The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-14
THE SPAN OF LIFE.
Interesting Facts Cleaned from
Vital Statistics
The Three-Score and Ten Mark Of the
Bible II Frequently Overstepped
Long Distance Many
CeuteuariSug.

Whatever may have been the case in
past centuries the psalmist's span of
life, three-score years and ten, is
much exceeded by large numbers OF
people, perhaps, in all countries. It
has been ascertained by DR.. Ogle, who
is head of the department of vital sta
tistics in the general register office of
England, that out of 657, 600 males liv-
ing at 25 years of age 135, 900 die before
attaining As and 100000 die before
reaching 65. The expectation of a male
life at 25 is 35.6s years, or the age Of 81
But forty-six out of 100 VIII not live to
that age. Centenarians are az excep-
tional class, but their number is much
greater than is suspected.
Recently there died in the southern
part of California, says the San Fran
cisco Call. an Indian whose age was
computed from $50 to $50. In the east
there still lives the widow of a soldier
Of the war of 1919 who is credited with
us years. 1t may be assumed that
there are scores OF people who have
passed their one hundredth year and
are still hale and well and anxious to
continue to grow DID," as venerable
member of the Rothschild family once
remarked to her doctor Taking the
preponderance Of our population as
factor, we ought to have considerably
larger number of centenarians than tho
United Kingdom.
Last year there were thirty-four per-
sons of the age of 100 and upward who
passed away in England, Scotland and
Ireland. The sexes were evenly divid-
ed-seventeen on each side. Tho
united ages of the thirty-four give
total of $3.50 years. One is said to have
been 120 years old, two 10, two 10s,
three 1oo, three 1O5, three 1O4, ten 1O3,
one 102, six 1o1 and three 100. Out Of
an obituary list advertised in a journal
containing 7,779 names no fewer than
1,151 had passed the age OF so.
It is remarkable that many of the
centenarians were in good health al
most to the day Of their death. One
venerable lady owed her sudden de-
mise to fall. Others could read with
out spectacles. Not few had all their
wits about them and had very retentive
memories, probably not about recent
occurrences, but about those Of early
life. A few were bedridden, but others
could walk about as usual and even
work. A small proportion died in tho
poorhouse, but did not go there until
they had passed 100 years. The chill
dren of some are over so years. One Of
the group, only one, is described as a
teetotaler. He eschewed both beer and
The whole Of this venerable
band were born and reared before
temperance principles took shape as an
elevating influence Of domestic and So
cial life. If so minded they might have
been among the first to take the pledge.
In the days of their youth it was the
custom to drink immoderately at the
these centenarians were innocent Of
any abuse of either diet or drink.
Theirs must have been simple food,
easily digcsted.
They must also hare had patient.
healthy work, with regular hours and
a proper allowance of sleep. The ener- |
getic spirits Of this generation may be
inclined to regard such life as vegeta- |
tive. bit in spite of sneers it i. wise to
regard it es making the best use Of the |
gift of life, prolong 1t 20 the utmost
Those who burn the candle at both |
,nds BY excitement and indulgence DO I
not live, as rule, half century. Only /
me of the thirtyfour centenarians who /
lied in the United Kingdom last year
followed profession. He was clergy