The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-01

A Franch man of science. Dr. lie.
grand, has published some investiga.
tions regarding the longevity of human
beings in the various walks Of life. His
statistics relate to all times and coun-
tries from which facts can he gleanel
and his examples of longevity OF the
reverse present all phases of existence
from the king to the peasant DR.. lie.
lgrand preferred, however, 70 study the
vital statistics of celebrities and for
that purpose he chose some 5000 of the
best known. From the facts of their
careers he draws some instructive CON
illusions. For one thing, ne has made
up his mind that upon the whole in
tellectual work is less injurious to the
physical frame than too much use of
the muscles. Brain workers as a class
outlive hard workers. Philosophers,
mathematicians and statesmen are apt
to live to old age, while physicians,
who have to undergo a good deal Of
physical hardship, die young as a class
kings are not likely to reach old age
because their circumstances are toe
easy They rust out, and rust is more
deadly to man than toll
Besides that, kings, and queens as
well, eat too much. DR.. Legrand gives
a long and portentous list of mon
archs, including both sexes, who have
shortened their earthly careers by pan
dering to their palates. King Edward
VII was one of them, though his
mother, Queen Victoria, was one of the
! few royal personages who have lived
to the age of so years and more. The
Emperor William l of Germany was
another. That robust sovereign was
81 years old when he died. But as a
rule kings and queens hardly live out
half their appointed days and the rea-
son for it is overeating. Queen Will
helmina of Holland is an awful warn
ing in this respect. That indiscreet
young woman always devours five
meals a day, beginning with a break
fast of pumpernickel and coffee. She
then proceeds to a 10 o'clock repast Of
cheese, hot biscuits and wine, which is
followed at by solid lunch. Thus
her day opens It ends with a sub.
stantial dinner at o'clock and a
luncheon at 10. No wonder she is tat.
Very likely she has doctor with her
every day or two 10 tell her how to
grow thin and takes any quantity of
medicine for that purpose,
DR.. Legrand adds that men of good
habits lived as long. or even longer, in
antiquity than they do now. The an
nails of Greece and Rome abound with
instances of philosophers and polite
ians who died at the age OF. so or 80
years. Cato had so much vigor at so
that he took up the study of Greek.
Socrates would have passed the cen
fury mark if he had not been judic-
tally murdered. The rules of hygiene
were pretty well understood in the cit.
its of old and personal habits were
good among the intelligent classes.
Hence life was long and pleasant. In
the middle ages the worlds habits
changed in this particular. Dirt was
cultivated as something holy Per
sonal cleanliness became sign of i'm
piety. Medical knowledge was forgot
ten for the sake of prayer In short,
faith-healing became the worlds prac-
tice. AS a consequence the average
length of human life among the upper
classes fell from the ancient average
of 70 down to about 60 years, while
Europe was continually swept by
plaques like the Black Death. AS the
confidence of mankind in science has
been gradually restored the length of
! life has increased until now it is near
lily back to the ancient figure. This
remark applies only to the comforta-
BILE classes. Poor people live now
great deal longer than they did in an
cient times, for manifest reasons.
They have more to eat and are not
driven by slave masters
The average length of life would in
crease still faster II it were not for
the almost universal habit of eating
too much when we can get it. Next
to eating too much, our most deadly
practice is eating too little, but that
is usually involuntarily and will cure
n itself when circumstances improve.
Overeating produces fat, which is
about the worst enemy we have. DR..
ILegrand says that it is not what we
eat, but what we digest that nour-
ishes us, but his statement ought to
be modified a little goodly portion
of the food we digest does not nour-
ish us. 1t is deposited round about
our fleshly tabernacles in the tnsidi-
Gus form Of fat It swathes the alb.
domen, creeps into the muscular It's
sue of the heart, slips quietly between
! the brain cells and hangs pendulously