The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-02-12
grandmothers

the average man woman has
fewer years of survival to expect,
since their physical vigor and vitality are less
able to throw OF disease than would have been
the half century ago.
This seems, 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 GEN.
sus reports which tell the tale in simple and
convincing fashion. Not only are people living
less long than they did half century ago. but
the decrease in longevity is progressive Even
during the last Is years the death rate among all
persons over IS years of age Of both sexes. has
risen very considerably.
In Part Of the third volume Of the United
States census will be found tabulated state
ment which shows In very striking way the
rise in the death rate for all ages from so up.
have brought the figures up to date with the help
Of fresh information from Washington-a matter
Of no little importance, inasmuch the increase
has been marked. Thus corrected for accuracy,
the reckoning shows that there has been this in
States:
For people Of ages from so to 81. seven per
For people of ages from IS to So. eh per
cent.
} For people of ages from 70 to "a 16h per cent.
For people of ages from Is to 70. seven per
cent
For people of ages from so to "a, is per cent.
For people of ages from IS to 80, IL per cent.
Tor people of ages from 80 to "a, 30h per
cent
For people of IS and up. 2oh 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 yhy offers a topic for considerable
discussion and is not to be summed up In word,
but one may discover it 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 ap-
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 heart disease, apo
plexy cancer and ailments of the liver and kid
neys, has risen to an alarming extent. Nay,
more 1t is still going up and seems likely to con-
| tnue to increase
| The average baby born to-day has chance
| 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, 1t is very desirable to save the babies
| and one of the greatest triumphs OF our newer
civilization is the successful rearing Of three hu-
| man infants for every two that survived half q
| century ago. But 1t 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
| found one cause Of the rise in the death rate in
| later life
| Nothing surely could well be more strange
/ than the spectacle presented to our view OF
| great and increasing acceleration OF the sweep
! of the dread scythe among people beyond middle
! age. while mutitudes of children are constantly
| escaping who must formerly have succumbed. In
/ both cases. too 1t is our advanced and perfected
civilization that furnishes the cause. rescuing the
| Young but moving down the old. 30 far, indeed
does the harm neutralize the good that notwfth
standing all the achievements of modern hygiene
and medical discovery, 1t Is doubtful whether the