The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19


The utlic,is OF this particular bank
knew from hour to hour just what Its
assets and its liabilities were; they
knew the relative responsibility of its
customers, the margin of credits safe
to allow this one and that. In fact
they were thoroughly familiar with
every detail OF the great business ex-
c6pt ore Of tho most important matters
Of ar the ihysical condition of the
banks employees,
The possibility occurred to one of the
officer that some of these men, trusted
implicitly. nigh, make errors. might
pass wrong judgment on one question
or another simply because of some
phys.cl defect, rot outwardly appa-
rent. furthermore that such undis-
covered 4 m MT was likely to shorten
the .c of man whose services were
o! ya.u. GOO the bank. The matter was
quietly discussed ny the officers. and
the, "im.upd to have human au-
d" mad" 10: "a cmp.oyeas, which took
h. shape # . thorough physical exam
ration. tbs has now been completed,
VII The following surprising result:
. one hundred per cent of the en-
poJees ~ th.s New York city bank
we're i1l"d To be abnormal and on the
sure road To diseases of heart, lungs,
kidneys or blood vessels"
Nor s.nslc individual had ESCAPED
inr1u1 Of disease; every one had some
sment which would inevitably drag
hm wn 90 invalidism and assuredly
shorten his life unless intelligent meas
grs We" t'kcn to provide "A remedy
10 ls ."'su.e OF instances like the one
Us M 1uunci coming TO light unex-
9''f3y a. every side that Commits
toHrr Go.dwLtor of the Health Depart
zen. now preparing 10 launch
to'eu'n' which eventually would mean
thorough physical examination at
t5'' oa.' year OF every man. woman
ana child living in Greater New York.
10 "a Is attention 10 the tact that while
p-eau'oUs are taken as to sanitary
cad.a 1s not dreamed of a generation
'i21. got Almost no advance has been
r'dc 20 rhsck The ,,roSress of latent
communicable disease from one en-
foyc. 90 another. The danger thus arf.-
sS Is serious. especially in crowded
sofkr lms
The decision Of Or. Co'dwater was
reHE hon"d by a caieful study OF NOR
u.;y lles for the three years 1909.
Alp. 1911, comparing them VIII similar
ube' made by Dr. John $. BILLINGS
elier direction of the Census Bureau
To- the vars 1879. 1850. 1851 A COM
pF'son ct the tables made by the
Health Department and the Billngs
tables show tina. since 1850 the average
New YORK child under years OF age
has had ten years added To its expecta-
ton of lie. Tho addition Of expectation
Of life con MUGS until :he New Yorker is
u. When he may now expect to live
Only a few months longer than his
father
The New York man or woman OF 40
may expect to die one year sooner than
be had reached the same age in 1880.
Formerly tho New Yorker at co had
Thirteen years Of life to look forward
10 whereas he now has only eleven
year. Oh" man of Go formerly had ten
'ar' .n the future and now but nine.
"'''r'er the cause. be It pressure
W'lt, anxiety. too much speeding
W j" every way there appears to be
Hleihns wrong. When 100 per cent.
." d great h7nk's employees are found
ne abnormal; when out of 500 gar
MehI workers nearly 500 are found to
IN need Of medical treatment: when
instance after instance of this kind is
Drought TO the attention of medical au-
H'Nucs. Commissioner Goldwater
thinks il imperative that prompt meas
t'es be taken to check this enormous
'lman waste So he has made prepara
Ton Tor campaign TO arouse employers
wen as employees all over New York
The necessity for skilful physical ex-
G.nalcns to be made at least once q
year
IN discussing the plan he remarked
Vat While state boards have investi-
ta'ed sanitary conditions existing in In
'ls'rial concerns OF every description,
!t' all medical men realize that the
diseases Of working people come not so
much from Industrial environment as
nom fellow workers.
1T IS highly important" he con-
sAHed that skilled medical attention
Ng'ven IN a preventive way. Thorough
uam.Nanon made in time might check
u'on'' diseases hitherto unsupported,
Scu1lng ailments OF the liver and
naneys, locomotor ataxia. arterial
Neros!s, carly cancers and others of
are making examinations OF all
asmoers OF the Health Department, and
outcome in each case Is absolutely
SleVeaied excepting to the man or
'0nan so examined
TIE average length OF life hos risen
SproAImatoly from twenty years in the
..eeNlA century TO approximately
WY Years at present. There is no
weston that an additional gain OF from
w years To five car be made provided
knowledge Of disease and its pre-
Ou"oFy signals is universally applied
an Intelligent way.
rms being the case, Il is the duty
AN ne Health Department, acting as
IVA guardian of health and life OF the
80 ot New York, to assume leader
IP IN this great mo cement to preserve
hS"h ana prolong life. Great advance
o'on made during recent years in
.ouoUhG child hygiene, and now 1t IL
opposed TO add the teaching and en-
n'rnen' ~ adult hygiene as well as
A., control o. few diatinctively occu-
tnI 'u" diseases and the absolute con-
a., ~ al disease which Is comfortable
=, A'vaAn" has been made in treating
'.''''s such cases as are dis
n,ea ny physician, who registers
w." !" accordance with the law But
matter OF fact, tuberculosis to-day
" lhr rom hoip-