The mystery of the doctor who developed the "Elixir of Life" and died at the age of 148
Dr. Mead's tombstone reads that he died in October 1652, almost 149 years after he was born. It is believed that his wife dedicated this inscription to him to promote sales of the drug he developed
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22/08/2022
Monday, August 22, 2022, 11:42 p.m
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Kenna Tanka from Japan celebrated her 117th birthday, and continues to hold the Guinness record for being the oldest woman in the world (Photo: Reuters, Editing: Assaf Drori)
The body of Dr. William Mead was buried under her tombstone located about 24 kilometers from London in a grave plot in the town of Hertfordshire. But it is not his tombstone that is interesting, but what is written on it. According to the inscription, the British doctor, who died somewhere in October 1652, was only two months away from the celebration of his 149th birthday.
The dedication on his tombstone reads: "William Mead, who died October 28, 1652, aged 148 years, 9 months, 3 weeks and 4 days." If the age given is correct, Dr. Mead was born in January 1504 and died shortly before the English Civil War.
While living to the age of 148 sounds like fiction these days, it was much more fictional in his time - the life expectancy of people born in Europe in the 16th century was between 30 and 40 years, making Dr. Mead's story even more improbable. Until they find out that according to local legend, Dr. Mead developed a "life elixir" for long life, along with other medicines.
Dr. Mead's tombstone in the Hertfordshire cemetery (photo: screenshot, darkdestiny)
It is believed that his wife was the one who dedicated the inscription on the tombstone to him - to promote the sales of his "elixir of life", which further increases the doubts surrounding the truth of the story.
On the other hand, local government records found from 1781 write about "this amazing case of longevity", and claim that the cemetery guards had to renew the inscription on the tombstone after it became illegible.
Hertfordshire's history sites claim that the headstone has become covered with vegetation in recent years and has also been broken during attempts to reposition it.
The headstone has since been reattached to her and is standing - but is Dr. Mead's age really accurate? This question will forever remain a mystery.
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