HOW LONG MAN MAY LIVE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 232, 29 September 1881, Page 1

HOW LONG MAN MAY LIVE.

I It was Professor Hufeland's opinion ; that the limit of possible human life jmight be set down at 200 years; and I this on the general principle that the ilife of a creature is eight times the years jof its period of growth. That which is quickly formed quickly perishes, and ithe earlier complete development is ; reached the sooner bodily decay ensues. jMore women reach old age than men, 'but more men attain remarkable longevity than women. Some animals I grow to be very old. Horned animals I live shorter lives than those without horns, fierce longer than timid, and amphibious longer than those which ; inhabit the air. The voracious pike I exists, it is said, to an age of 150 years; '■• the turtle is good for 100 years or more, ! and among birds the golden eagle is I known to have lived nearly 200 years, while the sly and sombre crow reaches : the venerable age of a century. Passing jup in the scale of life to man, and ; skipping the patriarchs, we find many : recorded instances of longevity among j the classic Greeks and Bomans. Pliny i notes that in the reign of the Emperor , Vespasian, in the year 76, there were ;124 men living in the limited area between the Apennines and the Po of 100 years and upward, three of whom were 140 and four over 135. Cicero's wife lived to the age ot 103, and the Eoman actress, Luceja, played in public as late as her 112 t- year. Coming down to more recent times, the most' notable authentic instance of great age is that of Henry Jenkins of Yorkshire, England, who died in 1670, 169 years old. He waa a fisherman, and at the age of 100 easily swam acrosß rapid rivers. Another historic case is that of Thomas Parr of Shropshire, a day laborer, who lived to the age of 152 years. When more than 120 he maried his second wife, and till 130 he could swing the scythe and wield the flail with the best of his fellow-laborers. J n his 152 nd year Parr went up to London to exhibit himself to the king. It proved an unlucky visit, for, violating the abstemious habit of a century and a half, the old man feasted so freely on the royal victuals that be soon died, merely of a plethora. On examination his internal organs proved to be in excellent condition, and there waa no reason why he should not have lived much longer save for his unfortunate taste of royal hospitality. Professor Hufeland's roll of centenarians includes many mors reaatiiaUc esses, . '.'...<