Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-31
CHAPTER 90

CHAPTER 90
In spite OF the application of a hun
dred and one public health achieve
ments; in spite of extraordinary
public health discoveries and dis
closures; in spite of the activities of
public health officials, many dis
cases, scarcely known even under
primitive conditions of disorder and
unsanitary environment, are on the
constant increase. In the old days
mans food was not denatured. Con-
sidering all the influences now at
work in his behalf, what would be
the effect upon his health If his food
were not denatuFcd to-day?
Occasionally in opposition to the
faets concerning the high death rate
and the statistics with regard to the
physical detectives of the United States
one hears some such argument as this:
Years ago we had a much higher
mortality record than we now have"
Everybody knows that the death
rate per 100000 has dropped tremen-
dously," they argue. I'm the face of
this constant decrease in the death
rate 1t follows that men to-day are
living longer than they ever lived be-
fore. 1t also follows that if there was
anything wrong with their food supply
they could not show such consistent
increase in health and longevity.
The death rate for the city of New
York for the week of September 4,
1915, as given out by the health de-
partment was only 11.56 per 1000,
whereas a half century ago it was at
least twice that much. 1t follows,
therefore, that the men living in New
York city to-day are better fed than
they were fifty years ago, and all the
arguments, however strongly fortified
they seem to be by facts, must be set
astde when they attempt to show that
there is something seriously at fault
with present day diet"
l have confronted this surprising
argument in various quarters a hun
dred times. Those who advance it are
honest in their convictions, but in the
first place half-century ago statistics
were not kept as they are kept to-day,
and in the second place the statistics
kept to-day are not, in any manner,
indicative of an improvement in the
quality of the general food supply with
one notable eXception-milk.
When people say that the death rate
has dropped from 20 per 1000 to 1855
per 1000 they simply do not know
what they are talking about, because
no such figures as 20 per 1000 exist
on which to base a comparison, and in
the particular instance 1855, the fig
ures are meaningless, owing to the
oVerzeal on the part of the officials to
make a good showing. based on an
error involving a difference of 500, 900
creatures who do not exist except on
paper.
In 1910 the Federal census ascer-
taired that New York city had popu-
lation of 4,766,SS3. Ir 1915 the State
count showed a population of 5,066,222,
an actual increase of 800 900.
Notwithstanding the official emu
merations the health department de-
liberately credited the city with
5,S06,5S2, an increase of 1,100, 900 in
five years, whereas in reality there was
an increase of only 100000.
Therefore, we have the health de-
partment figuring the death rate on
a population of 100000 where only
5,066,0O0 persons live. The result is,
of course. that the rate given, 1856,
as it is worked out in fictitious figures,
is entirely too low, notwithstanding
the fact that it has inspired much
Vainglorious boasting, vast assort-
ment of empty congratulations and
some jubilee dinners.
In an editorial comment on these
facts the New York Sun. September 12,
1915, said: The error due to over