Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-03-23
MOST INTERESTING FACTS THAT
ARE CLEANED FROM VITAL
STATISTICS.

whatever may have been the case in
past centuries the psalmists span OF
life, thrce-score years and ten, is
much exceeded e. large numbers OF
people, perhaps, in all countries. 1t
has been a6ccrtaincd by DIR. Oglc, who
is head of the department Of vital sta
tistics in the general register Office of
England, that out of 657.O00 males liv-
ing at 25 years of age $4,000 die before
attaining 45 and 100000 die before
reaching So. The expectation of a male
life at IS is 1858 years, or the age of 81.
But fCrty-six out of 100 will not live to
that age. Centenarians are an 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 soldier
of the war of 1912 who is credited with
lis 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 Old as venerab BILE
memb of the Rothschild family once
remarked to her doctor. Taking the
preponderance of our population as a
factor, we ought to have a considerably
larger number of centenarians than the
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. The
united ages of the thirty-four give a
total of 3.#99 years. One is said to have
been 100 =, ears old, two ITO, two 1OS,
three 1G6, three los, three 1O4, ten 1O3,
one 1902, six 101 and three 100. Out of
an obituary list advertised in journal
containing 7,179 names no fewer than
1,151 had passed the age of so.
1t 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 spcctacles. Not a few had all their
wits about them and had very retentive
memories. probably not about recent
v
life A few were bedridden, but others
could walk about as usual and even
WORK. A small proportion died in the
p0OrhCusc, but did not go there until
they had passed 100 years. The chill
dreIi OF some are over so years. One of
the group, only one, is described as a
teetotaler. He eschewed both beer and
tobacco. The whole OF this venerable
band were born and reared before
temperance principles took shape as an
elcvatirg influence of domestic and So
cial life. Ii 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
table. But it is quite certain that
these centenarians were innocent of
any abuse of either diet or drink.
Theirs must have been simple food,
easily dis csted.
They must also have 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 a life as vegeta-
tive. but in spite of sneers it is wise to
regard it as making the best use of the
gift of life, prolong it to the utmost.
Those who burn the candle at both
ends by excitement and indulgence do
| not live, as rule, half a century. Only
one of the thirty-four centenarians who
died in the United Kingdom last year
| followed profession. He was clergy
| man