On human longevity and the amount of life upon the globe / by P. Flourens ; translated from the French second edition, by Charles Martel.

  • Flourens, P. (Pierre), 1794-1867.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On human longevity and the amount of life upon the globe / by P. Flourens ; translated from the French second edition, by Charles Martel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    me to award Fabricius, Harvey, Pecquet, and others, what is due to each in the discovery of the circulation of the blood and chyle.'1'- I return to Cornaro. A question his hook naturally gives rise to, is that of the duration of human life; and first, if there he any way of prolonging life ? of prolonging it, so as to make it go as far as the constitution of man permits. Yes ! doubtless, there is, and a very sure one—that which Cornaro has just given us, sobriety. By sobriety, I mean a well regu- lated life; a rational mode of living is the means, the sure means of prolonging life. But to ex- tend it, that is to say, to make it last beyond the term ordained by the constitution of man ; no, doubtless, that cannot he done. Cardan gravely tells us, that trees only live longer than animals, because they do not take any exereise.f Exercise increases transpiration, transpiration shortens life ; to live long then, we need only remain still. We may excuse Car- dan for this. We can less easily excuse Bacon, * See the author’s “ Histoire de la Decouverte de la Cir- culation du Sang,” Paris, 1854. f Cardan. “ Plantce cur animalibus diuturniores: De Subtilitate,” p. 826.