Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-04
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
THE POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF HUMAN LIFE

Statistical lsue..n Meuoponran Insurance Co.
life tables Tor the Registration states, ty-ono and
one-half years, What does this figure mean srea'
ans, and others exceed even this advanced age & &Bu
conditions prevailing in 1910 fifty
ono and one-half years lhe average has been very
which has seen the development OF the modern public
Massachusetts prepared 1855, the expectation
was eleven less than in la1o These eleven years ar
in the ffyve years intervening between the two sets
There is evidence all sides that the expectation
of life can be s further Increased by extending the
obvious that at least onethrd of the deaths that
every year be prevented postponed. In
communities the proportion Of such deaths may may
causes automobc accidents, which undoubtedly
be diminished in many instances by greater commune ,
toxin-antitoxn will prevent many cases
from osourrns and the early use OF anttosn in
from this disease There other diseases which are
cuosis preventable, for. through the of
uberensis clinics cases OF tuberculosis @ may be d,s,
disease be arrested These and other health ia
years in cases OF tubereuoss which are even
in advanced stages Many deaths from cancer % from
poned shorter periods through discovery
surgical medical nursing care. This is not
snee~laon but fact which is being en-,
where good public health work is being done .,.
far life may be prolonged 1t is impossible put very
definite limits upon onssvy for human IN beings we we
needless loss from some definite diseases. with this
os o the because of Certain eondtons
such tuberculosis heart disease cancer Brighs dis
interesting Tho loss life tuber-
life for whita people and five for
Cancer deaths reduce longevity by one and one
eolored lives; deaths from heart disease by
persons; Brishs disease by
years among white and eoored and accident.
sons These five conditions together reduce the span
white persons and by about nine and half years
eoored people Such then losses of expeeta
obviously, not all of these losses can be controlled
oil reolie; others various prevent
able or in the present state Of medical sci,
controlled and significant Of the total loss may
still capable extension those agains, heart
disease and Brshts disease have scarcely been launch
be added to the expectation of life by an attack upon
There are other diseases which are even pro-
missing fields OF life extension than those we have
lead death. Of children during the year of
s
one yea of age Every such death cuts deep into the
year age fifty years possible life
say 50 years produces only loss OF about fifteen
OF e Therein lies tho great promise OF infant hygiene
Moreover nothing in the realm OF public health work
of excessive infant mortality 1t has been demonstrated
many times that high infant morality be one
of proper health measures. How many would be
added the total expectation of life by reducing infant
mortality fifty cent? The is three
half under the conditions which prevailed during
the las. decade. How much, in like manner. be
added through control OF the communicable diseases
childhood? This too, is large figure.
We cannot today what the possibilities OF
life extension. There too unknown factors in
voved: but it is entirely consistent with the known
facts that the duration of human life be
extended considerably more than ten years the
pcctaor raised from ffty-one one-half sixty
five years by the application conservation
well the medical and public health
fes,ons. Nor shall need wait fifty years this
achievement. is only question developing suffi-
persse popular understanding support
for these measures which have already demonstrated
theic worth in the health campaign. The 1880
should large OF this addition the life
accomplished.