The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-14
ARE WE A DYING RACE?
DIR, KELLOGG THINKS THINGS LoOh
Eddy FOR HUMAN BEINGS.
The Increase of the Average Length oil
Life Doesn't Prove n True Measure
lie says-Other Papers,

BATTLE CREEK. MICH, october b.
At to-days session Of the civic Philan-
thropic Conference Dr. Baker, secretary
of the Michigan state Board Of Health.
read a paper on DUTY of National. state
and Municipal Governments In Relation
TO Public Health lie said:
Diseases must first be known before II
becomes possible TO guard against them,
Man" said he, lis his brothers keeper.
and cooperation of all classes is needed
FOR the restriction Of diseases. Purity OF
water supply is another necessity OF SUI
preme importance, and all water should
be boiled"
DIPHTHERIA.
Professor o Malley, Of Notre Dame Uni
versity. read q paper on THE Prevention
of Contagious Diseases in the city
Many cases called diphtheria, he asserted,
were unjustly quarantned. He held that
physicians should be appointed 20 exam
Inc threats of children in schools periodi-
cally, and gave instructions for care or
patients and modes OF distinction. The
steam disinfection plants, though expen-
sive. were effective for cities Coins
should be boiled and all paper money dis
infected with carbolic acid
At the afternoon session Dr. Kerr. OF
the Sanltarium. this city. made some bold
charges. His paper was on the "Rela-
ton OF Habits OF Life 10 Chronic Dis
eases" Both acute and chronic diseases.
he claimed. are due 10 evil habits and
owing to bad living Of people. which are
on the increases in this country. among
them the universal practice of beer drink
ing. Tobacco. he asserted, is also ma
tional curse and a majority Of the pa
tent medicines and many drugs In COM
mon use are deeterious. Meat eating
also produces disease.
ARE WE DYING?
A paDer on the question. Are We a
Dying Race" read by Dr. j. III. Kellogg.
OF this city. caused something OF sensa-
tiCn. DR.. Kellogg said
Notwithstanding our marvellous accu-
mutations OF wealth and wisdom, We are
certainly going down physically toward
race extinction. This assertion without
doubt may appear reckless ana perhaps
absurd i'm face Of the wel-knOwn idct
that the average length of human life
has doubled within the last two centuries,
but vital statistics are not the true meas
ure Of the constitutional Vigor OF the race.
The average length Of life does not rep
resent the vital capacity OF the race.
The true measure is the number Of indi-
viduals per thousand or million who at
tain great age.
Public sanitation. quarantine laws and
general hvCicnic regulations serve a most
demc and endemic diseases. but these
influences at the same time serve 10 keep
alive a great number Of physically weak
human beings, who would otherwise be
carried of by acute disease. nature :
method Of securing the survival OF the
fittest
BANKRUPTs BY HEREDITY.
1T is high time that society gave more
serious attention 10 the great class OF
bankrupts by heredity. from which ensues
the great share OF crimes and criminals.
cranks. unatics and imbecies. The rem
edy is TO be found I'm the cultivation or
private hygiene. More attention must be
given to the training Of the individual.
men and women must be made 20 see
that the prevalent conditions Of our mod
ern civilization are anti-natural and tend
TO the deterioration Of the vital powers
and the development Of disease. So long
as man regards regards his body as a
harp Of pleasure 20 be played upon while
it's strings can be made 10 respond, so
long will he continue TO travel down the
hill of physical decayance and degenera-
ton I'm spite of quarantine laws and the
most minute sanitary regulations