[the OlLine Rebel]

As a graveyard (and general history) conniseur, I can assure it’s true.

Many people died at ancient ages very long ago, such as in their 80s back in the 1700s. The problem was many died in infancy (tons) up until probably mid-1900s (I have an uncle that died as an infant/toddler in the ‘30s). They’re all over the graveyards. And that’s just regular death.

I think the problem - as usual - is that they’re using averages rather than medians.

Meanwhile, I don’t believe much that there’s been a decline in murder. In some places, sure, but not in the cities!

[atomic conspiracy]

That people did not age any sooner, as the “old at 46” myth implies, is apparent when we look at the ages of the first 10 presidents at the time they first took office:

Washington-57
Adams-61
Jefferson-57
Madison-58
Monroe-58
John Quincy Adams-57
Andrew Jackson-62
Martin Van Buren-54
William Harrison-68
John Tyler-50

The average for this group (@58) is considerably higher in fact than for the last 10 presidents (@53).

Obama-47
GW Bush-54
Clinton-46
GHW Bush-54
Ronald Reagan-69
Jimmy Carter-52
Gerald Ford-61
Richard Nixon-56
Lyndon Johnson-55
John Kennedy-43

[MediaMole]

Deaths during childbirth also served to lower life expectancy.

[SampleMan]

Don't forget to include the deaths from yellow fever, typhoid, the plague, small pox, venereal diseases, ruptured appendixes, infected wounds, dehydration from the flu, child birth, untreated diabetes, cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, etc., etc.

And the most overlooked modern medical care that saves many lives...dentistry.

Some people certainly lived to ripe old ages in the past, but not nearly as many as today, and it is not just a matter of infant deaths.