An EJpiy on Longevity? &47 



lobe credited, how few pay fuch attention to their teeth as 

 will preferve them in any tolerable order for a lung period. 

 This is the more furprifing, as a good fet of teeth is fo orna- 

 mental, fo efiential for diltinci pronunciation, and fonecefla- 

 ry for a proper maftication of the food. In a paper of this de- 

 fcription, it is only poffible to touch upon this important fub- 

 jec~t. It may be proper, however, to obferve a common mif- 

 take, that tooth-bruflies, as they are called, are intended for 

 rubbing the teeth, whereas their proper bufinefs is to rub the 

 gums, and to excite a circulation there. It is difeafes in the 

 gums that principally occation the deftrucYion of the teeth, 

 and preferring the one in good order materially contributes to 

 the fafety of the other'. 



The little attention that is fhown to the prefervation of the 

 eyes, is fully as blameable as the negligence above alluded to 

 in regard to the teeth. Any imperfection in the figh-t is fuch a 

 calamity, that every pcrfon of common prudence would cer- 

 tainly wiih to prevent it by every poffible means ; and there is 

 certainly no mode more likely to be effectual, than that of 

 bathing them night and morning in a bafon of cold water, 

 and opening the eyes in the water. Any diforder that attacks 

 the eye itfelf, from the pain and uneafinefs which itoceafions, 

 muft be attended to. But the eye-lids become often difeafed 

 and ulcerated ; and though there are various ointments which 

 would cure this diforder at the commencement, yet, as it is 

 not very bad or troubicfome, people are too apt to put it off 

 from time to time, until the eye itfelf is affected, and a cure 

 becomes hardly practicable. 



It is imagined by fome, that taking of fnuffis a ufeful prac- 

 tice in preventing diforders in the head, and in the eyes in 

 particular; and in the lilt fubjoined of the In-pcnfioners in 

 Greenwich Hofpital who have exceeded the age of 80 years, 

 a very large proportion ufe tobacco in fome fliape or other. 

 The taking of fnuff is certainly refrefhing, and loaded as it is 

 with a heavy tax, it ftill is a cheap luxury for the poor; and 

 the evidence from Greenwich Hofpital diffidently proves, that 

 the ufe of fnuff and tobacco, though not to be univerfally re- 

 commended, yet is not incompatible with long life. 



In a book publifhed on the iubjecl of longevity!, fome cir- 

 cumftances are occasionally mentioned regarding the food and 

 habits of perfons who lived to a great age. Among thefe, 

 the following feem to be the beft: entitled to notice; " 1. John 



* Some people have their tcerh fo regular and well fet, that little atten- 

 tion is neccflary; but wherever there is any irregularity, nothing but the 

 greattft care, and the ikillof an able dentift, can prefervc them long. 



f By Mr. James Eailon, of Salifbury, printed in Svo. an. 1799. 



R 3 Hufley, 



