Speech by a Centenarian.
Marlborough Booms on Jan. 10 were crowded to excess, when, on the invitat ion of the President and Council of the Society for the Study of Inebriety, a large number of ladies and gentlemen interested in the temperance movemet to celebrate hundredth birthday of one of the vice presidents. Dr Severin Wielobycki.
Dr Norman Kerr, who presided, stated that Dr Wielobycki, who was the sen of a Polish judge, was born in the province of Yolhynia on Jan. 8, 1793. His college career began at the University of Yiina. He fought fop the independence of bis Fatherland in thirtysix battles aa a captain in the Volhyniun Volunteer Cavalry Begiment. When the unavailing struggle was over he fled to Galicia, and afterwards took refuge in Cracow, but on the issue of an order for all Polish refugees to leave the country be came to Edinburgh, where ha graduated in 1841 at tbe university—then being forty eight The doctor spoke five languages—Polish, Euesian, French, German, and English. Ho was a naturalised British subject, After graduate g, he practised fi.-st in Nova Scotia for ten years, and then retired to London, twentyseven years ago. Till two years ego he was on the top of Primrose hill every morning at five o’clock. Bmeo then ho had had two attacks of influenza, the last which left rheumatic sequel®. Though now bent and foeblf, be still went out a little almost daily and rose by six o’clock in the morning. His sight was excellent, but ho was very deaf, an infirmity which originated in exposure to’the severity of the weather during his military life. He had never u<ed tobacco, and had been an abstainer from all intoxicants for over sixty years, end a vegetarian for seventeen years. There were present, said Dr Kerr, two other medical abstainers, all tbreo under his care, whose united ages were 276 years.
Dr Wiolobycki, in reply to numerous congratulations, said President, ladies, and gentlemen,—ln order to live a hundred years and more, it requires to know very much how to live carefully. Xha first thing is not to take intoxicants, because, if even small doses are taken every day, thev bring disease and death afterwards. They affect the brain and nervous system, congest the liver and kidneys, and cause apoplexy. The second thing is not to use tobacco, which is a very poisonous thing. It injures the eyes and causes blindness, In nine out of ten oases it brings on cancel in the lips, it stops the growth of young men, blunts the nerves in middle age, and causes paralysis in an old man. The third thing is not to fakn much animal flesh -it causes many diseases. Flesh may contain, parasites ; it may be diseased and oausei consumption and other disorders. Mr President, I am very much obliged to you and the council for the exertions that yon have made, and to this intelligent assembly which has come to congratulate me on my centenary. It is my prayer that you may all live a hundred years and more, that you may be blessed with a continuance of happy and useful years of this life and glory through Jesus Christ, hereafter.
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South Canterbury Times, Issue 7082, 2 March 1893, Page 2
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535Speech by a Centenarian. South Canterbury Times, Issue 7082, 2 March 1893, Page 2
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