The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-11-27
VERY few SURVIVE
The CENTURY MARK
INSURANCE ACTUARIES ARE
SKEPTICAL OF AGES REPORT
ED ABOVE THAT FIGURE.

ED AbONE THAT FIGURE.
Stories of extreme longevity, now
and then reported from various parts
OF the country, are usually received
with scant credulity by insurance ac-
tuaries, whose calculations show the
number of persons due to die the
next year and contain all manner of
statistical data on the engrossing sub
ject of life and death
Few of the actuarial tables go be-
yond the age of 104 years-not be-
cause no one ever lives longer than
that-but because bona fde cases are
too great rarity to be included in
the calculations. The arithmeticians
are inclined to the belief that most
reports of modern Methuselahs have
few years extra tackled on for good
measure, particularly when the num-
Der of birthdays gets past the 10
mark.
1t is generally necessary to leave
the actuarial compilations of insured
| persons for broader tables based on
the entire population to find records
of cases beyond the age of 103 or
104 years. But even these complete
tabulations seldom pass the 10
point. Examinations of records bas-
ed on official census data showed
that out of approximately 100000
population in the Eastern part of the
United States there was only one re-
port of life until 10, and that was
IN the case of a negro woman. In
her own little circle she was doubtless
credited with being at least 1870, only
a matter of ten years and not really
so important when the century mark
has been passed.
Companies Quit at 96.
Actuarial inquiry, however, does
not bring the conclusion that all re-
ports of extreme longevity are in err
ror. Insured persons, for example,
are required to prove their age, and
in such cases documentary evidence
could be obtained. But the majority
of the insurance companies, except
for annuity policyholders, offer to
wind up their business when a client
reaches the ripe old age of 90.
If pOlicyholder is still in the ring
at that age the larger companies US
ually call quits and pay the policy
just as if the client were dead. That
is, the companies stand ready to do
that, although it must frequently oc-
cur that the policyholder retorts with
a curt refusal, as it would not be a
particularly comforting thought to
know your insurance company con-
sidered you as good as dead.
The actuaries have accepted the
general rule that women outlive men.
Their Investigations and calculations
have established this fact clearly.
Comparison Of sex mortality tables
time and again shows the lease of
life to be on the woman's side. TAX
ing that particular comparison the
case of the negroes of 40 "official
years led all corners, the nearest APP
proach on the male side fell two
years short. That was the case of a
negro.
A tabulation of whites reported
one case of 107 years and another
of 100. Again the elder was a wo-
man. These two cases-and doubt
lesS true OneS-of unusual longevity
were the only ones recorded in CEN
sus figures dealing with millions of
persons, thereby emphasizing the con-
tention that bona fide cases even I'M
der 10 are rarities.
Since it is the practice to wind up
all contracts, with the obvious excep-
ton of annuity policies, at the age
of SO, the insurance companies do
not maintain a detailed record show
ing the oldest policy Since many of
those which might run into record
breakers are wound up at SO, those
tabulations that are kept are neces-
sarily incomplete.
Hold 1O4 as Top Figure.
Mortality tables based on a large
portion of population in the North
eastern states showed that 104 years
was the greatest age. For purposes
of convenience these tables are put
up in 100000 form. In this particu-
lar record the age started at zero
with 100000 persons. The first year,
infant mortality, which is ordinarily
high, there were 1881 deaths, but
at the end of twenty years 78,549
were still living. The change in the
next thirty years was not unusual,
with 61,210 surviving, but by the
time the three-quarter century mark
was reached the tabulation showed
that only 22.593 of the 100000 were
still alive. From that point on there
was steady decline until the last
died at the age of 104.
While the foregoing table had to
do with general population figures,
there is a considerable betterment in
the tabulations of insured persons.
In the case of the insured persons
there is the general rule of approved
physical condition to start with, and
the American experience table of in
sured persons. for example. shows
69,804 out of 100000 surviving at
30 wears. as against 61.210 in the