The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-12
The Family Budget and Health.

| the United States department Ol Ad-
bor, in its countrywide investigation
Of the cost Of living in 13lS-1S19, Sc
cured itemiZed budgets Icom approx
imately $1,000 families. Special in
tensive studies of each of the major
items Of expense in the family budget
| have been, or are being made. Con-
siderable data showing the relation
ship between the family budget and
the health OF the family are already
available.
Detailed dietary analysis of the
food Of 9S3 families, selected at
random from II representative cities,
indicates that PIP per cent OF these
families purchaseIless than $500 cal
ories OF food per man per day; 49 per
cent of these families less than 5000
calories. and 74.5 per cent less than
$500 calories Allowing for con-
siderable variation from the recosniz-
ed standard Of $500 calories pur
chased per man per day, these figures
point to the fact that approximately
20 per cent Of the families are pur-
chasing food entirely insufficient for
the maintenance Of health, 80 per
cent are on the border line between
sufficient and insufficient nourish-
ment; and 80 per cent are in all
probability we'll nourished.
a srudy. of the total yearly income
in relation to The food budget also
bears out these conclusions. 44.6 per
families included in the investiga
ton were receiving annual incomes Of
$1,000 or more, and We're probably
getting an adequate and reasonably
balanced diet. 22.7 per cent of the
families were receiving annual in
comes Of less than $1,000, which Isl
wholly inadequate to permit of the
purchase of sufficient food for a fam
lily of average size. leaving 32.7 per
cent of the families in the income
group of $1,000 to $1,000, where the
food necessary for an average fam.
lily would be subject to serious cur
tailment
A sufficient number Of calories.
however, does not necessarily mean
we'll balanced ration. Many Of the
dietaries in which $500 calories were
purchased. were seriously deficient in4
milk, eggs, green vegetables, and1
fruit.
From a cursory examination of the
clothing expenditures reported in
this investigation, it was estimated
that a yearly average of $50 per
adult male would probably result.
Further study has shown that this
estimate was too liberal. During the
past two years, clothing purchases
have been cut drastically. A careful
study of the clothing budgets of 64l
families having children under Is
years OF age, and living in Northern
Giture OF S6S.33 for the clothing Of
the husband and s55.75 for the wife.
In Southern cities, the average for 2O7
families, similarly chosen shows
1883. for the husband, and $62.0S
for the wife. While the clothes pur-
chased for these sums may be suf-
fcient TO keep the wearers warm, it
is certain that decency and health
can not be maintained on such
small outlay for clothing.
judged by the standard that over
crowding begins when there is more
than one person per room, consid-
erable proportion of the families in
Guided in this investigation must be
claSsed as overcrowded. A study has
been made of 2,455 families living in
rented houses in "a different cities.
Fifty per cent Of these had less than
one room per person. II per cent had
less than OF of a room per person.
and per cent. less than .05 of room
per person Very little information
! was gathered which will give conclu-
sions as to housing conditions from
sanitary standpoint. In New Or
leans, however. 8 per cent of the 147
white families included in the in
vestisation lived in houses without
bath rooms, and 80 per cent Of the
102 colored families.
Miscellaneous items which in
clude expenditures for care Of health.
education, amuSementS. insurance
premiums. and numerous other items
OF a miscellaneous nature, comprise
from II 20 II per cent Of the family
budget the amount increasing uni
formly with increase iE income.
Detailed data on miscellaneous eX-
expenses for 80 representative cities
have been compiled. In these various
cities. the yearly expenditure per
family for health. which includes
doctor. dentist hospital. oculist, med
icines ranged from an average OF
S3127 TO $92.77. the mean being
approximately $500.
The corresponding figure on amuse-
ments which includes movies. plays,
concerts. excursions. vacations, rang
ed from an average OF 1895 TO $3.50
per year per family. with mean OF
between SIT and SIS.
The average yearly expenditure
per family for education and uplift.
which includes newspapers, ma$a-
zines. books school tuition. music.
ranged from sS.S7 to $21.37, the mean
being approximately SIT.
None Of these averages would seem /
to depict cXtrava@anc on the part OF
the worlingman's family along the
lines Of medical attention. recreation.
or self development Especially do