Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-05-25
THE EXTREME SPAN
OF HUMAN LIFE
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 100 AND
ITO YEARS ACCORDING TO
CENSUS BUREAU.
MANY REPORTS OF AN UTTERLY
INCREDIBLE CHARACTER SET
BEFORE THE PUBLIC.

chapter concerning reported CENTER
arians is contained in the census bu-
reau's latest annual mortality stats
tics report prepared by Chief Stats
tician Dr. Cressy L. Wilbur, of the
division of vital statistics.
The report affirms that it is un-
doubtedly true that the age OF 100
years is occasionally attained. 1t sug-
gests that it is perhaps doubtful
whether. as shown by incontroyertl-
bic evidence, the age of 40 has ever
been reached or exceeded. rms
would. it is stated, set the possible
longevity of man or the extreme span
of human life somewhere between
Zoe and 10 years.
DIR. Wilbur declares that it would
be fact of vast interest to human
ity if it were true that a human be
ing could live $50, or 40, or 100
years, or even 12O, or 10 years, as
established by exact observation. The
capability of the bodily mechanism
would be tested and it might be in
ferred that. with better hygiene, SUI
perior eugenics, and proper methods
of living the extreme limit of life
might more frequently be attained
and that after many generations the
average age of humanity might per-
haps approximate to this limit.
The report goes on to show that
L
bic reports, the most inaccurate state
ments. and the most uncritical meth
DDS Of study, have been believed.
Since Thom's Investigations in 1873
great skepticism has arisen in the
minds of many in regard to the re-
puted ages of centenarians and, the
report declares, some have even stated
that there were no actual cases OF
centenarians on record in spite of
the official returns of population and
deaths to that effect.
> As an example of the uncertainty
attaching to individual statements OF
extreme longevity, the case OF the
Oldest reported decedent is cited. The
death was that of Noah Raby, known
as the oldest man in the country,
and it occurred in the year 1904.
Reference to the census Office trans
cript. which was returned by the
state registrar of New Jersey, shows
that the original death certificate re-
lated to the death of Noah Raby,
stated to have occGrred in Middlesex
county on March 1, 1904, at the age
of 131 years and II months. The
conjugal condition of the decedent
was not stated: the birthplace of the
decedent and the birthplace of his
mother were given as u. s.; the
birthplace of father was not stated;
and the cause Of death was given as
4senility''-an entirely satisfactory
statement in this case.
DR.. Wilbur observes that in the cat
alogue of the library OF the stfseoh
generals Office may be found the fol-
lowing refence: "Centenarians and
more; Sophia Cab, aged 1873: Noah
Raby. 1871 years II months) Med;
Rec. n. Y, 1904. Ky, 3S4" The is
she of the New York Medical Record
of March 5, 1904, contained the fol-
lowing item:
Sophia Cab, probably the Oldest
woman in Chicago, died there last
week. She was supposed to be 129
years old. Born a slave, she spent
most of her life on a plantation near
Richmond, Va When released from
slavery during the civil war she 81
years old. A still more remarkable
story of longevity is contained in the
notice of the death of Noah Raby, in
New Brunswick, y. j., on March /.
1t is asserted, with much circumstan-
TALLY. that he was born in Gates
county, n c., on April l, (signlf-
cant date)' 1872. so that had he lived
one month longer he would have been
1872 years old. He entered the United
States Navy about as soon as the
United States had a navy. and after
serving for a number of years was
honorably discharged in 1909 He
never married. but had smoked and
ehewed tobacco for 122 years and
had at one time been a heavy drinker"
Search was made of the records OF
the navy department and report
was made by Surgeon F. l. Plead
well, of the bureau of medicine and
surgery, that "a Noah Raby has been
found on the rolls of the Constitu-
ton in 1889, when that ship was I'M
der the command of Captain Bolton,
so il is possible that the report of
his discharge from the navy as be-
ing of the year 1909 is pure legend,
There may have been. of course. two
Noah Rabys"
The census report then goes on to
state the enumerators' returns of the
twelfth census (19e0) show that Mr..
Raby was then an inmate of the
Piscataway township almshouse, and