New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-07
SUGGESTION WORTH CONSIDERING.


A point well made was that which Professor
Fisher, Of Yale, brought to the Association Of
Life Insurance Presidents at It's meeting on
Friday afternoon. His suggestion that the life
insurance companies might materially Increase
the longevity of their porcyholders and the
public generally by promoting hygientc condl-
lions is worthy of the careful consideration OF
every life insurance man in the country. The
old tradition, referred to by the speaker, that
human mortality follows nearly invariable
law has been so far dispr0ved that no one
whose opinion bears weight would lend the
strength of his support to it. When It is de
monstrated that the worst enemy which the
human race has-tubercuIosis-can be prevented
10 q great extent and often cured, not by the
use of medicines, but by adhering to certain
simple rules there is reason to doubt that
sanitation and right living are the greatest pre-
ventive and curative agencies in the world.
The incidents to which Professor Fisher calls
attention are too well known to require en-
phasis The almost miraculous decrease IN
the death rate at Havana after the American
occupancy, under a sanitary expert like Colonel
Gorgas, is a matter Of history. Proper atten-
ton TO the matter of sewers, clean streets and
pure milk has worked almost as great wonders
in the cities of our own country The mortality
among infants has been decreased more than
80 per cent in many places as result of care
full supervision of the milk supply. Water
may be poison II its sources are not properly
looked into and cared for, and typhoid fever, a
filth disease entirely, is almost as great a
scourge to the country as tuberculosis itself.
One life insurance president Is said already
TO have expressed himself in favor of Professor
Fishers proposition He even goes so far is
to state that his company would gladly con
tribute 100000 yearly If 1t could be made
possible legally, that it would be good business
for 1t to do 50 and thus reduce the death rate
Another company states IN its literature that It's
death rate is now less than 60 per cent of the
rate on which the mortality tables of the com
panv are based If a reduction of 40 per cent
can be made why not 90 or 6O2 The average
length of life is constantly increasing, notwlth-
standing the high pressure of modern COmpeti-
ton upon the individual largely, no doubt, be
cause so many more individuals reach maturity
as a result of better sanitary conditions sur
rounding infants and children. 1t is not too
much 10 hone that the statement that practical
aDDlication Of reforms now known 10 modern
hygiene would increase the span Of human life
in America more than fifteen years is entirely
correct. II is worth trying, anyway. for in
America. if anywhere. those fifteen years are
worth living.
DR. Woods Hutchinson reminds us that for
eign insurance companies have, with proht 10
themselves established sanatoria for the cure
of tuberculosis If this works well in other
countries it should work well here, From q
nureIv legal point of view It is probably true
that the sole purpose of life insurance com
panies is 10 take risks on the lives of policy
holders. hui there is a general recognition or
the fact that they have a peculiar and legit
mate interest in the public health and they
might safely be allowed 10 take up work along
the lines suggested.