The sun., 1916-12-24
Hurry and Worry,
theCreat Enemies
of the American.
Leave Him Stead.
lily Decreasing
Expectation Of
Reaching Old Age
By JOHN WALKER HARRINGTON

By JOHN WALKER HARRINGTON
A MER1CAN hurry Ia causing an
n increasing death rate after the
n age Of 40 years.
This statement. made Q few
days ago by +. i. Rittenhouse before
the Association Of Life Insurance
Presidents in this city. is substantiated
by physicians. actuaries, life conserva-
tion experts and health authorities.
1t is an assertion calculated to rouse
from his dream Of false security the
average American who has for years
been taking 1t for granted that the
span Of life was being heightened for
his benefit by modern science, and that
he might settle down to a serene, old
age.
On their face the vital statistics of
this country arc 80 reassuring that op-
tlmists have been finding in reading
them all manner Of comfort and slip
pered ease.
It is true that the general death
rate per thousand in the United States
u decreasing and the expectation Of
life is greater.
In the year 1880, Americans were
dying at the rate Of 1913 per thousand
every year. as compared with the rate
Of "A per thousand for 1915.
Tho boy baby born In 1880 had be-
fore him according to the expecta-
ton tables life Of II years.
The experts estimate that children
born now will live for fifty years
United States census life tables).
Apparently. then. the span Of life has
bsen heightened by nine years.
Beyond the age Of 40. the ex-
pectation Of life in 1850 was 2S.S
years, while in 1910 It was 26.s7 years.
The American OF SO in 1880 was en-
oouraged by the actuaries to hope that
- would live 22.2 years more. while
II 1910 the expectancy is decreased to
1879 years.
This means that as men reach middle
life their prospect for longevity has
been reduced by approximately two
years. Fewer Americans are reach
Ing an advanced age. 1t Is not now
very unusual to hear Of the active
man Of affairs passing away at As.
although in the last century this would
have been a subject OF astonished
comment
The reason why Americans are SO
often deuded ny their Interpretation
Of vital statistics Is that they do not
take into the account the remarkable
decrease in infant mortality in the last
three decades. Once II was accepted
that so many babies had to die before
the age of one year. Science has so
successfully combated the germ dis
eases and so developed the methods of
feeding the young that at the lower
end of the scale there has been a tre-
mendous saving of life. This condition
Increases the average.
The child IL under the control OF
parents and physicians. lie is COM
PEELED to fake care OF himself for years
even against his will. Not until the
human being reaches maturity Is he
permitted deliberately to neglect his
health as he plunges into the whirl OF
modern life.
Although the general death rate is
low. the death rates OF such diseases OF
maturity as those OF the arteries. the
heart and the kidneys are increasing
to an alarming extent in all parts OF
the United States. There has been
slight increases in other parts Of the
world and decreases in the leading Eu-
pairment, yet this country is in the
lead.
The goad that urges many Ameri-
cans Of middle age to their deaths is
worry.
Sometimes they call II ovcrwork.
Experts agree that 1t Is not the work
that kills. but the attempt to do too
many things at once. This often re-
suits in having so much to do that 1t is
impossible really to do anything.
The crux Of the situation may be
stated In the words Of bulletin issued
last week by the United States Public
Health Service. which has been gather
ing statistics on nervous diseases and
other maladies which tend to shorten
life.
so far al is known" to quote from
tho bulletin, "no bird ever tried to
build more nests than its neighbor; no
fox ever fretted because he had only
one hole in which 20 hide: no squirrel
ever died OF anxiety lest he should not
lay up enough nuts for two winters in
stead OF for one. and no dog ever lost
any sleep over the fact that he did not
have enough bones laid aside for his
declining years.
Tho average American resembles
the simian from which all men are
supposed to be descended and which Is
trapped in Borneo by catching its paws
In narrow mouthed vessel filled with
nuts. The monkey grabs all that 1t
can hold and won't let so even in the
presence OF the captOr.
Mr.. Rittenhousc In discussing pres
ent conditions in the United States
said the other day that the very fact
that this is the land of opportunity in
creased the nerve tension OF the in
habtants. In other countries. espc-
cially in the. antebellum Europe. life
went In well ordered grooves. Here
there are constant changes OF occupa-
ton. The demand. for munition
workers, for instance, has drawn men
from one calling into another. all eager
for the higher wages and the social
bettermcnt and greater pleasures
which more money brings.
Life becomes more complex az the
scale ascends. Out of such conditions
proceed anxiety and worry, the neglect
Of the body and the scorn for rational
living
DR., Charles Il. Bolduan, in charge OF
the bureau OF public education In the
Department OF Health, has been cspe-
cially interested in the factors which
concern the well being OF humanity.
Emotional excesses OF all kinds, y