The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-04-14

iitllt WOlhtH anu CHlluItu HOW llNlHk
and presumably in good health and
spirits, would have rendered their
final tribute TO nature. In other
words these matter of fact statistics.
when interpreted in their real rela-
ton to the welfare and happiness of
the state. mean the saving to the state
OF 13,907 lives.
Human Lives as State Assets.
This fact has an immense personal
meening for all people of the state
among these rescued lives might have
been your own, your wife's, your
childs; but they also have a value
which Is measurable in dollars an(
cents. The political economists now
recognize that the most valuable kind
Of wealth is the human life-that hui
man labor Is worth at least five times
that of all other forms of capital.
Even the newly landed immigrant, ac-
cording to these investigators, has
per capita value of 1915; that Is. he
adds Just that much to the nations
capital. Professor Irving Fisher, OF
economists. has painstakingly figured
the financial value to the state of
every citizen at particular ages. A
newborn infant, says Professor Fish
er. is actually worth 500, while five
year-old child is worth $3.50 From
this point on his value rapidly in.
creases; at ten, could he be sold at
auction Iic ms rlyat ho OF
least $4,000; at twenty 1t would be
$4,000, and at thirty, $4,000. From this
point the average human being begins
to lose value, in proportion to his de-
creasing productivity, until at fifty,
Professor Fisher gives him a value OF
only 800. This same authority places
the worth of the average life lost by
preventable diseases at $1700. Taking
this as a basis the decreased death
rate In Pennsylvania for the last two
years represents a money saving Of
$22 900. The state, in other words,
is just that much richer-has Just that
much more available capital. For it's
actual expenditure to date of $4,000.
000 including a large portion for per.
manent improvements, 1t has taken in
more than $23.000.000. The earnings
of the new Department of Health, con.
sidered purely from the commercial
standpoint. thus represent dividends
OF mere than 1855 per cent In four
years.
What Is the value placed by the av-
erage citizen upon his childrens lives
mot the financial value estimated by
the Unconditional economist. but the
worth in affection. good citizenship
and in all that holds the social organi.
cation together? Is 1t good business
policy to save the lives OF children az
81 apiece? Is 1t paternalistic and so.
cialistic to protect them against dan.
gerous infections at the rate OF 81 per
head? That is what the state of Penn.
syl' ania Is doing now. This conserva-
tive old commonwealth has reached
that stage OF paternallsm where the
government will not sit quietly by
and watch little child choke to death
with diphtheria when the expenditure
OF few dollars from the public treas.
ury will relieve its sufferings and save
its life.
Saving the Little Ones.
For the last ten years the practical
remedy for diphtheria has been avail
able for the children of prosperour
households, but 1t has not been avai'
able for the poor. Since Won Behring's
Immortal discovery that the blooa
serum OF horse which has recovered
from dipht':eria possessed wonderful
curative properties. and when intr
duced into the human organism, wou
usually destroy the disease. this 10.
mer scourge OF childhood has loe
nearly all its terrors. In the old DAY
diphtheria destroyed nearly one.hs
OF all the children II assailed. II woui
do the same today among the poor In
Pennsylvania were 1t not for the anti.
toxin which the state provides free.
That large numbers OF unprotected
children have died most shocking
deaths In the past for the sole reason
that their parents were too poor to
AFFORD them anti-toxin. is a melancholy
reflection, but these things will not
haphen In the future. In every corner
OF pennsylvania. usually at well known
drug stores. there are now stations for
the free distribution of .anti-toxin
numbering $50. Whenever any poor
mans child falls III with diphtheria,
his physician. by making out a proper
application. can secure free all the
anti-toxin he needs to effect a cure.
CONTINUED next week.