Volume 1

The philosophy of health ; or, an exposition of the physical and mental constitution of man, with a view to the promotion of human longevity and happiness / by Southwood Smith.

  • Smith, Southwood, 1788-1861.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The philosophy of health ; or, an exposition of the physical and mental constitution of man, with a view to the promotion of human longevity and happiness / by Southwood Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    156/422 (page 146)
    France, between the years 1593 and 1145, at the age of fifty, according to M. De Parcieux, fell short of the maximum longevity by 133 weeks; the pub- lic annuitants of Holland, seventy-eight years be- fore, namely, between the years 1615 and 1140, according to M. Kersseboom, fell short of the maximum longevity by 186 weeks; whereas, the nominees of the tontine of England, between the years 1693 and 1715, according to Mr. Finlaison, fell short of it by 269 weeks; a difference nearly double that of Holland, and quite double that of France in persons of the corresponding rank in society. Since that period, surprising changes have taken place in all the nations of Europe; but in none has the change been so great as in England. From that period, when its mortality exceeded that of any great and prosperous European country, its mortality has been steadily diminishing, and at the present time the value of life is greater in England than in any other country in the world. Not only has the value of life been regularly in- creasing until it has advanced beyond that of any country of which there is any record; but the re- markable fact is established, that the whole mass of its people now live considerably longer than its higher classes did in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Thus, by inspecting the preceding table, it will be seen that between the years 1693 and 1715, the nominees of the tontine of England, at