The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-10-02
NEWSPAPERS, INSURANCE COM
pANiES AND FEDERAL GOVERN
MENT ONLY HOPE.
SAYS IRVING FISHER
Vile Professor of Political Economy
Addresses National Conservation
Ccngress-Sweden's HiJn Pos tIon.

indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 2-lrNin
Fisher, professor of po.'t'ca! e'cnoh'!
at Yale university, today toll dele
gates of the National Conservation
Congress that the newspaper, the IN
s1rance compnnies an tlH fedora
government were the three glea'
agencies to which the people OF the
country must look for the saving ol
human life.
AS a first step in the great work OF
human observai on :rof F!shei
urged the establishment Of an ade
ouate system of collecting and dis
tributing vital statistics similar K
the system in use in Sweden.
Prof. Fisher said in part:
Probably the greatest achievement
OF any country thus far is that Of
Sweden, where the duration OF life Is
the longest, the mortality the least
and the improvements the most gen
eral There alone can 1t be sa
that the chances of life have been i'm
proved for all ages Of life.
Infancy, middle age and old age to-
day show a lower mortality in Swe-
den than In times past, while in 9TH
er countries, including the United
States, although we can boast OF some
reduction in infant mortality, the NOR
tality after middle age is growing
worse and innate vitality Of the peo-
pie is, in all probability deteriorating.
"ln the United States public health
has been regarded almost exclusively
as a matter of protection against
germs. but protection against germs
while effective in defenGiG" as from
plague and other epidemics Of acute
diseases, is almost powerless to pre-
vent the chronic diseases Of middle
and late life.
These maladies-Bright's disease,
heart disease, nervous breakdowns, -
are due primarily to unhygienic per-
sonal habits.
Medical inspection and instruction
in schools, as we'll as Swedish gym
nastics have aided greatly in the mus
cular development of the citizens OF
Sweden. Swedish hard bread has
preserved their teeth. The Gothen-
burg system is gradually weaving
them from alcohol. There has even
been a strong movement against the
use of tobacco.
There are three great agencies to
which we must look for the saving
Of human life in the future and 1t has
been the object Of the committee Of
one hundred on national health, Of
which am president, to help stir
these three agencies into activity IN
this country. They are the public
press, the insurance companies and
the government.
"A few years ago, popular articles
on public health were seldom seen be-
cause the public and the press thought
the subject OF disease uninterest' 'ng
and repulsive. Today on the other
hand one can scarcely pick up pop
ular magazine without finding, not
only one but several, articles dealing
with the question Of public health.
Life insurance companies can save
money by preventing deaths just as
fire insurance companies have saved
money by preventing fires and steam
boiler insurance companies have saw
ed money in preventing explosions.
"We need a national department of
health or department Of labor
which shall include in its operations
the conservation of human life.
I'VE need first of all to do what
Sweden has done for hundred and
fifty years, namely, to establish pro-
per vital statistics.
"Vital statistics are the bookkeeping
Of health. At present only a little
over half Of the population Of the
United States has statistics on its
deaths.
"The popular Imagination was deep