The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-05
LONGEVITY AND VITALITY.

In the Popular Science Monthly for June
Mrs. NJ. II. Plunkett has presented COM
pilation of facts and statistics which DEM
onstrate an improvement in the more
highly civilized of the human race, both
in average length of life and in the preser-
walton of vitality to an advanced age,
which will afford pleasant surprise to
those who have been won't to regard their
ancestors as long-lived and more rugged
than the present generation.
One of her quaintest revelations relates
to those whom we are accustomed to
mention as "the fathers of the Republic"
in that peculiar tone of reverence which
conyentionally attaches to the aged and
the Anticipated. George Washington"
saws Mrs. Plunkett in this connection,
'senior in age as we'll as authority and in
fiuence, was but 43 when the Revo-
luton broke out, and 81 when
he became first President" Thomas
jefferson was only 50 when he wrote the
Declaration of Independence. Alexander
Hamilton but 80 when he became Secre-
tary of the Treasury. James Madison only
% when he was made a member of the Vir-
ginia Committee of Safety" At56 Wash
ington wrote that 'the advanced stage of
life" which he had reached debarred him
from further employment in the public
service. And even as late as 1S4S Senator
Morrill,, of Vermont, then 80, wrote to a
friend, 81 suppose am now one of the old
| men,"
But in the line of statistics it is shown,
in connection with calculations on which
| to base annuities of the British govern
ment, that in England the average of
human life in 1725 and in 1926 was as in
the former to in the latter period, gain
of 33 per cent. in the century. At Geneva,
| Switzerland, where records have been
kept since 1861, the death rate has fallen
from 40 in the 1000 in 1900, to % in the
| 1000 in 1900, and has been steadily declin.
| ing ever since. In that city, fifty years
ago, the average of life was As years, a
| gain of fifty per cent. on the Roman
| average.
The causes of these improvements are
found in better food supplies, better hous-
ing and clothing, better medical and sur
gical treatment and nursing, but more
especially and more largely in closer at.
tention to sewerage, drainage, water supply
and generally to preventive rather than to
curative agencies. The use of india-rubber
for shoes and clothing has alone contri.
buted enormously to the preservation oil
health and vitality and the prolongation
of life. In Vienna, within . years, the
average death rate has been reduced by
more than 50 per cent, consequent upon
improvement in water supply.
Attention to drainage has worked won
ders in some quarters. by thorough at
tention to house drainage" saws thi.
writer. Boston, where the sewerage and
water supply were perfect, has reduced
her death rate from 81 to 20 to the thou
SAND of population" At Bay Ridge, Lone
Island, drainage of the malarious swami,
has effected a reduction of as per cent in
the use of quinine. Ventilation also ha.
cut an important figure. In one hospital
by attention to this agency, which pre
yiously had been neglected, a STARTLING
result is revealed. Under the old system q
air-tight rooms and poisoned atmosphere
out of total of 1850 children who wer,
patients, 2,9i4 died. Under a system O
free ventilation, in the same institution
out of the same number of young sufferer.
only 279 died, indicating that in the for
mer case ads out of the 2,e44 were mur
dered by ignorance and foul air
These disclosures are important as eyi
dences of the benefits of education and en-
lghtenment, and give an encouragine
glimpse at the improvements that NAV b
attained m protecting against disease. in
prolonging human life and in preserving
the vitality of the middle-aged and the old
when the laws Of health come to be gen
orally understood and observed. A re
newal of the experiences of Methuselah
and other scriptural patrisrchs may be in
store for our race.
Among the notable contributions Il
Il Cf,n2ax-fa De-