4$0 An EJfay on Longevity* 



and other particulars regarding the perfons who refided in 

 them, i .was thence led to apply to Greenwich and Chelfea 

 Hofpitals for fuch information ; and it is with much pleaiure 

 that I fubjoin the following important facts with regard to 

 Greenwich Hofpital, which Dr. Robert fon, at the defire of 

 the refpeelable Matter of that mod excellent infiitution, 

 (lord vifeount Hood,) transmitted to me. 



' (hall infert the Tables as prepared by Dr. Robertfon, and 

 fliall offer fuch obfervations as may occur on the remits to be 

 drawn from each of them refpe&ively. 



Obfervations o?i the annexed Table. 



Doctor Jamefon, of Bloomfbury- place, has made the fol- 

 lowing remarks on the Table : 



" Dr. Robertfon certainly deferves much praife for his at- 

 tention in tranfn lining fo particular a (tatement of the longe- 

 vity of Greenwich Mofpital; and if fomething fimilar could 

 be procured from other public inftitutions in Great Britain 

 and Ireland, it would not be difficult to form an arrangement 

 of fails, that would afford important conclufions concerning 

 the lives of mankind. 



" The Table communicated by Dr. Robertfon favours an 

 opinion, that the watery element is not unfriendly to the 

 human frame, efpecially when it is aided in advanced life by 

 the comforts of Greenwich Hofpital. 



" The lilt of ninety-fix men in that Hofpital ftill alive, in 

 extreme old age, is uncommonly great; and it appears from 

 the table, that there is one man living above a hundred years 

 old, and 13 above 90 years of age. 



" That the greateft number are natives of Scotland, and 

 a large proportion from Ireland. 



" That one half belonged to aged families, many of 

 whom had both parents very old. 



" That more than two thirds had been upw r ards of 20 

 years in the king's fervicc, and in various climates; 



" That they were alnioft aii married, and four of them 

 after 80 years of age. 



" That they ahnoft all ufed tobacco, and mod of them 

 acknowledged the habit of drinking freely. 



" That the parts of the human body which had mod gene- 

 rally failed, were the teeth. Some of them had no teeth for 

 20 years, and 14 only had good teeth. 



" That the or<ran of vifion was impaired in about one half, 

 and the organ of hearing in about a fifth part of them." 



As Dr. Robertfon propofes publifhing a new edition of his 



iateiefling work on the Difeafes incident to Seamen, it was 



4 unneceffary 



