Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
HUMAN LIFE AS AN ASSET
Mans Value Figured at 500 Mt Birth
ana s4,1OO at the Age of
Thirty.

ana $4,000 at the Age OF
Thirty.
Religion teaches that a man cannot give
more than his life for another. The scientist
after cold calculation says that the gift Of
a life cannot be more than a gift Of S4,1OO.
That is something for every person who
loves his own life-or somebody's else-to
think about. The scientist adds that he must
be in his prime, 30 years old, to be worth
Aloe. The chances favor his being worth
only $500, for that is the value of the
average life in the United States. How
many would sell themselves to death for
S2,9OOT.
Almost every one Indignantly denies that
he would sci. himself so cheaply. The
scientist replies that in 1907 a per cent
OF the deaths In the United States were
unnecessary at that time. They could
have been prevented or postponed II the
victims had known what they might know
about the care of their health.
These heartless facts rave been given
publicity by the United States government
in a pamphlet by Prof. Irving Fisher Of
Yale university on National Health" Prof.
Fisher has reduced life, death and illness
to a matter Of dollars and cents in an
effort to prove the economic wisdom Of
teaching the inhabitants Of the United
States how to live long and keep well.
He bases his computation Of the value
Of the average life on a table prepared
after the study OF similar tables made in
England. His table is founded on the es-
Innate that the average worker N Amer
lea, considering all grades, from railroad
presidents to day laborers, earns t52j a
year. His value is then the capital that
would earn $525 a year at prevailing in
terest rates, AVERAGES as to length Of life
and revenue-ylelding activity being con-
sidered. A youth with 40 years Of work
ahead is worth much more than an old
mar near retirement. Calculating from
this, Prof. Fisher finds a baby just born
Is worth $50. Mar is most valuable at
80, when he reaches s4,1OO. Then he de-
clines. until at so he is only an expense,
and his value is placed at 800 less than
nothing.
Such Is the trivial worth Of the individ-
ual life, but the grand total value Of all
the S5,5Oo,OOO Of us Is $3.50, 900, 900, 900, making
the men, women and children worth more
than all the other national wealth. How
many Of us would trade our Individual
lives for the cash value of the lot OF usY
But sickness and preventable death come
in and take a toll approaching every year
f2,000.00,0Oo. They steal what we say we
would not give up for millions. OF those
who die ~ per cent might have lived II
they had profited by what is known about
the care Of health.
There were 100000 deaths in the United
States in 1907. OF these $780, 900 might have
been prevented or postponed, and by such
postponement $4,000 lives, worth on the
average 81, 100 each, saved.
In other words, unnecessary deaths every
year cost the nation 81, 900 OOO. 900 in capI-
talized workers earnings. In addition to
that 100000 workers are III every year. and
the wages lost during their idleness
amounts to $50O.OOO, 600.
Illness and death also collect a heavy toll
In the bills of doctors nurses. druggists
ana undertakers. The United States COM
missioner OF labor finds that the average
American workingman's family spends S27
a year for the care Of death and sickness.
Since there are 100000 families in the
nation, the total cost Of doctors, druggists.
nurses and un~dertakers is $500, 100000. DR..
Biggs Of New York, arguing that tubercu-
losis cost the patient $3.50 a day, and other
diseases more, places the total cost Of the
care of illness and death at $1,000, 900. OOO.
three times the figure accepted by Prof.
Fisher.
Illness and death then. not Including loss
OF wages after death. create a total annual
loss in the care Of patients and loss Of their
earnings during illness, of $3.50, 900, 900, plus
t0O,oOoOo, or $3.50, OOO.0O Add to this the
annual toll of 81. co., 90. 900 taken by prevent
able deaths, and the grand total national
cost in money values Of preventa5le deaths
and illness is 1900 900, 900.
tuberculosis costs 81, O00,O OO. 900 every wear
in loss Of earnings through illness. in pos
sible earnings stopped by death and in the
expenses Of sickness. At least three-fourths
OF these costs are p~reventable. The con-
sumptives must bear 5000. 900, 900 OF them
personally; the remaining $40, OOO, 900 fall
upon the public.
Typhoid fever. says DR.. George Kober,
costs SSoOOOO'O9 a year In the United States.
pr. l. O. Howard estimates the loss from
malaria at 100000 900. and from insect dis.
eases at 500, OOO O0O. Care OF the feeble
minded and insane make a tax OF SIS, OOO.O 900.
according 70 Charles L. Dana.
Or. George NJ Gould estimates that death
and sickness altogether cost 1900. 900. 900 a
year In the United States. One-thlrd OF this
Is preyentable, he believes.
The trouble is the public does not be-
iieve In this waste from just poorly and
80 70 be about he argues. lit has no
conception OF the difference between work
ing with a clear brain and steady hand and
with a dull nerveless tool. They must be
Convinced somehow IS Louis Post-Dls-
patch.