420 FIELJ^ — THE SPAN OF LIFE. [Sept. 17, 



Stated Meeting^ September 17^ 1807. 



Vice-President Pepper in tlie Cliair. 



Present, 16 members. 



Correspondence was submitted and donations to tlie Library 

 were reported. 



The announcement of tbe decease of William S. Baker, a 

 member of the Society, on the 8th day of September, set. 74 

 years, was made. 



Mr. R. P. Field presented a communication on " The Span 

 of Life." 



Mr. Henr}^ C. Mercer made some remarks on the " Survival 

 of the Art of Illuminating Manuscripts among the Germans 

 in Eastern Pennsylvania." 



The Committees on By-Laws and Finance presented reports. 



The Society was adjourned by the presiding officer. 



THE SPAN OF LIFE. 



BY ROBERT P. FIELD. 



{Read Sej)temher 17, 1S97.) 



Oil Thursday, February 28, 1895, the Evening Bulletin, a daily 

 journal published in Philadelphia, had an editorial upon long life 

 in Philadelphia, referring to an address by Dr. Lawrence Turnbull 

 on "Longevity and Personal Hygiene," in which he presented an 

 array of facts with regard to the advanced age of some of our best 

 known men, and said : ''The Biblical idea of threescore years and 

 ten is gradually ceasing to be the limit in our day, owing to better 

 sanitary laws and regulations," which this journal states is in direct 

 opposition to the common belief that, in the United States at least, 

 the activity and restlessness of the people are tending to shorten 

 the period of life enjoyed by the average man. This belief, it says, 

 is entirely reasonable owing to the greater hurry and cram of the 

 people of this country, and in view of the fact that they sleep less 

 and hurry more over their food than do the people of other nations. 



