[MR] About that "They die Young" myth

[JBRMM266 at aol.com]

In a message dated 01-06-12 20:33:53 EDT, Weaver8002 at aol.com writes:

<< between their late 40's and early 60's rarely died.  If you 
 survived childbirth, you had it made. >>

It had long been my belief that if a woman made it through her childbearing 
years and a man made it through the early stages of his trade (many were 
hazardous) or his military career ('nuff said), they were lucky or resistant 
or skillful enough (or some combination thereof) to live into old age.

I don't recall where, but somewhere read that those in their 60's and 70's 
were not all that common, but neither were they so rare as to be considered 
freaks.

Another point about the original list of decedants .. . they were all in the 
upper echelons of society.  I believe one's life expectancy was quite a bit 
higher above the salt . . .

Donal