Evening star., 1921-12-05


expanded by five years since 1903. ac-
cording to the findings Of the COM
mittee on elimination of waste in
industry of the American Engineer
ing Council. appointed by Herbert
Hoover. Morbidity surveys, it is
stated, show an economic gain to the
nation of many millions through les
sened disability and sickness.
Army figures cited bear out esti-
mates of industrial loss resulting
from accidents to the eye and defec-
tive vision. OF 2,232 men discharged
for physical reasons by the military
authorities in Brooklyn and Manhat-
tan 462 were rejected tecause Of de-
fective eyes. Eye conservation, the
report says, has now become mat
ter of organized national concern.
The Eye Sight Conservation Council
# America and many of the country's $
biggest industrial enterprises are
working to cut down the enormous
.nnual loss which is said to flow from
his form of waste.
The general conclusion reached by
the waste investigators of the Ameri-
AN Engineering Council. which is the
executive organ of the Federated
American Engineering Societies, is
that national vitality is increasing.
The section of the waste report deal
:ng with health of Industrial workers
was prepared by DR.. Eugene Lyman
Fisk and DR.. {. T. Sharp of New
York BY health supervision and Pc
riodic physical examination, it is as
serted. u net margin of economic gain
of $3.50, 900 can be accomplished,
in addition to excess dividends in
health happiness satisfaction in liv-
ing. prevention of pain, prevention
,f nf l.
uent aud industrial unrest
Surveyed Fine Industries.
Improvement in the general condt-
ion of the population since Roose-
relt was President is recorded in the
report, which represents a survey of
live basic industries, and which will
be discussed at great national To-
rum in connection with the annual
meeting of the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers in New York
city December to 3.
I'm the report on national vitality.
prepared by Prof. Irving Fisher for
the National Conservation Commits
sion, appointed by President Roose-
welt in 190s," says the waste com
mittees report. "it was estimated taat
there were about 100000 persons
seriously i'll at all times in the United
States, and that ~ per cent of this
illness was preventable, with re-
sulting extension of life of more than
fifteen years.
Even in the short period of time
since that report was issued, meas
ure of this reduction has been noted.
The estimate of thirteen days annual
loss from illness must now be re-
duced to approximately seven. The
duration of life has actually been ex-
tended probably a period OF five
years.
Less Disability Present.
CRITICAL studies of special groups
in the population enable us to ap-
proXimate the morbidity rate in the
general population and in industry.
Changes that have taken place in the
death rates from some of the prin-
cipal diseases that contributed to the
morbidity rate when the report on
national vitality was issued furnish
consistent and confirmatory evidence
of the fact that there is now less dis
ability and sickness. present than
there was even fifteen years ago.
4 A survey of the sickness prevalent
! among approximately 100000 work
ers during 1913-1915 revealed an aver
age loss to more than 3O.00O,ooO
American wage-earners of about nine
days per year. A fall in the general
death rate from 1907 to 1917 of 2.3
per thousand indicated a saving OF
| 100000 lives in 1917. On the basis of
| two persons i'll for every death. there
| would be saving of about 100000
cases of illness.
"The sickness rates actually deter
mined in recent studies. says the
waste report, show that 2A per cent
of wage-ea earners are constantly ill to
an extent to be incapacitated. This
! would justify an estimate Of approXi-
mately 100000 people continually i'll
instead of 100000"
Industrial Death Rate High.
Dealing with health conditions in
| industry. the report estimates total
loss among 100000 workers be-
| tween the ages of fifteen to sixty-five
of 42sO00 lives in 1920 and a prob
able loss this year of 100000. The
death rate in industry is given as
11.46 per 1000, while in preferred
occupations, such as teachers and
graduates of women'S colleges. 1t is
3.24. as shown by an investigation of
mortality among the graduaUs of
Smith, Wellesley and Vassar.
tuberculosis is the most important
of epidemic and communicable dis
eases, 2 to deaths per 1000 occur
ring annually at the working ages
Ten years ago the rate was nearly
double that figure. 1t is estimated
ulation. or about 1.25O,000, lives are
| affected.
Pneumonia, influenza and typhoid
| fever are the most important acute
communicable diseases among adults
! Typhoid fills more than 100000 sick
/; beds annually and takes about 5000
lives, mostly in the working ages. In
| fluenza and pneumonia in non-epi-
demic years take about $4,000 lives
| in the working ages, and thus &C.
| count for at least $4,000 cases OF
| illness.
! HOOkworm Is Prevalent.
| Hookworm infection is present in {
| large industrial area to the extent
1 of at least per cent among the
| laboring population. Intensive studies
| show 80 per cent OF students in q
southern university infected.
| Special items of loss are numerated
! by the report as follows: Tubercu.
losis $500, 100000 annually from death
/ alone and $4,000, 100000 in this gen
| Grafton from diminished longevity
| typhoid. S135,000.000 annually; hook
| worm. $3.50. 100000 annually; malaria
! 100000 annually. These losses
are all theoretically wholly prevent
! able-at least IS per cent practically
| preventable-says the report, which
| adds:
ITO remedy the unfavorable health
| conditions, there is need to develor
| among the people at large a higher
! sense of responsibility for the care
of their bodies: in other words. higher
s ~ D.ls