perhaps II VIII be that the largest percentage Of
old PEOPLE marked, as 10 temperament, placid
and ths afford a slight though not unimportant
Flew 10 their longevity. There can be doubt
That the absence Of irritabty counts for mach in the
maintenance Of the vital balance. The even temper.
which avoids emotional friction, is other things being
equal. that which VIII preserve all che physical func
tOns in orderly operation the longest No doubt the
placid temperament may be the most selfish and
oaous but seldshness and callousness are both emf
nently advantageous qualities in the struggle for cX
istencc. and those who have them may commonly be
Sacled to Outlast the and altruistc temper
ment
one centcnarian candidly declared that all
through her life "nOtling had troubled her much"
she had been married and had several children, and
husband and family had gone before her; but nothing
troubled her much,7 and 50 the grlcfs which would
have taken ten years from Of sensibllty
passed over her and left her unworn. That we sus-
pect is one of the secrets Of longevity Another and
possibly the grand inner secret is hcredty. II PrOfes
sOr Wcismanu's theory is demonstrated beyond
furthc~ dispute we shall all have to reconstruct our
scientific, and particularly psychological concepts,
and evolution will be seriously. If not fatally, dis
credited. Bu the new hypothesis does not appear 70
60 10 the prccXisting notion that hercdy
counts for quite as much environment and per
haps for more. Ccntenaran statistics, moreover.
tainy tend the conclusion that the principal factor
in longevity is inherited; certain vital enerey-a
Wis vitae 10 am old Technology
for which modern science has hitherto
failed T. devise Trustworthy alternative-would
appear 10 constitute the something which, while
bafing the analyst clearly persists and furnishes
The one stable and uniform agent among the most
diverse and rrccOncila0lc physical and Intellectual
conditions. NOur ccutcnarian. according 10 this
theory, may be regular irregular OF habit delicate
Or robust of body, feeble vigorous in mind, but
lie or she must have the exceptional power Of
persistence in functional life for which name has
Yet been discovered. II ne she possess a broad
chest with good lung powers. much the better.
But this is not indispensable, and the who in
heritS the tenacity Of life VIII continue 10 exist
beyond the common limit even though bedridden and
redaced 20 senile imbecility. This IS very curious
and interesting.
DIT. Inmphry gives several examples Of longevity
beyond all known modern examples, such as that Of
old Parr. whose autopsy was made by DR.. Harvey
famous Tor his discoveries (or redecovcries) concern.
ing the circulation II the blood Parr was 1872 wears
and months old when he died, and would pioba ,ly
have lived longer had lie not been taken from his