The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-21

that the average duration Of human lie
does not exceed 81 years. DR.. Vacher,
as we see, is six years ahead of him.
Here, however. II is we'll to remark
that a distinction must DO made BE-
tween the average duration of life of
those who are well fitted to battle for
existence and the general average du-
ration of life Of human beings. The
latter is necessarily much lower than
the former, for the reason that so many
persons die In infancy and about the
goth year. Moreover. it would not al
ways be safe TO predict that those who
have attained their 3oth year without
suffering from any serious disease are
bound TO live TO the age Of IS. All that
DIR. Vacher claims is that, caeterus pari-
bus, they are very likely to attain that
age.
The main value Of Dr.. vacher's work
lies in the fact that ii gives the lie to
those opponents Of modern progress
who pretend that modern civilization,
avith its steam and clecsEicity, is n
cause of perpetual accidents. There is
no doubt that railroad accidents are
much more serious than the old stage
coach accidents. But, on the other
hand, these pessimists, these laudi-
torres temporis acti, forget to place in
the balance the wonderful achieve
nlcnts OF modern science. They forget
that we are taking more pains than
our forefathers ever took 10 preserve
the public health, and that, thanks to
our efflcacious treatment of epidemics
and other infectious diseases, far more
persons are saved from death in this
manner than are killed in railroad &C.
cidents. In q word, Dr. vachcr's in
vestigations seem to show two things:
FIRST, that the average duration of hu
man life has greatly increased during
the present century; and. second, that
instead Of being a barrier modern prog
ress has proved most beneficial so fas
as longevity is concerned.
In view of the new light thrown on
this subject by DR.. Vacher. and as a
plausible explanation of the we'll
known fact that comparatively few
men reach the Scriptural limit of three
score years and ten, 1t may be we'll
to alluda to the old theory, that there
ere certain so-called characterized years
In the lives of all men, and that the
duration of each mans life depends
largely upon the nature of the forces
at play during these years. These
characterized years are the seventh,
the twenty-frst (made up of three
times seven), the forty-ninth (mnde up
of seven times seven), the sixty-third
(being nine times seven) and the
eighty-frst, being nine times nine;
which two last are often called the
grand climacterics, in which many IA
NOUS men have been observed TO die.
Andents and modeTns agree in think
ing that the life of q human being may
properly be divided into distinct peri
odA Robert Record says there are
four periods-childhood, youth. man
hood and old age. OF these childhood
lasts from birth to the end of the four
tenth year, youth 10 the twenty-ffth
year, manhood Is TO the fftieth
year, and old age 70 death mess lour
divisions are in accordance with the
four seasons of the year-spring. sum-
mer, autumn and winter. Human life
has also been divided into seven ages,
but these subdivisions differ little from
those based on the four seasons.
While there may be much that is
fauciful in these divisions. there seems
to be some ground for the doctrine of
characterized years. The sixty-third
has for centuries been considered one
Of the most decisive years IN a mans
lie. and II is a singular fact. which can
he easily verified, that more men die IN
the sixty-third year tlan IN any other
year between the ages OF 20 and 20
y. Y. Herald.