HOW TO BECOME A CENTENARIAN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12903, 7 September 1907, Page 9

HOW TO BECOME A CENTENARIAN.

The remark of Mr Wynn Wcsteott, at an inquest at Bethnal Green, that the best way to prolong life is to retire to a workhouse, is endorsed by Poor Law administrators (says the "Daily Express")' "We have scores of inmates over eighty years old, and quite a number just about ninety or a little over," said an official of one of the largest London workhouses. "We have had centenarians, although we have not ono at preeont, but I nave no doubt that two or three out of our scores of octogenarians will easily live into the hundred years. Most or the workhouse centenarians are women, and it is undoubtedly a fact that tho proportion of centenarians in, workhouses is larger than that outeide. Tho conditione are ideal. Thoro is regular and good food, regular hours, gonial company, medical and nursing attendance, warmth, freeh air, and contentment. The way that old people pick up on coming into tho workhoueo is quite remarkable. Old soldiers of fifty or sixty come in almost at tho point of collapse. They are often broken down owing to want of food and excess of alcoholic liquor. But after a few monthe of workhouse life they generally recover, and some of them live on. for twenty years or more." The next beet way to become a centenarian is to buy an annuity. "It is an ascertained faot that annuitants live longer than most people without annuities," said an insurance export. The Government Annuity Department of the National Debt Office also bears out the general bejief that annuitants are long-lived.