The Carlisle independent., 1910-01-20

leWSf years or survival to expect
 since their physical vigor and vitality are less able to throw off disease than would have been the case half century ago.
 This seems. on the face of it, surprising statement that in order to be accepted, it should be backed up by data authentic and indsputabe. Such data furnished by the figures of the in- surance companies (which all agree the point), but it 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 a century ago, but the decrease in longevity is progressive. Even during the last 15 years the death rate among all persons over 55 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 50 up I have brought the figures up to date with the help of fresh information from Westinghouse matter of no little importance, inasmuch 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 64 seven per cent.
 For people of ages from 65 to 69. 6A per cent.
 For people of ages from 70 to "A. 161k per cent.
 For people of ages from 75 to 79 seven per cent
 For people of ages from 80 to S4, 15 per cent.
 For people of ages from S5 to S9. 12 per cent
 For people of ages from 90 to 94, 30h per cent
 For people of 95 and up, 201a 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 grandparents did The why offers topic for considerable discussion and is not to be summed up in word hfCr xuifb bnJf r,111oh in the more complex and luxurious life that lead. The lives of forebears were compara lively simple and their constitutions, unweak ened by the luxury and intense nervous strain of an existence like that of to-day, stronger than ours and better able to withstand the ap breaches of disease.
 Plenty of proof of this fact may be found in the vital statistics of 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 malades more properly be- longing to later life, such as heart disease, apo plexy. 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 chance of reaching five years of age better by 50 per cent than would have been the case half tury 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 the babies and one of the greatest triumphs of civilization Is the successful rearing of three hu- mar infants for every two that survived half century ago But it is undeniable that the race as whole suffers by the change inasmuch as the weddings instead of being weeded out, thus enabled to grow up. These weddings not only propagate other weddings 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 a great and increasing aceeleration of the sweep of the dread scythe among people beyond middle age while multitudes of children 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 md medical discovery, 1t is doubtful whether the