River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-04-15


Asserts That Death Rate In Every
Section of the Country Can Be Ma
teriaIly Lowered.
Albany, n. Y.-That the state can
save 10000 lives annually and reduce
the death rate as low as that in New
York city, if not lower, is the keynote
of the letter from DR.. Hermann NJ
Biggs, state commissioner of health
to Governor Whitman, transmitting
the thirty-fifth annual report of the
department
1.-The state department has set for it.
self the task of saving $4,000 lives
within five years." says DR.. Biggs.
THE question now is whether the leg
islature will provide the funds neces-
sary to secure this saving.
THE education Of the public to the
risks of neglect and to the advantages
and ways Of healthful living is neces-
sarily a slow process. For its success
full accomplishment by the sanitary au-
thOritieS its requisites are adequate
funds, broad powers and an efficient
organization, carrying guidance and
inspiration into every school, work
shop, store and factory, as we'll as into
every home. whether in the city, town
or remotest countryside.
1.-THE exact achievements OF modern
preventive medicine and the collection
of statistics of disease and death have
made it possible today. as it has never
been before, to calculate with reason,
able accuracy and in terms of life and
health as well as in dollars and cents
the returns which expenditures of mon
ey and Of personal service by the state
may secure"
The health commissioner quotes the
motto Of the state department: Public
health is purchasable. Within natural
limitations any community can deter
mine it's own death rate"
This is as true when applied to the
state as Il whole as to any individual
community within it," says DR.. Biggs.
and he points out that not only can
10000 lives be saved annually. but that
this means that 100000 cases of serious
illness can be prevented, with all the
]
economic loss involved in payment of
physicians and nurses. the cost of med
| icines and special foods and supplies,
the suspension Of wages and decreased
efficiency, lowered vitality and mental
and physical suffering.
AS to the money saving involved,
Commissioner Biggs says that $500 Is
a conservative estimate of the value OF
each life thus unnecessarily lost, and
$50 is a conservative estimate of the
emergency expense for each case Of
severe illness.
This makes q total loss in this state
of $30O00,O00 a year in preventable
disease" says Dr. Biggs. land this es-
innate takes no account of the vast in
crease in the economic efficiency of the
people Of the state, which is possible
through the fostering Of greater health
fulness in all communities"
/ AS evidence that this can be accom-
| plished DR.. Biggs points out the re-
suits of efficient health work in New
York city.
What practical man of business
| y
lieved that $4,000 lives a year could be
saved in New York city by health
measures? Yet this result has already
been accomplished"
The commissioner points out that this
saving Of life can be brought about not
merely in the early periods of life. but
in the period beginning at forty-five.
/ n; - hD
blood vessels, the kidneys and the
BRAIN" he says, which are peculiar to
the middle and later periods of life and
which would seem to have been rapidly
increasing in recent years, are most in
sidious in their onset and development.
The affected individual is often quite
unconscious Of their presence until
measures intended for their arrest are
no longer promising. A broad field of
the greatest usefulness is here open to
the sanitary authorities. which has
| thus far been almost untouched.
1--WE are convinced that at least i've
years may be added to the average
lifetime Of each individual reaching the
age Of forty-five the period OF greatest
usefulness and productiveness) by the
subsequent proper guidance and pro-
lection of his life activities. at no cost
OF efficiency. but. on the contrary, with
distinct average increase"
Increased appropriations have been
asked for to carry forward the depart
ment's campaign Of education, to ex-
tend laboratory facilities for diagnosis
and treatment of diseases to safeguard
people against preventable diseases and
to postpone the approach of those dis
eases which are unavoidable.
A LONG, LONG WAY TO PEACE.