6z6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of all that is brought there. Surplusage can do but harm. The body- 

 associates itself with a certain well-known evil agent in finding for idle 

 food " some mischief still to do," although, in some individuals, a drain- 

 age for unused material may be made through the intestinal or renal 

 or cutaneous organs, which, be it remembered, were never meant to 

 serve that purpose, and which are likely to suffer from the strain thus 

 put upon them. In many a more deleterious vent is found in gout, 

 bilious attacks, etc., which, at the same time, cause a temporary arrest 

 of supply, or in graver inflammatory attacks, or the still graver malig- 

 nant affections. The temperance in all things of our centenarians has, 

 without doubt, been one great means of keeping order in their nutri- 

 tive system, and preventing aberrations into morbid processes. Few 

 more mischievous notions have found their way into common accept- 

 ance than the idea that strength is proportionate to the amount of 

 food taken ; and it is accepted and mischievous, no doubt, in a greater 

 degree than it would otherwise be, because it rests upon the basis of 

 truth that strength can not be maintained without a sufficient supply 

 of food. 



The total abstainers will not fail to observe that twelve of our 

 centenarians had been through life, or for a long period, in their ranks; 

 that twenty took little alcohol ; that this was, in the case of some of 

 them, very little; and that eight were moderate. No. 8, it is true, often 

 drank to excess on festive occasions ; No. 14 was a free beer-drinker ; 

 and No. 35 " drank like a fish during his whole life," which probably 

 means when he could, for it is added that "he could not usually get 

 much." The exceptions, therefore, show little against the rule. It is, 

 perhaps, scarcely less important to note that our centenarians were, for 

 the most part, small meat-eaters. 



The early rising was in many of the instances necessitated by their 

 occupations. Still, this habit must be regarded as an associate or se- 

 quence of the healthful activity just mentioned, and of an activity 

 pervading the reparative work which has to be done in sleep — an ac- 

 tivity which quickly and thoroughly refits the body for its next day's 

 work, and gives the energy, the willingness, the desire to resume it. 

 Sleep should come quickly, be intense while it lasts, and cease quickly 

 and completely ; quite awake or quite asleep ; no hovering between 

 the two ; no need of, or desire for, a little more slumber, a little more 

 sleep. " When one turns in bed, it is time to turn out," whether 

 rightly or wrongly attributed to the Duke of Wellington, is a saying 

 worthy of him, and accords with the energy that contributed to make 

 his life great as well as long. 



While we thus gain more clear knowledge of the qualities for, and 

 the adjuncts to, centenarianism, an examination of the table shows 

 that there is no royal road to it. We see that it is attained under a 

 variety of conditions, and that few persons can be said to be excluded 

 from the prospect of it. With regard to certain of the important 



