Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-04

| ton or in other companies. In 1890 3l4
| deaths were expected in the temperance
| branch, but only 2:225 Were experienced or
| ~ per cent, and in the quinquenuium
| lSS6-lS00 out of 14!2 claims provided for
l0l5 were presented, or IS 8 per cent. The
| general section did not fare so well, as in
| 1890 3S9 deaths were experienced, as against
| 3s2 assumed, but in the five years above re-
| ferred TO out of 1916 anticipated deaths
| 1870 came 10 pass, or 94.S per cent.
Taking the entire death expecta-
| ton, temperance and general, 33lS
claims were calculated on. out
2765 were all that materialized, OF S33 per
cent. 1t can easily be seen where the gain
comes in, and though there are difficulties
IN the way of so doing, some of our Ameri-
can level premium companies should make
a departure and get 4 membership COM
posed of total abstainers. Temperance peo-
pie, however, must not get the idea that
the mortality gain will be permanent, as it
will be Offset In later years. but by the re-
ceipt of more premiums than expected, and
interest on the sums payment of which has
been deferred by reason of lower death
rate, the dividends would be high, and so
warrant an effort to keep in the class en-
tered.
Some members of the homeopathic con-
vention at Atlantic City raised the question
OF 'Doycottlng' the life assurance compa-
MES who discriminate against them, by re-
tusing to appoint physicians of the homHo-
pathlc school as examiners. The medical
directors OF the companies are allopaths
and the intense hatred of the adherents Of
other systems is carried into the manage
ment OF the business with blindness 10
justice and the circumstances of the case
which Is reprehensible. The position is
peculiar one III some respects. Take the
case OF an applicant for assurance whose
own ana family physician is hOmnOpath:
the company'S examiner is an allopath,
perhaps younger as a practitioner and in
experience than the homeopath He
makes his report, in which some facts are
brought out bearing on the previous health,
and reference to the family physician is
desirable. His information is valuable
and 10 be relied upon, yet second eXami-
nation by another allOpath may be deter
mined on unless the medical directors show
good Judgment. The fact that the practice
Of homeopathy is extending cannot be ig-
nOred, that state boards of examination are
composed of representatives of the alo-
pathic. homeopathic and eclectic schools,
and while the candidates profess to follow
one or other of the systems, he is ex-
pected to know something of each. The
medical directors who regard the homno-
path as either fool or rogue, must not
mistake the signs OF the times Life as
surance companies do not reject the appIi-
cations Of those whopatronize homeopathic
physicians, and they should not ignore the
fact that school of medicine good enough
for their members to tie to will not prove ,
unworthy OF any confidence they may place |
in it.
Someone has written that the only place |
where man should be thoughtless is on his |
death bed-meaning thereby as regards the |
here and hereafter there should be nothing |
to disturb the peace OF mind during the |
last moments. The knowledge that the |
family was protected. and their future well |
fare provided tor through the medium of |
life assurance, has served to rob death of |
It's sting for thousands, but the bitterness |
caused by reflection as to the helplessness |
Of those dependent on him, and the thought |
OF the duty unperformed coming home to |
him with such force when the opportunity |
for doing the right thing had passed by, has !
rendered the couch of ''everybody's good
fellow but his own . touching rminderof
the sadness of tha-yords .it1ight have
III