The New York herald., 1921-11-17
80, HE CALLS 100
RIGHT SPAN OF LIFE
DR.. Stephen Smith, Standing
Through Banquet, Draws
Lesson From Moses.
.HARD WORK NEVER KILLS
Public Health Association
Pays Honor to It's Oldest
Member.
.HARD WORK NEVER KILLS

A man erect of bearing. Gladstonian In
appearance. and who Is within thirteen
months Of the century mark, stood for
half an hour last night and addressed
the guests at banquet held IN the large
ballroom Of the Astor Hotel. The speak
or's voice hesitated but seldom and his
words carried to the furthermost cor
nors Of the hall, wherein wore seated five
hundred of the most prominent men
and women physicians Of the country
and their friends.
Tho man was DR.. Stephen Smith, and
his message was that there is no reason
why mankind should not extend the ac-
copied span Of life by thirty years and
live to be 100. Once during his address
DR.. Magyck Ravenel, president of the
American Public Health Assoc 'ation,
Nolding It's annual convention and semi
centennial celebration, interrupted DR..
smith and suggested that he might be
seated If he go desired. "Well, I'll stand
Tor few minutes" replied DR.. Smith,
and he continued to stand through the
reading of his address.
I'VE have too long been content with
the false code OF the Mosaic law" the
speaker told his audience, "a law that
limits life to three score years and ten
with possibility OF reaching fourscore
years. The falsity of this law was ver-
fled by Moses himself, who lived forty
years over his own allotted time.
I'VE are living under entirely different
conditions with a basic principle fixed
by the unalterable precision of science.
Biology teaches US that the normal and
potential life of man is 100 years; that
every child born Is adapted IN physical
construction and function to live a GEN.
tury. We must therefore infer that In
the natural order Of life all deaths oc-
curing at an earlier age are due to con-
ditions existing which are not compati-
BILE with the construction and functions
OF the human organism.
Look Forward Thirty Years.
"In these scientific facts we find the
present duties and opportunities OF this
association. submit that on this
iubilee day we should inaugurate the
new era in life saving by moving our
standard for the length OF life forward
thirty years, and summon the sanitary
officials and the people to rally round
that standard, now permanently fixed by
the immutable deductions of science"
DR.. Smiths assurance Of the possibi-
lity Of longer life was received with ap-
plause. He himself has lived principally
on milk and grains with littlo meat. He
is the first man of so great an age ever
to address q large gathering for SO long
q time. He takes exception to the state-
lnent made recently by a clergyman that
the "nerve-racking life of New York is
not conducive to health and longevity"
THE very opposite OF this statement
proves true" declared DR.. Smith. TT Is
among the people most engaged In the
'nerve-racking activities of business that
we find vigorous health. Few If any
persons die OF too much work, while
thousands lose health and life dby the
slowly disintegrating process Of idle
ness"
President Harding sent message to
DR.. Smith congratulating him upon his
health and his splendid health work and
adding good wishes for the testimonial
banquet.
Officers of the association elected are !:
President, DR.. Allan ]. Mclaughlin, AS
sistant Surgeon General, United States
Public Health Service: Vice-Presidents,
Dr. Haven Emerson, formerly Health
Commissioner DR.. Alfonso Pruneda,
head Of the National Department OF
Health Of Mexico, and Royal s. Cope
land. City Health Commissioner; Execu-
tive Secretary, A. w. HedTich, and
Treasurer. DR.. Roger /. Lee, professor Of
hygiene, Harvard.
New Societies Opposed.
Eorf,,atioY1 Of new national healtt or