Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-13
CONDITIONS OF LONGEVITY.
Is the Average Human Life Growing
Longerp

From the New York Times.
Those who find comfort in the expec.
tation of living to great age are likely
to derive satisfaction from the confident
assertion of Prof. Pfuger of the Uni
versity of Bonn that the average length
of human life Is steadily increasing. In
common with many persons of less learn
ing, the German students of the prob
lens of human longevity are somewhat
sEeptical concerning the ages attributed
to some of the patriarchs of Old Testa-
ment times. Prof. Phuger seems to
I have good statistical ground for his con-
fidence in the lengthening average OF
human life. But, Ike most of those who
make a hobby of one line of investiga-
ton, he seems to be able to perceive most
clearly facts which support his precon-
ceived notions of the reasons for things.
He strongly disapproves of beer and to-
bacco, and it is not surprising to find
that he attributes at least one-third of
the deaths recorded in Munich to heart
disease due to beer drinking, and almost
if not quite another third to smoking.
Among the forty centenarians who have
come under his notice there was only one
smoker, but nearly all of them confessed
to a moderate use of alcohol.
If it BE- true that the average of human
life is frightening, the fact is interesting,
but its interest is in nowise increased
by specuations as to the reasons why
some outlive their generations and near
or pass the century mark. AS general
truth it may be said that very few OF
these examples of exceptional vitality
have known or observed the rules which
a consensus of medical opinion would be
likely to agree upon as favoring length
of days. A majority of them have worked
hard. lived poorly and known all kinds
of trouble. Not many of them have been
temperate in their pleasures or indul-
gences. AS a rule, they are found in
almSlOuSeS charitable institutions with
few memories save those which relate
to misspent lives. Most of the very
old women have outlived large families
of children and been through expert
neces which made them look like Mac
beth's witches before they had passed
the prime of life A New Yorker who
claimed to be the oldest inhabitant, and
whose claim was extensively admitted.
in spite of some skeptcism, celebrated
what he said was his hundred and
sixth birthday by breakfast at which
distinguished company gathered and lived
three or four years thereafter. He was
chiefly interesting contradicting every
accepted rule of longevity He was or
said he was, a veteran of the Napoe-
onic wars and had all his life been a SOL
der of fortune. carrying his mercenary
sword into every war of his time. He
had experienced every privation and hard
ship of successful and unsuccessful cam
paigning, had been severely wounded a
number of times had been a hard
drinker from boyhood, had used tobacco
immoderately for eighty years, for fifty
years had been addicted to the opium
habit and had practiced every vice with
which his wildly adventurous life in many
countries had made him acquainted. But
at the assumed age of 100 he was erect
and in possession of all his faculties was
able to eat a good breakfast, empty his
wine glass as often as it was filled, make
a long, consecutive and interesting speech
when called upon and enjoy the occasion
thoroughly