The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-09-20
Age at Expecta.

/
Taylor. ..65 II 0
Fillmore. ..,..50 81 "a
Fierce, ........4 40 % 10
Buchanan. ....G6 ii IL
Iincoln. 49,. so 20 4
johnson. ...57 16 s
Grant ..........F % 10
hayes .....04 10 10
Garfield. -. 40 90 o
Arthur. $3.50. 81 20 5
Total yrs.,l.l7s s55 300
Average, !. Sc ii ia
1t will be noticed that with the
exception of Washington every
President down to the first Har.
rison lived out a period beyond
what his expectation of life was
at the time of his inauguration !;
while Harrison down to the pres
ent time,awith the expectation Of
his longevity, and only one other
(Buchanan) has lived. up to the
limit of his expectation. Har-
rison stood at the half century
mark ofthe government. In the
first half century the Presidents
had an expectation, at the time
of Inauguration, of living 122
years, while in the aggregate
they actually lived 1857 wears.
During the last half century this
gain over expectations was lost
and 81 years in addition. The
result is certainly striking and is
thus explained by the insurance
authority
This is not to be explained by
coincidence or chance. The cause
lies deeper. 1t istrue two of the
last six Presidents were assassi.
mated, but the number of years
lost by these violent deaths rep.
resent only half of the aggregate
loss. The fact seems plain to
me that the Presidential office is
becoming too heavy a burden for
any man to assume without al
most certain shortening of his
life. The responsibility is so
great, the tension so destructive.
that l never again expect to see
a President survive the full
period of his natural expectation.
The contrast betweent the longevi.
ty of the early Presidents and
later ones is more noteworthy
when we remember ii at medical
science household hygiene and
means of travel without expos.
ure to the weather have all had
wonderful developments since
the last days of Washington.
Jefferson, the last Adams,
Madison, Monroe, and jackson.
No matter how we explain the
causes, the fact remains that the
early Presidents lived long lives,
while modern Presidents invari.
ably die before their time.
This is the natural and proba.
bly, true explanation. But while
it is also true that great progress
has been made in medical science
and sanitary improvements, and
that a lower death rate is with.
out question being established
than formerly prevailed, although
there are no statistics to prove
this-yet the habits of life of the
earlier Presidents were undoubt.
eddy more conducive to long life
after retiring from office. Jetfer.
son, Madison and Monroe in the
uplands of Virginia, Adams in
the retirement of Quincy, took
an abundance of that best of all
medicine, fresh air and unre.
strained contact with mother
earth. A physician of large
practice, whose sleep for years
has not been so free from night.
ly disturbances, was once asked
how he managed to retain his
good health. He explained by
his passing so much time riding
in the open air. Modern life
With all its medical and sanitary
attalnments, has imposed such a
strainand such deprivations upon
such habits upon men in
professional and official callings
as largely, if not more, than to
overcome, any OF the physical
gains.