The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26
K RAYS. AND LoyGEVITr.
Tho Discoveries of n German Doctor-Som
Queer Old Cases on Record.

Queer Old Cases on Record.
Furn Correspondence Of he Courier des Eidn Un0.
| II there Is anything In nature calculated TO
interest the people OF this world. 1t certainly
must lie the knowledge OF the approximate
number OF years that one can live. leaving out.
OF course. accidents impossible to forescc.
Flourens. with his figures. told us that tho
average length OF life In Europe was from 80
| to 40 years. that the ordinary limit might be
nxed without exnggeration. at 10 year,. and
that the abnormal length OF life reached to 1875
years. Bx how Is one to know whether he be-
longs to the average class. the ordinary. or the
abnormal In longevity Until recently the
clalrvoyants alone could reply 10 that
formidable question. But unfortunately
we found out long ago that their
rroRnostics should DO received with great re-
serve. Thanks to the progress Of science and
especially 70 the marvellous Mays. the sa-
vnnts o! to-day are able TO deal with the qucs-
ton. md the results NJ their experiments nrc
followed with the greatest curiosity. People
speak very disparaginRly about this life and Of
this poor world. and. nevertheless. there are
few who do not cherish secret ambition to
become centenarlans.
Can II he possible to predict with precision
the length Of lie OF human bclng' Tn to tho
present the greater num;ier Of doctors have
replied negatively. because IL requires so little
to make man pass from life to death Never
theless. certain American scientific mon have
been able to establish on the basis OF statistics
some distinctive characteristics oi hereditary
longevity Ono az them was able to tel on
sight with considerable success the probable
length OF life ui his patients In this way, Il IL
s e NE amnssed fortune amounting TO sew
But the other day German doctor. " Rich;
College Of Medicine OF Bsrlin. whIrb has T maas
thor9uSh study q the organs BY mems ,oi
length o. life "a human hcing II was known for
q long tim. that the size Of the heart. thu lungs
considered, among the best condi;lons Of
l1ngeylty but N. Richter goes stI!l further
the en msfS Of e h"
OF the different organs, and II is uron hi. sup
posed correlation that he bases a system sup
tisiicesa. numerous OBSERVATIONS and sta
,, fortunately: Richie, admits hlmse,, that
those exceptions, his discovery might be con-
sderHd one OF tho most terrible plaques that
s Eve IN ssreSSaeS d nnmsgy The dsH Of chang
people condemned 70 death. md knowing tho
precise hour when they would .qu, this world
notwithstanding this. NJ Richter ia good good
enough 70 admit that there. are natures which
kind. Science mas head Of the case Of an
Englishman horn in, 1is,. whose delicate ap-
when he was in the cradle. Ills chest was 40 40
narrow. says the report. thar he seemed 10
have q fliculty in breathing. We'll. thIs young
moribund. condemned by the doctors To die ia
shor' order, died In i6Ll at tho aCn nf lGI He
saw the reign, Of ten KnGs. and when he was
iOl years old he was put In the public stocks
Secundl Hnngo. Consul Of Venice nj SMYRNA,
measured only 81 centimctrcs around ths
chest; and one Of his lungs was disrnsci New.
ertheless. he lived to the age Of lis years. He
was married five times and had forty nine
his wisdom teeth. when h. was ITO bis haIr
his beard turned black ~
. What fine hlunder tho learned men 81 his
lime would hnvo made II they arp fed TO him
- the distinctive characteristics Of IongcvityV'
the individual exceptions" Still, there is
good reason TO believe that these exceptions
authority to tho rule, because Nature does nGt
,lko 70 have her secrets penetrated and often
laughs at Appearances ~