Bridgeton pioneer., 1912-10-24
CAN PREVENT
THIRD OF DEATHS
1900 a Day Die UnneGessa-
rIIy In ihe United States.
Or. FISHERS STATEMENT.

Yale Professor Declares That Life In
surance Companies Should Prevent
Deaths as Fire Insurance Companies
Prevent Fires.
"Out of some 100000 deaths an
nually in the United States, at least
630,C00 are preventable," declared r.
wing Fisher, professor of political econ
omy at Yale university, in his address
before the fourth national conserva-
ton congress at indianapolis. This
means over LOO unnecessary deaths
per day, or more than the lives lost in
the great Titanic disaster, which
spread pail of gloom over the world.
The daily average death rate rarely
gets passing comment"
As first step in the great works of
human conservation Professor Fisher
urged the establishment of an ade-
quate system of collecting and distrib-
uting vital statistics similar to the
system in use in Sweden.
Probably the greatest hygienic
achievement Of any country thus far is
that of Swoden," said the professor,
"where the duration of life Is the
longest, tho mortality the least and
the improve ments the most general.
There alone can it be said that the
chances of lie have been improved for
all ages of LIFE.
Vitality Deteriorating Here.
Infancy, middle age aAd old age to
day show lower mortality in Sweden
than in times past while in other coun
tries, including the United States, al
though we can boast of some reduc.
ton in infant mortality, the mortality
after middle age is growing worse
and the innate vitality of the people
is in all probability deteriorating.
'In the United States public health
has been regarded almost exclusively
as matter OF protection against germs
but protection against germs. while eff
fective in defending us from plague
and other epidemics of acute diseases.
IS almost pCWerless to prevent the
chronic diseases of middle and late life
'These maladies-Brights disease
heart disease, nervous breakdowns-arc
due primarily to unhygienic personal
habits.
'There are three great agencies to
which we must look for the saving Of
human life in the future. and it 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 govern
ment.
Public Interest Greater.
"a few years ago popular articles on
public health were seldom seen, because
the public and the press thought the
subject of disease uninteresting and re-
pulsive. Today. on the other hand, one
can scarcely pick up popular maga
zine without finding not only one but
several articles dealing with questions
of public health.
"Life insurance companies can save
money by preventing deaths, just ar
fire insurance companies have saved
money by preventing fires and steam
boiler insurance companies have saved
money by preventing explosions.
eve need national department OF
health or department of labor which
shall include in its opera tons the cor
seryation of human life.
"But we need first of all to do what
Sweden has done for 150 years-name
ly, to establish proper vital statistics
Vital statistics are the bookkeeping OF
health. AT present only little over
half of the population of the United
States has statistics on its deaths.
"One of the most encouraging symp
toms of progress is the great attention
which is being paid to public health in
the present political campaign All
three of the party platforms included
planks i'll behalf of public health