The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1910-01-28

I hNhgh NNNW lNllU'IlAf NNl people s7gcs@-sa@
In later life die faster than they I24.55I<ss :
used. once arrived At adult age. Or oNH. ~.
the average man or woman has
fewer years Of survival to expect
since their physical ygor and vitality are less
able to throw on disease than would have been
the case half century ago.
This seems. the face Of A. 30 surprising a
statement that In order TO be accepted. II should
be backed up by data authentic and ndisputable.
Such data are furnished by the figures Of the In.
surance companies (which all agree on the point.
but II is easier to refer to the government cen.
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 II progressive. Even
during the last 10 years the death rate among all
persons over 80 years OF age, OF both sexes has
risen very considerably.
In Part I OF the third volume OF the United
States census will be found n tabulated state
ment which shows In n very striking way the
rise In the death rate for all ages from 60 up.
have brought the figures up to date. with the help
OF fresh information 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 60. seven per
cent
For people of ages from GO to 60. 6a per
cent
For people OF ages from 20 to a. IGN per cent
For people OF ages from 75 to 10. seven per
cent
For people Of ages from so to 81. Is per cent
For people Of ages from So TO SO. 10 per cent,
For people OF ages from 90 to %, 3Ols per
cent
For people Of 95 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
lola ~
we are dying earlier than our grandparents did,
The reason why offers topic for considerable
discussion and Is not to be summed up In n word,
but one may discover II 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. unwaak
enod by the luxury and intense nervous stain
OF an existence like that OF to-day, stronger
than ours and better able 10 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 az heart disease apo
plexy, cancer and ailments Of the liver and kid.
neys. has risen to an alarming extent Nay,
more, II IL still going up and seems likely TO con-
tinue TO increase
The average baby born to-day has a chance
OF reaching Ave years Of age better by 80 per
cent than would have been the case half cen.
tury ago Its prospect Of escaping the diseases
Of childhood and growing up Is vastly improved,
as compared with earlier days
Now, II IL 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
century ago But II is undeniable that the race
as a whole suffers by the change nasmuch as
the woakngs, instead Of being weeded out are
thus enabled TO grow up. These weddings not
only propagate other weaknps, but by reason
Of their inferior yigor Of constitution, commonly
fail TO reach old age. In this fact doubtless, II
found one cause OF the rise in the death rate In
later life.
Nothing surely could well be more strange
tlan the spectacle presented 10 our view OF
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 neutraze the good that, notwith
standing all the achievements Of modern hygiene
and medical discovery. 1t is doubtful whether the