Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-03-30
OUR NATIONAL HEALTH.

public and from various organizations !
that have the good of the nation at
heart. The grange is taking up the
matter and urging the establishment
of such bureau. The following is
an abstract from the Report on
National Vitality, It's Wastes and
Conservation" by the committee of
100 on national health. This commit
tee is composed of notable physicians
and scholars, Ben. B. Lindsey, c. W.
Eliot and Lyman Abbott being among
the number.
1.-THE problem of conserving ratur
al resources is only one part of the
larger problem of conserving nation
al efficiency. The other part relates
to the vitality of our population.
The two parts are closely interwov-
en-. Protection against mining acct |
dents, forest fires, floods or pollution
of streams prevents not only loss of |
property, but loss of life. The pre-
ventiou of disease. on the other hand.
increases economic productivity.
$50 far as we can compare vital and
physical assets as measured by earn
ng power, the vital assets are three
to five times the physical. The facts
show that there is as great room for
improvement in our vital resources
as in our lands, waters, minerals, and
forests. This Improvement is posi-
BILE in respect both to the length of
life and to freedom from disease dur
ing life.
Contrary to common impress ion,
there is no iron law of mortality. Re-
cent statistics for India show that
the average duration of life there is
less than twenty-five years. In
Sweden it is over fifty years, in Mas
sachusetts forty-fve years. The
length of life is increasing wherever
sanitary science and preventive medi-
cine are applied. In India it is sta
tionary. In Europe it has doubled in
three and half centuries. The rate
of increase during the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries was about
four years per century, during the
latter half of the nineteenth century
about seventeen years per century.
and in Germany, where medical and
sanitary science has reached the high
est development, about twenty-seven
years per century. The only conpar-
alive statistics available in this coun-
try are for Massachusetts where life
is frightening at the rate of about
fourteen years per century. half the
life rate in Germany.
There is no need, however, of wait.
ing century for this increase. II
could be obtained within generation.
Three-fourths of tuberculosis, from
which $50, 900 Americans die annual.
ly, could be avoided. Eighteen ex
perts in various diseases, as we'll as
vital statisticians, have contributed
data on the ratio of preventability of
the ninety different causes of death
into which mortality may be CLASH
fed. From this data it is found that
fifteen years at least could be at once
added to the average human lifetime
by applying the science of preventins
disease. More than half of this add
tional life would come from the pre-
vention of tuberculosis, typhoid, ant
five other diseases. the prevention O.
which could be accomplished b,
purer air, water, and milk. In Law
renee, Mass, after the installation
of pure-water supply, the dealt
rate from typhoid was reduced b
80per cent. For every death thus save
from typhoid two or three death
are saved from other diseases.
Judging from the English statistic
OF illness, we must conclude that a
all times in the United States abou
5000, 900 persons are seriously i'll, O
whom about 500, 600 are consumptives
Fully half of this illness is prevent
able.
IF we appralse each life lost at onl
81, 700 and each years average carr
ings for adults at only $500, the ecC
nomic gain to be obtained from pre-
venting preventable disease, mea.
ured in dollars exceeds one and
half billions. This gain. or tn
frightening and STRENGTHENING of lii
which it measures, can be secure
through medical investigation an
practice, school and factory hygien,
restriction of labor of women ar
children, the education of the publ
in both public and private hygien
and through improving the efficienC
of our municipal, state and nations
health service. Our National Co
eminent has now several bureaus e:
ercising health functions, which on
need to be concentrated under OF
department to become coordinate
parts of a greater health servit
worthy of the nation"