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If we look back to an early period of In Faventia I the chriftian æra, we fhall find that Italy has been, at least about that time, peculiarly propitious to longevity. Lord Bacon obferves, In Rimino I that the year of our Lord 76, in the reign of Vefpafian, was memorable; for in that year was a taxing which afforded the most authentic method of knowing the ages of men. From it, there were found in that part of Italy lying between the Appennine moun. tains and the river Po, one hundred and twenty-four perfons who either equalled, or exceeded one hundred years of age, namely: TABLE II.

54

57

2

132

110

120

150 Years, viz. Marcus Aponius.

Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, affures us, that it is no unufual thing, with the inhabitants of that county, to reach ninety years of age and upwards, and even to retain their strength of body, and perfect use of their fenfes. Befides Brown, the Cornish beggar, who lived to one hundred and twenty, and one Polexew to one hundred and thirty years of age, he remembered the deceafe of four perfons in his own parish, the Perfons of 100 Years each. fum of whofe years, taken collectively,

110

125

130 136

amounted to three hundred and forty. Now, although longevity evidently prevails more in certain diftricts than in others, yet it is by no means confined to any particular nation or climate; nor are there wanting inftances of 123 Years each. it, in almost every quarter of the globe, as appears from the preceding, as well as the fubfequent Table.

140

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130

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131

TABLE III.

OF LONGEVITY.

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The Antediluvians are purposely omitted, as bearing too little reference to the prefent race of mortals, to afford any fatisfactory conclufions; and the improbable ftories of fome perfons, who have almoft rivalled them in modern times, border too much upon the marvellous, to find a place in thefe Tables. The prefent examples are abundantly fufficient to prove, that longevity does not depend fo much, as has been fuppofed, on any particular climate, fituation, or occupation in life. For we fee, that it often prevails in places, where all thofe are extremely dif milar; and it would, moreover, be very difficult, in the hiftories of the several perfons alove-mentioned, to find any circumstance common to them all, except, perhaps, that of being born of healthy parents, and of being inured to daily labour, temperance, and fimplicity of diet. Among the inferior ranks of mankind, therefore, rather than amongit the fons of eafe and luxury, fhall we find the most numerous intances of longevity; even frequently, when other external circumftances feem extremely unfavourable as in the cafe of the poor fexton at Peterborough, who, notwithstanding his unpromising occupation among dead bodies, lived long enough to bury two crowned beads, and to furvive two complete generations. The livelihood of Henry Jenkins, and old Parre, is faid to have confifted chiefly of the coarfett fare, as they depended on precarious alms. To which may be added, the remarkable inftance of Agnes Milburne, who, after bringing forth a numerous off pring, and being obliged, thro' extreme ind gence, to pass the latter part of her life in St. Luke's workhoufe, yet reached ber hundredth and fixth year, in that fordid, unfriendly fituation +. The plain diet and invigorating employments of a country life are acknowledged, on all hands. to be highly conducive to health and longevity, while the luxury and refinements of large cities are allowed to be equally destructive to-the human fpecies: and this confideration alone, perhaps, more than counterbalances all the boated privileges of fuperior elegance and civilization refulting from a city life.

From country villages, and not from crouded cities, have the preceding inftances of longevity been chiefly supplied. - Accordingly it appears, from the London Bills of Mortality, during a period of thirty years, viz. from the year 1728 to 1758, the fum of the deaths amounted to 750,322, and that, in all this prodigious number, only two

hundred and forty-two perfons furvived the hundredth year of their age! This overgrown metropolis is computed, by my learned friend Dr. Price, to contain a ninth part of the inhabitants of England, and to confume annually feven thousand perfons, who remove into it from the country every year, without increafing it. He moreover obferves, that the number of inhabitants, in England and Wales, has diminished about one fourth part fince the Revolution, and fo rapidly of late, that, in eleyen years, near 200,000 of our common people have been lost ‡! If the calculation be juft, however alarming it may appear in a national view, there is this confol..tion, when considered in a philofophical light, that without partial evil, there can be no general good; and that what a nation lofes in the scale of population at one period, it gains at another; and thus probably, the average number of inhabitants, on the furface of the globe, continues, at all times, nearly the fame. By this medium, the world is neither overstocked with inhabitants, nor kept too thin, but life and death keep a tolerable equal pace. The inhabitants of this inlaud, comparatively speaking, are but as the duft of the balance; yet, inftead of being diminished, we are affured by other writers, that, within thefe thirty years, they are greatly increased §.

The defire of felf-prefervation, and of protracting the fhort fpan of life, is fo intimately interwoven with our constitution, that it is jaitly eteemed one of the first principles of our nature, and, in fpite even of pain and mifery, feidom quits us to the lait moments of our exiftence. It feems, therefore, to be no lefs our duty than our intereft, to examine minutely into the various means that have been confidered as conducive to health and long life; and, if pollible, to diftinguifh fuch circumftances as are effential to that great end, from those which are merely accidental. But here, it is much to be re. gretted, that an accurate hiftory of the lives of all the remarkable perfons, in the above Table, so far as relates to the diet, regimen, and the ufe of the non-naturals, has not been faithfully handed down to us; without which it is impoffible to draw the neceflary inferences. Is it not then a matter of astonishment, that hiftorians and philofophers have hitherto paid fo little attention to longevity? If the prefent imperfect lift should excite others, of more leifure and better abilities, to undertake a full investigation of fo interefting a

* Fuller's Worthies, p. 293, from a Memorial in the Cathedral at Peterborough.
+ Lyncke's Guide to Health, C. III.
Obfervations on Population, &c p. 305.

The Rev. Mr. Howlet, Mr. Wales, and others.

fubject,

fubject, the enquiry might prove not only curious, but highly ufeful to mank ud. in crder to furnish materials for a future hiftory of longevity, the bills of mortality, throughout the kingdom, ought firft to be revifed, and put on a better footing; agreeably to the scheme which you pointed out fome time ago, and of which Manchefter and Chefter have already given a fpecimen highly worthy of imitation. The plan, however, might be further improved, with very little trouble, by adding a particular account of the diet and regimen of every perfon who dies at eighty years of age, or upwards; and mentioning, whether his parents were healthy, long-lived people, &c. &c. An accurate regitter, thus eltablished throughout the British dominions, would be productive of many important advantages to fociety, not only in a medical and philofopitical, but also in a political and moral view. It is therefore to be hoped, that the legislature will not long delay taking an oljst of fuch great utility into their ferious confideration.

All the circumstances that are most ef

we not, in fome measure, account why inftances of longevity are fo much more frequent in the country, than in great cities; where the air, inftead of partaking fo largely of this falutary impregnation, is daily coutaminated with noxious animal effluvia, phlogiston?

and

With refpect to climate, various obfervations confpire to prove, that thofe regions which lie within the temperate zones are best calculated to promote long life. Hence, perhaps, may be explained, why Italy has produced fo many long livers, and why Iflands in general are more falutary than Continents; of which Bermudas, and fome others, afford examples. And it is a pleafing circumftance, that our own Inland appears from the above Table, (notwithstanding the fudden viciffitudes to which it is liable) to contain far more inftances of longevity than could well be imagined. The ingenious Mr. Whitchurft afferes us, from certain facts, that Englishmen are, in general, longer lived than North Americans; and that a British conftitution will last longer, even in that But it must be allowed in general, that the human constitution is adapted to the peculiar state, and temperature, of each refpective climate, fo that no part of the habitable globe can be pronounced too hot, or too cold, for its inhabitants. Yet, in order to promote a friendly intercourfe between the most remote regions, the Author of Nature has wifely enabled the inhabitants to endure great and furprifing changes of temperature with impunity .

fentially neceffary to life, may be comprized climate, than a native one. under the fix following heads:

1. Air and climate.

and excretions. 2. Meat and drink. 5. Sleep and watching. 3. Motion and left. 6. Affections of the 4. The fecretions mind.

Thefe, though all perfectly natural to the conftitution, have by writers been ftyled the non naturals, by a strange perverfion of language; and have been all copiously handled under that improper term. However, it may not be amifs to offer a few fhort obfervations on each, as they are fo immediately connected with the prefent fubject.

1. Air, &c. It has long been known, that fresh air is more immediately neceffary to life than food; for a man may live two er three days without the latter, but not maby minutes without the former The vivifying principle contained in the atmosphere, fo effential to the fupport of flame, as well as animal flame, concerning which authors have propoted fo many conjectures, appears now to be nothing elfe but that pure dephlogifticated fluid lately discovered by that ingenious philofopher Dr. Prieffley. The common atmofphere may well be fuppofed to be nure or lefs healthy in proportion as it abounds with this animating principle. As this exhales, in copious ftreams, from the green leaves of all kinds of vegetables, even trom thofe of the most poisonous kind, may

2. Foods and drink. Though foods and drink, of the most simple kinds, are allowed to be the best calculated for fupporting the body in health, yet it can hardly be doubted, but variety may be fafely indulged occafionally, provided men would restrain their appetites within the bounds of temperance. For bountiful nature cannot be fuppofed to have poured forth fuch a rich profusion of provifions, merely to tantalize the human fpecies, without attributing to her the part of a cruel step-dame, instead of that of the kind and indulgent parent. Besides, we find, tha: by the wonderful powers of the digeftive organs, a variety of animal and vegetable fubitances, of very difcordant principles, are happily affimilated into one bland homogeneous chyle; therefore, it feems natural to diftrust those cynical writers, who would rigidly confine mankind to one fimple dish, and their drink to the mere water of the brook. Nature, it is true, has pointed out

* Enquiry into the Original State and Formation of the Earth.

+ See remarkable inftances of this, in the Account of Experiments in a heated room, by Dr. Gurge Fordyce, and others. Phil. Tranf. vol. LXIX.

that

1

that mild infipid fluid as the univerfal diluent; and, therefore, moft admirably adapted for our daily beverage. But experience has equally proved, that vinous and fpirituous liquers, on certain occafions, are no lefs falutary and beneficial, whether it be to fupport ftrength against fickness or bodily fatigue, or to exhilarate the mind under the preffure of heavy misfortunes. But alas! what Nature meant for innocent and useful cordials, to be ufed only occationally, and according to the direction of reafon; cuttom and caprice have, by degrees, rendered habitual to the human frame, and liable to the most enormous and destructive abuses. Hence, it may be justly doubted, whether gluttony and intemperance have not depopulated the world more than even fword, peftilence, and famine. True, therefore, is the old maxim, Modus utendi ex veneno facit Medicamentum, ex Medicamento, venenum."

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3 and 4. Motion and reft, fleep and watching. It is allowed on all hands, that alternate motion and reft, and fleep and watching, are neceffary conditions to health and longevity; and that they ought to be adapted to age, temperament, conftitution, temperature of the climate, &c. but the errors which mankind daily commit in thefe refpects, become a fruitful fource of difeafes. While fome are bloated and relaxed with eafe and indolence, others are emaciated, and become rigid, through hard labour, watching, and fatigue.

5. Secretions and excretions. Where the animal functions are duly performed, the fecretions go on regularly; and the different evacuations fo exactly correspond to the quantity of aliment taken in, in a given time, that the body is found to return daily to nearly the fame weight. If any particular evacuation happen to be preteruaturally diminished, fome other evacuation is proportionally augmented, and the equilibrium is commonly preferved; but continued irregularities, in thefe important functions, cannot but termiDate in difeafe.

6. Affections of the mind. The due reguLation of the pations, perhaps, contributes more to health and longevity, than that of any other of the non naturals, The animating paffions, fuch as joy, hope, love, &c. when

kept within proper bounds, gently excite the nervous influence, promote an equable circulation, and are highly conducive to health; while the depreffing affections, fuch as fear, grief, and defpair, produce the contrary ef fect, and lay the foundation of the most formidable diseases.

From the light which history affords us, as well as from fome instances in the above Table, there is great reafon to believe, that longevity is in a great measure hereditary; and that healthy long-lived parents would commonly tranfm:t the fame to their children, were it not for the frequent errors in the non-naturals, which fo evidently tend to the abbreviation of human life.

Whence is it, but from thefe caufes, and the unnatural modes of living, that, of all the children which are born in the capital cities of Europe, nearly one half die in early infancy? To what elie can we attribute this extraordinary mortality Such an amazing proportion of premature deaths is a circumstance unheard of among favage nations, or among the young of other animals! In the earliest ages, we are informed, that human life was protracted to a very extraordinary length; yet how few perfons in these later times arrive at that period which nature seems to have defigned! Man is, by nature, a fieldanimal, and feems deftined to rife with the fun, and to fpend a large portion of his time in the open air, to inure his body to robuft exercifes and the inclemency of the feasons, and to make a plain homely repast, only when bunger dictates. But art has ftudiously defeated the kind intentions of nature; and by enflaving him to all the blandishments of fenfe, has left him, alas! an eafy victim to folly and caprice! To enumerate the various abufes which take place from the earliest infancy, and which are continued through the fucceeding stages of modish life, would carry me far beyond my prefent intention. Suffice it to obferve, that they prevail more particularly among people who are the most highly polished and refined. To compare their artificial mode of life with that of nature, or even with the long livers in the lift, would, probably, afford a very striking contraft; and at the fame time fupply an additional reason, why, in the very large cities, inftances of longevity are fo very rare.

OBSERVATIONS ON DRINKING MINERAL WATERS,

By Dr. BU CHAN.

Youn lac Mugazine we gave the inte-
N our laft Magazine we gave the inte-

Sea-Bathing: we now prefent our Readers with the fentiments of that able Physician on the ufe of Mineral Waters.

We have many books on the mineral wa

ters, and fome of them are written with much ingenuity; but they are chiefly employed in afcertaining the contents of the waters by chymical analysis. This, no doubt, has its ule, but is by no means of fuch imortance as fome may imagine. A man mav

know

know the chymical analysis of all the articles in the materia medica, without being able properly to apply any one of them in the cure of difeafes. One page of practical obfervations is worth a whole volume of chy. mical analyfis. But where are fuch obfer. vations to be met with? Few physicians are in a fituation to make them, and fewer fill are qualified for such a task. It can only be accomplished by practitioners who refide at the fountains, and who, poffeffing minds fu. perior to local prejudices, are capable of diftinguishing difeafes with accuracy, and of forming a found judgment refpecting the ge nuine effects of medicines.

The internal ufe of water, as a medicine, is no lefs an object of the physician's attention than the external. Pure elementary water is indeed the molt inoffenfive of all liquors, and conftitutes a principal part of the food of every animal. But this element is often impregnated with fubftances of a very active and penetrating nature; and of fuch an infidious quality, that, while they promote certain fecretions, and even alleviate fome difagreeable symptoms, they weaken the powers of life, undermine the conftitution, and ly the foundation of worte diseases than thofe which they were employed to remove. Of this every practitioner must have feen initances; and physicians of eminence have more than once declared that they have known more d feafes occafioned than removed by the ufe of mineral waters. This, doubtles, has proceeded from the abufe of thofe powerful medicines, which evinces the necellity of ufing them with caution.

By examining the contents of the mineral waters which are most used in this country, we shall be enabled to form an idea of the danger which may arise from an improper application of them either externally or internally, though it is to the latter of these that the prefent obfervations are chiefly confined.

The waters most in ufe for medical purpoles in Britain, are those impregnated with faits, fulphur, or iron, either separately, or varioufly combined. Of these the most powerful is the faline fulphureous water of Harrowgate, of which I have had more occafion to obferve the pernicious confequences, when improperly used, than of any other. To this therefore the following remarks will more immediately relate, though they will be found applicable to all the purging waters in the kingdom which are strong enough to merit

attention.

The errors which fo often defeat the intention of drinking the purgative mineral waters, and which fo frequently prove injurious to the patient, proceed from the manner of dranking, the quantity taken, the regimen

purfued, or, ufing them in cafes where they are not proper.

A very hurtful prejudice ftill prevails in this country, that all difeafes muft be cured by medicines taken into the stomach, and that the more violently thefe medicines operate, they are more likely to have the defired effect. This opinion has proved fatal to thoufands; and will, in all probability, destroy many more before it can be wholly eradicated. Purging is often useful in acute diseases, and in chronical cafes may pave the way for the operation of other medicines; but it will feldom perform a cure; and by exhaufting the ftrength of the patient, will often leave him in a worfe condition than it found him. That this is frequently the cafe with regard to the more active mineral waters, every perfon converfant in these matters will readily allow.

Strong ftimulants applied to the ftomach and bowels for a length of time, mult tend to weaken and deftroy their energy; and what itimulants are more active than falt and fulphur, especially when thefe fubitances are intimately combined, and carried through the fyftem by the penetrating medium of water? Thofe bowels must be ftrong indeed which can withstand the daily operation of fuch active principles for months together, and not be injured. This, however, is the plan pursued by most of those who drink the purging mineral waters, and whose circumftances will permit them to continue long enough at those fashionable slices of refort.

Many people imagine, that every thing depends on the quantity of water taken, a d that the more they drink they will the foon er get well. This is an egregious error; for while the unhappy patient thinks he is by this means eradicating his diforder, he is of ten, in fact, undermining the powers of life, and ruining his conftitution. Indeed nothing can do this fo effectually as weakening the powers of digeftion by the improper appication of strong ftimulants. The very effence of health depends on the digeftive organs performing their due functions, and the mot tedious maladies are all connected with indigeftion."

Drinking the water in too great quantity, not only injures the bowels and occafions indigeftion, but generally defeats the intention for which it is taken. The diseases for the cure of which mineral waters are chiefly celebrated, are moftly of the chronic kind; and it is well known that fuch difeafes can only be cured by the flow operation of alteratives, or fuch medicines as act by inducing a gradual change in the habit. This requires length of time, and never can be effected by medicines which run off by ftool, and only operate on the first paffages,

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