Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-12
The Cash Value of Life.


A well known Maine physician. DIR.
Holt of Portland, read a paper last
week before the American Medical As
ISOLATION at it's session in Boston which
is attracting wide attention. His SUD-
ject was the exact cash value of human
beings at any period in their lives. IL
sounds a little cold blooded perhaps
but there are many cold -blooded things
in medical science and this particular
study has its practical value In .he
matter of damage suits involving the
loss of life or limb. The tables Dr.
Holt has prepared show that labor
ing man reaches his highest economic
value when he is 25 years old, and Is
worth less and less each year after
passing that age. 1t takes profess
sional man Is years longer to attain
his greatest cash value, when, at 40,
he begins to decline.
DR.. Holt is an authority on the topic.
having worked out theory which
changed the methods used in the Pen
sion Bureau for determining the
amount of a mans pension according
to his disability. He was in an acct
dent one time himself and says that he
had nothing to do but think for six
months, and that he worked on this
theory during all of that time, and has
amplified it great deal since.
In his table showing the value of in
dividuals of the American laboring
class he states that at ten years of
age, on a Il per cent. discount basis.
a boy is worth $2,061.62; at Is years of
age he is worth s4.263.66; at % he is
worth s5.4SS.03; and from that time on
his value decreases, until at 30 he is
worth but s17.13 and at so years of age
he is drawback on the community to
the extent of SS72S4 The professional
man at % years of age has an econom-
ic value of s25,S9S.94. and his highest
value is at 40 years of age, when he is
worth s29,344.68.
DR.. Holt says that all damages to a
person through accident should be as
sessed by jury in a systematic man
is done at present. The tables which
he has used i'm determining the value
of man are taken from those of the
famous DIR. Farr. but he has amplified
these tables in such a way that he can
determine the percentage of loss due to
a specific accident. such as the loss of
an eye. leg. or an arm, or any dimi-
mutton of the PERSONS value short of
total disability He advocates the plan
of having every man and woman pro-
cure for himself or herself an economic
rating, which he explains as follows
There is nothing of more impor-
lance to be instituted i'm the science
and practice of medicine than the care
fully made records of physical and
laboratory examinations of every per-
son. They should be instituted when
the child enters school and be repeated
at stated times during the whole period
of school life. A new school officer
would be necessary who would analyZe
child. detect all abnormalities and
aid in correcting them during school
life and thus have the body improved
with the mind. From these ecordS
data could be obtained which would
give the rating of the child. taking in
to consideration his functional ability,
on which his technical ability so large
ly depends. With this work carried
out during school life it would soon
demonstrate its own importance by
making these records of the highest
value in the training of the mind and
body. the promotion of health. the pre-
ventiOn of disease and the advance
lnent of the race