The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-04-16
IA ski n i Il ~ !, i ~; y y

j 3 b "A 81
| he Natiiol
- Freder,a.
"a large number Of American wht
were either policy holders IN insur
ance companies or applicants for po.
5sitions In large omn1ercial establish.
ments were recently examined b.
physicians of the Life Extension In:
istitute. an Organization which Is
ity. The policy holders averaged
fthirtyfve years Of age, and the ap-
plicants for business positi ons, thirty.
! They were fairly typical young
American business men.
The examination revealed the
startling fact that about 81 per cent
II Of these American business men were
physically impaired, that SO per cent
II Of them were not aware Of the fact.
land that by far the greater number
we're suffering from organic or de-
i2enErative diseases.
The facts brought out By the in
1 vesti cation are proof of trend in
the vitality OF the American people
las 2 whole. which is Just beginning
Ito be recognized by physicians and
sanltarians. but is almost unknown
to the layman
For the last few generations we
have been valiantly battling against
the germ The danger and preva-
Hlenca Of germ diseases. a necessity
for sterilizing everything from babies
to railroad stations, nave been deeply
Impressed upontth American public
| The American infant is fed on modi-
fled and steri1ized milk, his tooth1ess
gums are bathed with boracic acid,
and he cuts his teeth on sanitary
rattle. No germ can come near him.
When he becomes school boy he is
ltstilI surrounded by projections
against the ever-present danger OF
infection which becomes to him one
ofthe fundame facts Of life AS
he grows up and goes about the coun-
try, he sees everywhere remind ers
that he lives in sanitary land.
y There are sanitary towels and drink
II ing cups in every public place. and
everything he eats or drinks is guar
anteed prophylatic or germ-proof.
! He drinks no water with which he is
not acquainted. and he is well aware
of the dangers OF kissing.
So far as germs are concerned. the
l5American is the hea1thiest person on
earth. But there his precautions end.
| He eats whatever he p1eases, and as
much of it as he wants. He works
over hours. swallows wNdge of a
!, pie about as indigestible as cannon
ball for lunch. drinks a cocktail to
revive his jaded nerves and goes ous
q 7nc.+
until the next morning The Eng
lishman spends a large part Of his
time in healthful sport; the German
4 is a sociable chap and cultivates good
digestion by taking plenty of time
Y for his meals. In nearly all Eu-
pean countries business hours are
lishorted than in this country. and
(! the blessin gs of fresh air and sun
shine are more appreciated. But the
American thinks that as long as he
leads a. germ-proof existence. his
health is safe; and the result Is that
more and more often he dies of an
organic or degenerative disease at
about middle age.
The mortality statistics collected in
the re eistration area of the emitted
States are the mirror OF our national
life They show how the way we are
living is affecting the way we die.
and their lesson for the last few
decades has been clear and striking.
While the prevalence Of communicable
diseases have slowly but steadily in-l
creased until nearly forty per cent of
the persons who die annually in the
United States are the victims Of the
six principal organic or degenerativej
diseases.
There can be no question but what
tFa SfcNp nc yr1TE
strain. its dissipation and its disre-
gard OF the need for daily rest and
exercise. is the cause Of the growing
prevalence Of these maladieE. The
testimony of physicians is sufficient
| to prove this. but it is also borne out
bv comparison between the United
States and European countries. and
also between the rural end urban
populations in our own &C, fntrs,T,
While the general Movement OF
american population has been from
the country to the cities, those VINO
/ have remained on the farm have Ecer-.,
Istainly remained longer and enjoyed
Abetter health. Thus the death rate az
flor the cities OF the registraCo on area
lin the United States was aal &c PEI
Thousand, while that in the rural sec
istions was only 4 2 Id per thousand ~: IN
i19l3. A typical degenerative dis
1 ease OF the sort which is caused py5
wrong habits tpf life Is nephratis. or
lEBrfght's disease. In he rural sec e
ftionss OF the registration area me.
rate Of death from this disease IN.
ls1a1s was s Is per thousand Gpopu-
lation. while in the cities it was as,
HE'LL. for organic heart disease.
another typical degeneratiye malay
iof the sort that is gaining ground q IN
this country. the rural death rate was.
1883, while that In the cities was s. Y
E14T.4 ,4,.
These two diseases. together With
tuberculosis, cancer. betes and nd eli II y
irhosis OF the liver re the typical
Edenegenerative diseases and the ones;
which are now causing more than
lone=third OF the annual death In the
united States. While we have been
reducing the prevalence OF typhoid
kfeyer and other communicable dis
eases. all or these degenerative nala-