FAT AND CENTENARIANS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 892, 25 November 1871, Page 3

FAT AND CENTENARIANS.

The " Daily News" correspondent at the meeting of the British A ssociation writes : Sir Duncan Q-ibbs read two short papers —one on Miss Heenan, the fat lady, the other on centenarian longevity. These were listened to by an equally large audience with gr.-at interest. The ladies seem to consider it a compliment when Sir Duncan assured his audience that enormously fat women were rare compared with men; but a shudder of horror went through the benches when he stated that Miss Heenan, being only 22 years of age, weighed 22 stone, is seven feet round the body, three feet six inches across the shoulders, and twenty-six inches round the arm. The ciiinax was attained when he stated that this was by no means all fat, but that a large portion was muscular development, and a muscular Christian suggested in an audible whisper whether the lady was any relation to the Heenan of pugilistic fame. MotherssataghastwhenSirDuncan mentioned that the phenomenon at nine mouths old had weighed 70ibs, and quite a chuckle greeted him when with solemn face, he assured his audience that " she is handsome and pleasing, with a face not fat nor greasy ; is highly intellgent, and not in way drowsy." Nor did this die out by any means when, with cheerful forecast he prognosticated that 'shewould progres sively increase as she gets older and might become the largest and heaviest female who has jet been seen." From Miss Heenan to centenarians was an easy step. Sir Duncan has seen four persons ever a hundred—about the age there could be no doubt; for he had been as careful on that point as any believer in the nonsensical assertion of Sir George Cornewall Lewis, who doubts that any one has ever reached a hundred years. All appeared to have apparently got toughness of the skin. Happy people! They all possessed the good sound teeth they had masticated with since young, and their digestive powers were therefore very good. It was significant news to many that none of the centenarians smoked, used snuff, or chewed tabacco.