HOW TO LIVE A FULL-CENTURY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1718, 24 November 1887, Page 3

HOW TO LIVE A FULL-CENTURY

4 Professor Humphrey, of Cambridge (U.S.), has prepared a series of tables which contain bciug interesting Infornia tlon about centenarians Of 52 persons whem ho mentioned, at least 11 — two males »nd nine females— actually attained the age of 100. Others attained Tery nearly to the age of 100 years. Only one of the i eraorjn reached 103 years, while ono died at tho alleged age of ICG. Of the 52 persona, 3G wero women and. 16 men. Prof Bsor Humphrey telta uu that the comparative immunity of woman from the exposure and ri&ks to which men are subjected and the great temperance exhibited by woman m eatiag and drinking are the chief points m determining their higher chances of longivity. Out of the eG women, 26 bad been married, and 11 had borne iacge families. Of the 26 who had been wivea, eight had married before they were 20, one at 16 and two at 17* Twelve of the centenarians wero discovered to have been the eldest otiildren of their parents, "This fact" Dr Humphrey Adds, " doeß not agree with popular notions that first children inherit a feebleness of constitution, nor with the opinion of raoing stablea, which is dcidely againat the idea of <: firstlings " are to be depended on for good performances on the course. The centenarians, generally regarded, were of a epare build. Gout and rheumatism, were, as a rule, absent. It seems," continued the professor, "that the frame whioh iv destined to great age needa no Bach prophylactics, and engendered none of the pecan t humors for which the finger- joints (aa In rheumathto) give a vr nt." Of the 52 aged people, 24 only had no teeth, the average number of teeth remaining being four or live. Long houra of sleep were notable among these old people, the period of repoee averaging nine h iurs, while out-of-door extrclne In plenty and early rising are to be noted among the factors of a prolonged life, One of the centenarians " drank Iq exceßS on festive occasions," another was a " free beer drinker, and drank like a ihh the whole of his life." Twelve had' been total abstainers for life, or nearly bo, and I mostly all were " small meat eaters."