The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-19
SCIENCE OF LONGEVITY
Some Queer Facts Regarding the
Lives Of Men. Animals
and Plants.
Divided Into Three Periods, Those
Of Ascent, Level Ground
and Descent
A Tree 5,SOO Years Old-Fish Never Die
of Old AEGEAN Elephant
Mcthusaleh.

The whole journey of life, says the New
York Ledger, is best divided into three
stages: The period of ascent, or youth
(1-2b); that of level ground or maturity
t25-5O), and that of descent. or decline
(b0-75A. Old age may set in anywhere
along the last stage. 1t must not, however,
be supposed that the last stage necessarily
ends at seventy-fve; for Of late years espe-
cially, in many cases the period of old age
has not begun until eighty years are past,
life being prolonged over the century;
while, on the other hand, all the signs of
old age lave been seen before twenty years
have been reached. Out of every. 1000 peo-
pie nearly 100 reach seventy-fve, thirty
eight reach eighty-ive and two reach
ninety-fve. The number of persons in pro-
portion to the whole population that reach
seventy in Norway is one-third, in Eng
land nearly one-fifth, in France one
eighth. and in Ireland one-eleventh. As far
as can be calculated the average length of
life which is computed in the seventeenth
century to average only thirteen years., is
in the eighteenth increased to twenty, and
in the nineteenth to thirty. Men used to
be considered old when they passed fifty.
It is interesting to compare the age of man
with that of other parts Of the organic
kingdom. In the vegetable world it is
enormously exceeded. Among trees the
elm reaches an age Of 335 years; the ivy $50;
she chestnut 600; the olive 700; the cedar 800;
the OAK ss,5sar: the yew, $500; while Hum
boldt computed She age of a baobab tree "a
species of banyan) to be $500 years! Among
fish, Dr.. Richardson finds no deaths from
old age. and does not believe they have any
term to their lives, save as they fall prey to
one another. Carp and other fish that have
been'isolated and watched are still living
at enormous ages. As long as they live
they increase in size. Among animals we
have an elephant Of the roputea age Of 1,oO7
years. Coming to men, We find many re- |
markable instances of longevity. The
long lists given by the old writers
of very aged people (including n of
over 800 years of age) have been proved to
be most unreliable. Many cases, however,
are beyond suspicion. n such an unim-
peachable centenarian as Sir Moses Monte
fore silences all skeptics who doubt that
human life can attain to three figures. Old
Parr still remains az the most wonderful of
JuE69 NSG0IGAbs ~ WoS q pun VII Q " /
ant, and, like Henry jerks (who was sup
posed to be 100 years old at death), led a
hard and laborious life in a country VII
laRe, on scanty fare. At 120 Parr married a
widow for his second wife. and at $50 could
thrash corn. He died at 152, but net of old
age. Longevity appears to depend to a
certain extent on country and climate.
While 4 cold, bracing climate like Norway
gives a very high general average OF age,
the climate of western Italy seems most
favorable to very advanced life. As early
81 A. D. rs we find that in this district, in
turned at 100, ffty-seven at ITO, two at l25,
four at 100 and three at $40. In Ireland,
though the general average is low,
we get many instances of centen-
arians. A country life is conducive to old
age, while it is extremely rare to find per
entsry town lives. Longevity cannot be
said. however, to be dependent on any con-
dition or vocation. but is found in the most
opposed circumstances. st. Anthony. who
died at 105, ate a few ounces of bread
soaked in water. never washed or changed
his garments, and lived always alone in a
desert. Nj. Chevreuill, the great French
chemist. at nearly the same age, ate for
breakfast two eggs, some chicken pastry
and had q pint of cafe-au-lait daily; for
dinner, tapioca soup with grated cheese, a
outlet, a bunch of grapes, cheese and three
V4dS6cA Ol whUcIs Inv ailo Lax al LILO
was s%orupulously clean, and lived in or near
Paris. Some people survive in spite of
their habits. One old man of 81 all his life
drank quantities of neat gin and smoked
the strongest and rankest tobacco; while
the Rev. w. Davis, who dice in 1880 at los.
better, for the last thirty-fve years of
his life never took exercise, and began the
day on hot buttered rolls. and ended it with
a supper on hot roast meat, with plenty of
wine. Spinsters will be pleased to know
that single women live as long as do mar
e~iehty-nine dying at over 100, only ten were
males. This is due partly to less exposure
to injuries and partly to a greater tenacity
of life. Girls die more slowly than boys;
and though. more'boys than girls are born
each ysar,Sthis difference maintainsthe bal
ance. We may notice one or two other
points of comparison between the sexes, as
observed in some hundreds OF recorded
cases lately collected. The average height
of an old man over 80 is five feet six inches,
of an old woman five feet three inches: the
pulse rate In the man is seventy-three, in
the,woman seventy-eight; the breath rate
in the man eighteen. in the woman twenty
two. The average number of teeth in the
men is six, i'll the women three, while q
fourth of the men and half the women had
none at all. 1t is believed that
there are traces in the animal kingdom
" a Ad" shhu dASo oaO oApiSAhO Nt'u
ton of life at five times that of growth.
This latter period in man may be said to
average q years; hence the full span of a
perfectly healthy mans life should range
from 100 to i05 years. AS. however, none
are born perfectly free from taint, the ak
pectation of life varies greatly. Every
human being starts on his life's journey
with a certain life-force-or, in other
words, like Il, clock, he is constructed to
run g certain time under given conditions.
In 500 cases of people over SO, most came
from long-lived families, enjoyed good
homes, good appetites and good digestions,
were moderate or small eaters, consumed
little alcohol or medicine, were good Sleep
ers and showed at death no traces of govt
or rheumatic govt. Nevertheless, in SO
cases the near relatives were consumptiye.
DICKENS AND THACk ERAY,
Children's Party at the House of the Au-
thor of David Copperfieid."