Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-06-06
HIGH PRESSURE AMERICAN.
I'm SPITE CT Jrcessnnt Activity RE
lives Longer Than His Fnsherx


Lives Longer Than His Fathers
There is hardly week that we do
not see in some journal or newspaper
an allusion to the high pressure Of
American life. 1t is taken for granted
that the only pace that kills is our
own. that we are shortening our lives
and bringing our early death by the
strain.
We have often been minded to deny
the allegation. but on second thought
have not done SO because of the great
difficulty that exists In getting at scien-
tific disproof. We are as little Inclined
as another to Justify feverish CONNER.
cialism, but we believe that these are
unwise, chiefly because Of other rea.
sons than those pertaining to vital sta
tistics. The fallacy OF the scoffer at
American high pressure lies doubtless
in the fact that every one has the vir-
tues of his defects G., that we have
other qualities which more than COM
pensate in a life lengtEening way. The
insurance statistician, Frederick L.
Hoffman, makes a statement which. if
true in all Its details, should be laid
before the echoers of the old charge
against the fast living American.
1t is, then, n matter OF great impor-
lance to note that there has been ma.
terial increase in the number of those
who survive to the age of thirty. forty
and fifty In the United States, and the
number will probably continue to grow
as the conditions of city life are i'm
proved.
''At present in Massachusetts there
are expected TO survive at the age of
fifty 5.215 persons out of every 10000
born against 4,409 survivors out of the
same number In 1855. At the age of
eighty the number OF survivors is l,2G6
at present against 1869 half century
ago. Therefore most valuable lives
valuable because of enhanced intelli-
gence and comprehension-ha been
saved to the state because of the sau-
itary and other social progress made
during the last fifty years. This coun-
try is more healthy. with the exception
OF Norway and Sweden, than any part
Of Europe, and the effect of the intense
struggle for success on the part of our
business men and women Is more than
balanced by our higher standards OF
living, which tend TO make our people
continue along the path OF improve.
ment. While 1t is impossible TO arrive
at final conclusions OH the basis of our
industrial or ordinary experience, be-
cause of the careful medical selection
exercised in insurance practice, the
facts established by other invcstiga.
tons indicate that the adult foreign
born citizen is subject to a lower NOR.
tality In the United States than in his
own country, md 1t may be safely as
sumed that any Inherited tendency TO
early decay will be more than balanced
by the healthier conditions OF life in
our country. a comparative mortality
table shows that close behind Norway
and ahead OF Great Britain, France.
Germany and ahead OF other states in
our country, New Jersey has the lowest
death rate. The chance of attaining
the age OF 100 in Massachusetts Is to-
day ten times what IL was half cen.
fury ago.
Certainly the facts are abundant
tending TO prove that old age is being
attained by men and women In this
country with an increasing degree of
frequency, and. what is better. to quote
the words OF an authority, 1t is cer-
tain that our American men at sixty
are not broken up as badly as our IA
theirs were at forty" -American Med
icinc.