Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-25

NutAVAaA NAHAAAkFs |
In the popular conception OF the
conservation Of natural resources Il
has been easy to overlook the fact
that national vitality Is the greatest
thing to which we could possibly apply
our endeavors, and II needed some
such startling arraignment as that Of
Prof. Irving Fisher to make us realize
that "the proper study of mankind is
man Prof. Fisher, in his report on
national vitality, it's wastes and con
se~rvation, prepared for the committee
of one hundred on national health,
concludes hat at all times there are
in the United States 5000, 900 persons
seriously Ill, of whom 500, 600 are con
sumptives, and he assures us that fully
one-half Of this illness is absolutely
preventable. At his modest estimate
of $1,7OO for each life lost, and 500
for each adults average earnings, the
economic gain for one year through
prevention would be more than one
and one-half. billions of dollars.
The thoughtless reply will be that
no one gets sick on purpose, and there
will be a ready skepticism again the
assertion that sickness is so largely
p~reventable. But the inquiry of the
committee has been a most exhaustive
one, and it's researches show that at
least fifteen years could be added to
the average of human life in the United
States by disease prevention, more than
one-half of which would come from the
gain made over tubercuI Dsis, typhoid
and Ave other maladies that thrive so
Justify now simply because we neglect
to supply ourselves with purer air,
water and milk.
These are the three great sources
Of pollution of the human body, and
It would seem as though, when con-
fronted by the evidence collated by
Prof. Fisher, every American would
appoint himself a committee of one
to set about insuring safeguards in
these three particulars. Yet, knowing
the dangers, we recklessly court dis
ease, and only in the actual presence
of an epidemic do we bestir ourselves
to effective work.
The progress OF medical men, of
health boards and of similar agencies
for the conservation of national vital
ity is necessarily slow, but we are as
sured that with united effort the gains
that now require a century or more
could be obtained in a generation. The
law of mortality proves to be a myth.
Wherever medical and sanitary science
has been developed into its highest
state Of efficiency there man lives long
be lives. India, most reckless of ma
lions as regards cleanliness and care
fulness in health and hygiene, is sta
tionary in it's average duration Of life,
which is less than twenty-five years.
In Sweden the average is fifty years.
Europe has shown considerable gains,
with Germany the most shining mark
in advance. Massachusetts, has set a
fair. example to the rest of the United
States by frightening life at a rate
about one-half that of Germany's gain.
The good already accomplished b.
the strict application Of sanitary
science and preventive medieine.
should be an incentive for more con-
certed effort. 1t is evident that9hnmRn
life can be both l~engthened nFandi
strengthened. The natural aids to that.
process are recapitulated by the COM
mittee Of one hundred: Medical in
~vestigation and practice. school and
factory hygiene, restriction of labor of
women and children. education of the
public to he imperative need of public
and private hygiene, and fuller efici-
ency in municipal, state and national
health service.