MAN IN HIS PRIME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

MAN IN HIS PRIME.

AGES AT WHICH HE IS AT HTS BEST IN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH.

The question has often been asked, When is a man in his prime?' But for

obvious reasons, a satisfactory answer

has never been given. If 'prime' be taken as the time when a man's intellectual powers are most highly developed, then it is apparent at once that this is not likely to correspond to the age when he is in the acme of physical strength. Tests to determine when a man is at his best physically and mentally have recently been made in London, and the results have caused a deal of astonishment to those who believe man is in his prime between the ages of 40 and DO. Tests of strength mental and physical of several thousand persons were made, and these are given as the aver-

age figures for the white race: —

The lifting- power of a youth of 17 years is 2SO pounds, in his 20th year this

increases to oL'O' pounds, and in the thirtieth and thirty first years it reaches its height, 305 pounds. By the fortieth year it has decreased eight pounds, and this diminution continues at a slightly Increasing rate, until the fiftieth year is reached, when the figure is 330 pounds.

Mental statistics were, based on how much Of a given page of a book could

bi memorized in a given space of time. The tests were made, in English Board schools, colleges, and Oxford University. It was found that the youths of IS to

20 were far superior to men of 30 at

this work. A contest was arranged be-

tween students and instructors at Oxfurd, and the dons were left tar behind

by their younger competitors.

A child's mental faculties were found not to be properly developed until the age of eight years. From this age on-

ward there was a .steady increase of the amount able to be retained by the brain, in a certain time, up to the age of H-i. Then there was a sudden jump and a stop at 20 years. At this age the

brain power began to fall off. very slowly at lirst. but proceeding rapidly after 40 years was reached.