New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23

il gaining or declining, or whether u
* above or below that Of other c0un-
tries.
n happens. however. that the I'M
portance of this problem of race pro-
lection is strongly emphasized b. me
Signs found in the mortality records
of our declining power TO resist the
organic diseases due TO the degenera-
ton or wearing out of the heart, KID.
news and other hard worked organs OF
the body.
Ascertaining the Trend
MANY people make the mistake Of be-
!ioving that they may judge correctly
OF me trend Of the physical endurance
Of the nation In its battle with the
hazards Of life By personal observation
in their own narrow environment Our
more than one hundred millions OF
people are too widely scattered and
diversified as TO race stock and living
conditions TO make such superficial
judgments of value.
our mortality records do not cover
the entire country, and naturally they
are not AS automatically accurate a.
they should be. Yet these inaccuracies
are OF little or no Importance so far
as cbscurng the general trend OF the
death rate in n large body of people
is concerned. Any sound judgment as
10 the vitality trend of the nation
must be based upon our mortality data,
and for this purpose these records are
Of very great value, Notwithstanding
the contempt with which we have been
taught to regard them by certain Eek
perts' and others whose preconceivcd
notions they may have disturbed.
This declining death rate has natu-
rally conveyed the idea TO many peo-
pie that the extreme span of life is
being extended and that the vital force
Of our people--that is, their physical
power to endure the stress Of life and
TO resist diseases increasing.
What the Records Show
A brief study of the death rates, sep
srated into age periods and by causes
OF death, shows clearly that these con-
illusions are wrong.
Among the information supplied by
the mortality records as far back as
reasonably reliable comparisons can be
made, is the following:
The general death rate the number
of deaths per 1000 living has appar-
emily decreased only up 70 age group
1850 and increased beyond that point
The average duration Of life Cor years
/ lived OF the total population has in
creased not because people live longer
after passing middle life, but because
/ of the great saving OF lives in infancy
/ and the early age periods.
I The decrease in the death rate in the
younger ages is due not to an increase
! in the power of the blood and organs
to resist disease, but almost wholly TO
/ the fact that We have learned how TO
avoid and TO treat certain poisons
! namely, germ disesses-typhoid fever
! tuberculosis, diphtheria, etc.
The increase in the death rate COM
mencing about $3.50 is apparently due
to the marked increase in mortality
{ from diseases of the heart, kidneys anC
other important organs, which indicates
a decline in vitality.
While the death rate has increased II
the United States only in the first foul
decades of life, il has decreased in Eng
/ land and Wales and most European
countries at all ages, old and young
! This disposes of the theory which oc
ours to so many that the increase OF
/ the death rate in our older age periods
! is due to the saving Of lives in the
! early age groups.
The presence of a large number OF
| adult immigrants in our population car
account for but a very slight portion
| of the increase in the death rate from
/ degeneratiye diseases and for the in
crease in the general death rate above
age 1850. This is demonstrated by the
/ fact that the general death rate in our
native white population Of native par
ents shows virtually the same down
ward trend of the vitality curve as II
does in the total population. Sec
! charts nine registration states.j
Between the last two census years
! 19OO-l9lO, the death rate from the
group Of most important organic dis
eases of the degenerative class in the
population above age so increased 2s