Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-07-15
NEGLE ct OF THE
HUMAN MACHINE
Many Machines Are Fool Froof, But Not
So with the Human Body, Says Or. Ly-
man Fisk.

Speaking of the human system a. Il
machine. which more often breaks down.
rather than wearing out. Dr. Eugene Ly-
man Fisk. director Of Hygiene in the Life
Extension Institute, in m article pub
li>hed in the Scientific American. makes
the rather novel. but altogether practical
and sensible suggestion that the govern
ment should concern itself sufficiently with
the welfare of the people Ia institute n sort
OF system of physical inspection whereby
the "human machines" may undergo a e z
alar periodical Inspection. to determine it.
condition. The article follows:
Many machines are "foo;-proof," but II
j. not 20 with the human body.
True. there j. y certain factor Of safe
tv' that allows for i'll treatment Of the
body, for starvation, for giuttonv. for poi
~oning, for infection, and for various other
strains and stresses. Just a. every we'll
built machine i planned to withstand more
wear and tear than it j. called upon to I'M
dergo with average use: but this factor of
safety l. not the same III all individuals.
In some. u H. n negligible quantity. In
Others, II T. raised 10 the NTH power. ~
IN the occasional instance Of m old topper
who lives into the eighties well nigh poison
proof, like Mi.hridateS Of bid.
Thai most people exceed their factor Of
safety j. shown m the fact that few pco-
pie die 4 physiological death, II one. NAV
use such a term. The human clock usually
breaks down instead of running down.
For example. IN the United States there
we're III 1910. more than lot. 600 deaths.
between the ages ~ forty and sixty. from
Diseases Of the heart, circulation and kid
news. Preceding most deaths tnot due 10
accident or To acute diseased there i uSu-
ally a long period Of impairment. or of
progressive changes that gradually reduce
the value NJ the individual 10 himself and
TO society before the final and total los.
J. this condition Of affairs crcditable Ia
human intelligence,
Should We bc content with the mere sur
vlval 81 the race T. il any more reason
able ~ bc satisfied with the average man
n he j. today than il would nave been 10
rest satisfied with the locomotive Of the
.~fortiess
That man A. q practical. everyday. use
full citizen. cannot exist by will power ar
BY psychic force alone. but j. dependent
upon the mechanical integrity Of hi parts.
4 shown by a very brief survey Of elemcn-
tary physiological facts.
Consider the circulatory system alone.
The heart j. a pump that forces the blood
through 4 system of elastic ~tubing-thc ar
%teries. II this tubing j. oyer~trained. IL de-
tericrates and frequently Il bursts. causing
death by apoplexy. IL the affected tube
happens 10 be n the brain.
Now. let "a suppose thar IN every house
hold there wa \ complex machine oper-
ated by a pump. and 4 system Of delicate
tubing upon which the life Of the family de-
pended. Let n assume that the bursting
Of that tubing or the breaking down Of the
valves or NJ the walls ~ the pump would
bring death INTO the hou~phold-whaf
would be the public and private attitude to-
ward such a machincl Undoubtedly the
government would inspect it regularly even
II individuals could be found "a foolhardv
n 10 neglect such IN obvious duty. III line
with the ~o-eallrd tir~t law If nature
self Representation.
There NIFTY be something repellent in the
meehanictic truth that the mighty brain Of
"a philosopher or Of a statesman J. inst a.
dependent upon the potency and integrity
OF certain elastic tubes a. that VI the
hound that lie ~ hi~ feet. but Such " the
fact. and IL the philosopher or Statesman
wishes to he spared FOR a reasonable time