The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-09-22
INCREASING LONGEVITY.
Americane IN PartioularI.ive Much
Longer Than In Past Age0


writer In the W0Ahln4t0u HO0C
cabs attention to the many instances
Of remarkable longevity which from
year to year have been reported. Pass
ing by the hundreds Of years asserted
to have been lived by the antediluvian
heroes of Hebrew tradition, the appar-
ent numbers In which may mean some
thing entirely different from what
they would mean in our decimal scale
Of enumeration, and down through the
Greek and subsequent ages, whose
method of counting we do not under
stand, we flnd continuous record Of
persons arriving at an advanced old
age. These, from one point Of view.
constitute very small minority, and
yet, from another, form . considerable
and important element.
The number Of deceased persons who
had attained an exceptional old age
was probably greater in the year 1893
than IN any recent period. During the
last three or four months Of the year
the general public became familiar
through . perusal Of the daily papers
with the remarkable obituaries of
those who had departed, having lived
to . great old age. A month or 90
since we read Of life that had reached
the extraordinary limit Of one hundred
and thirty-fve years. We have since
read Of the death of q woman at Hart
ford, Conn.,, who was old enough to
give warning OF, the approach of the
British feet in 1872, and 90 saved the
New England coast from threatened
devastation. And still later we have
been xpprised of the death at Terre
Haute, Ind, Of man 1o4 years old,
who attended the funeral Of Washing
ton, cast his first vote for Madison and
was soldier in the war Of 1912. From
other data It is apparent that great
longevity has been On the increase for
many years, particularly in America.
But it may be remarked that the
constitutions that carried these per
sons up to the centennial mark or be-
yond were formed very many years be-
fore Americans began living at the
present rate, and that, the best part of
most Of those old lives was passed be-
fore the modern suicidal rush Of the so
ciety and business. worlds To have q
good chance for longevity it is almost
unnecessary to say that an originally
good constitution is of the first i'm
portance, though to this primary ex-
celfence carefulness in the art of living
must be added. The secret Of long life
is one of which nature saone holds pos
session. A remarkable fact is. that In
tellectual activity and success have
been no barriers to long life. Even
deep philosophical studies have proved
a help rather than hindrance to men
of literary pursuits. Voltairc, who at
birth was put into quart pot, could
never have attained his eighty-fourth
wear had he not followed the strict.
sober, active life which he chose. Glad
stone exercises the highest poweFs of
successful statesmanship Ut hn age Of
eighty.f6hr years, after having 1nd3f.
gone the constant turmoil 'd4 political
contest for considerably anore ~t11An
half a century. Bismarliis prsctiaelly
an octogenarian. Won Moltke was
neSring, ninety when he died. It beems
that the review Of these and Numerous
other instances would sufficiently cs-
tablish. the theory that continuous in
tellectual activity Is conducive to the
perpetuation OF good health and the
prolongation of life. - sf