The herald., 1898-02-15

arians to two males. The inequality
tween the sexes In this years list
greater than it has been since 1890; /
during the ten years covered by the tai
it will be seen that the general ratio
steadily maintained.-St. James Gazet
Last year seems to have been fatal
a good many old people in this counti
and to no fewer than twenty who we
at least centenarans. And yet IL W
maintained not many years ago that
instance could be established or man
woman making their century In the co
test with death. The siege Of creduli
was followed, as usual, by that OF unp
lief, and we have now settled uoV
into the customary intermediate pos
ton. OF course Scriptural authori
might be cited for longevity surpassli
that of the raven, and Methuselah hea
the list, with his 800 years, though
duration of those ages was reduced
12O years, and the psalmist looks up
even eighty years as excessive. AM
diluvian longevity was, indeed, regard
with skepticism in eras less disposed
doubt than our own, for even ST. A
gustine says that these figures signi
gentes non homines-the duration
races, not of individuals. Still. fif
years ago no one would have feit sta
gered at hearing occasionally or sol
one who had reached the limit OF
years, and even Thomas Parr, with
152 years, and Henry jenkins. with
1863. besides several others, male al
female. not far behind them, were
garded as historical facts.
Then came the age of the skeptit
among whom figured Sir G. c. Lewis al
Mr.. w. j. Thoms, who subjected the re
ords of these venerable antiquities
ruthless scrutiny. from which proce
they emerged In very tattered COM
ton. The whole story may be read
THE Longevity of Man." by the latt
author, the general result being that
only the majority of the cases couio
be established, but also In some
stances they could be actually disprov
in other words. the duration or tn
particular persons life could be shoV
to be considerably shorter. perhaps
twenty years, than had been alleged.
few persons even went so far as to del
that a centenarian had ever existt
But Mr.. Thoms, though inclined, as "
natural, to take skeptical view, iran
ly admitted that some few people
undoubtedly lived rather longer thar
hundred years; and the quarter or
century which has elapsed since l
book was written has given abunda
proof that such is the case. Two
three centuries ago 1t was almost II
possible to obtain very trustworthy e
dence as to age. Registration OF birth
comparatively modern; the records
baptism were not kept with any reguif
ity between three and four centur
ago. and even in these there Is som
times danger of a confusion OF identl
or that the supposed centenarian
really been borrowing from some
else.
But of late years it has been comps
atively easy to obtain evidence when
sufficient to place any persons age
yond reasonable doubt. This shows II
the limit of hundred years is occasit
ally exceeded. Most Of the extre'
cases come from Ireland, where so
pass one hundred and five years a
there are even two claimants Tor
hundred and fifteen. Perhaps In tht
eases a little shrinkage might be
result of a slleptical examination,
that the goal of hundred Is more Tn
turned seems to be demonstrat
whether centenarians are on the
crease we have at present no means
knowing. That the average length
human life is becoming longer Is co
monplace; but this would be quite co
patible with a decrease in extreme cas-
Neither do we know to what longev
may be ascribed. Probably longeV
Is partly inherited--in other WORDS CT
stitutional-and partly dependent uI
habits of life. But, as REGARDS tne
little can be said beyond generaliti
Avoidance of excess seems to be the D
rule. and so some professions are m
favorable than others. A fair amoun'
work and the absence of care apparen
give the best chance, and we cannot
much beyond Weissman's dictum Il
duration of life is really dependent
adaptation to external conditions.
London Standard.