Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-18
Education and Health

low? A recent study of the expe-
rience of fifteen thousand five hundred and
sixty-one g. aduates shows a death rate, be-
tween the ages of twenty and sixty-four
yeras, of only three and twenty-four hum
dredths to the thousand, and between the
ages of twenty-five and thirty-four rate
Of two and seyenty-seven hundredths to
the thousand. Among women in general,
the rate within the period last mentioned
is six and ten one-hundredths to the thou
sand.
Myra M. Hulst, by whom this highly in
teresting research was conducted, points
out in a summary of her findings, in the
Quarterly Publications Of the American
Statistical Association, that the "selective
effect Of the secondary and collegiate ed
vocational process is considerable; that is to
say, girls not physically strong enough to
go forward with school and college work
are eliminated. Those remaining have the
further advantage of periodical medical
examination and prescribed physical exer-
cises,' as we'll as the general healthfulness
of college environment. Still another, and
peculiarly important factor, is the conserv-
ing and energizing effect of education it
self; scholars, scientists, thinkers, even
when far from physically robust, are much
above the average il length of days.
To the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany these findings suggest that the pre-
vailing mortality among women in the gen
eral population is much higher than it
should be or need be- "An excess of nearly
one hundred per cent over the rate for the
college group says the company's statis-
teal bulletin, Indicates numerous factors
of life-wastage which could be controlled
by intelligent community effort'-effort to
improve living and working conditions, to
popularize knowledge and practice of ny
giene and sanitation, and to safeguard ma
ternity against needless and comfortable
hazards.
Education it is, after ALL that provides the
strongest shield to health and life among
civilized peoples. Ignorance, poverty and
disease are close neignbors if not close kin.
Individual cases will furnish exceptions,
but group experience overwhelmingly
proves that health is safest and >soundest
on the higher levels of intelligence. 1t was
not by mere chance the Dark Ages were
time of numerous plaques. In the Sixth
century fell pestilences which in CONSTANT
nople, for instance, slew ten thousand in
day. "Many Cities" writes Gibbon. were
left vacant, and in several districts Of
Italy the harvest and vintage withered on
the ground" There was, indeed, "a visible
decrease in the human species which has
. never been made good, in some Of the
fafrest countries Of the GLOBE" One Of the
causes; and most potent one, is not far to
find. when we reflect that without a fair
measure of public enlightenment sanitary
regimes will not and in fact cannot be
maintained. To educate communities. as
well as individuals, in the keeping of
health and the prevention of disease is to
add immensely to their wealth and capac-
ity for progress.
While much has been done along this line
in the more alert nations, it is bare be-
ginning of what be accomplished when
the social mind and conscience are stirred
to make due use of what science discovers.
We have yet to take full advantage, for
the common good, Of the simplest oppor-
tunities. If available knowledge were free
ly and efficiently applied, such diseases as
malaria and typhoid could be extirpated
within the next five ten years. If the
public health officials of Georgia were CIV
en- funds sufficient to instruct and aid the
rank and file of the people in even the rudi-
ments of hygiene and health, the mortality
rate in this Commonwealth could be re-
duced to the extent Of saving millions Of
dollars and thousands of lives year. The
statistics concerning college women Illus
trate by only one province, and that not
an extensive one, what can be achieved for
human welfare under the vast empire of edu-
cation. The opportunities lie thick and un-
ending. We need only to use them