The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1910-01-21
Xxx XII

fewer years of survival to expect,
since their physical vigor and vitality are less
able to throw off disease than would have been
the case half a century ago.
This seems, on the face of it, SO surprising a
statement that, in order to be accepted, it should
be backed up by data authentic and indisputable.
Such data are furnished by the figures of the in
surance companies (Which all agree on the point,
but 1t is easier to refer to the government CEN
ss reports, which tell the tale in simple and
convincing fashion. Not only are people living
less long than they did half a century ago, but
the decrease in longevity is progressive. Even
during the last Is years the death rate among all
persons over 55 years Of age, of both sexes, has
risen very considerably.
In Part l Of the third volume of the United
States census will be found a tabulated state
ment which shows in a very striking way the
rise in the death rate for all ages from 60 up. I
have brought the figures up to date, with the help
of fresh from Washington-a matter
of no little Importance, inasmuch as the increase
has been marked. Thus corrected for accuracy,
the reckoning shows that there has been this in
crease in the death rate for the entire United
States:
For people of ages from 60 to GA, seven per
cent.
For people of ages from 65 to SO, 6h per
cent.
For people of ages from 70 to "a, 1914 per cent.
For people of ages from rs to 70, seven per
cent.
For people of ages from 80 to "a, 10 per cent.
For people Of ages from 85 to SO, IL per cent.
For people of ages from 80 to "a, 30k per
cent.
For people Of 95 and up, 20h per cent.
These figures tell the story more clearly than
the most eloquent discourse on the subject. They
show that, Notwithstanding improved medical
knowledge and the benefits of modern sanitation,
we are dying earlier than our grandparents did.
The reason why offers a topic for considerable
discussion and is not to be summed up In a word,
hit may discover If without much difficulty
in the more complex and luxurious life that we
lead. The lives of our forebears were compare
lively simple and their constitutions, unweak-
ened by the luxury and intense nervous strain
of an existence like that Of to-day, were stronger
than ours and better able to withstand the APP
proaches of disease.
Plenty of proof of this fact may be found in
the vital statistics of our population, especially
In the cities, the figures showing that, while the
death rate from diseases common to children has
enormously diminished, within the last few years,
the mortality from maladies more properly be-
longing to later life, such as heart disease, apo
plexy, cancer and ailments of the liver and kid
neys, has risen to an alarming extent. Nay,
more, it is still going up and seems likely to con-
tinue to increase.
The average baby born to-day has a chance
of reaching FIVE years of age better by 80 per
cent, than would have been the case half a CEN
fury ago. Its prospect of escaping the diseases
of childhood and growing up is vastly improved,
as compared with earlier days.
Now, it is very desirable to save the babies
and one of the greatest triumphs of our newer
civilization is the successful rearing of three hui
man infants for every two that survived half a
century ago. But it is undeniable that the race
as a whole suffers by the change, inasmuch as
the weaklings, instead of being weeded out, are
thus enabled to grow up. These weaklings not
only propagate other weaklings, but, by reason
of their inferior vigor of constitution. commonly
fail to reach old age. In this fact, doubtless. Is
A. H. A. A. ~ rafa ~
later life.
Nothing surely could well be more strange
than the spectacle presented to our view of a
great and increasing acceleration of the sweep
OF the dread scythe among people beyond middle
age, while multitudes of children are constantly
escaping who must formerly have succumbed. In
both cases, too, it is our advanced and perfected
civilization that furnishes the cause, rescuing the
young but moving down the old. So far. indeed.
does the harm neutralize the good that. notwith-
standing all the achievements of modern hygiene
and medical discovery. 1t is doubtful whether the