Evening star., 1927-05-22
Death of Each Baby Boy $4,000 Loss
BY WILLIS j. BAIILNf-2s.

them to the repair shop.
Not that anything will be the matter
with them. but knowing that a car
is just piece of machinery, subject
TO wear and tear, liable to deteriora
ton. with the chances of a loose bolt
or nut leading on TO a serious accl-
dent, these wise owners will turn their
cars in for an exhaustive overhaul
ing.
But these same owners probably
won't think of taking their bodies
around to a competent mechanic OF
the physique and giving them the
same kind Of an examination. And
yet the body is only piece of ma
chinery and. just as in an automo'
bile, little breakdowns cause, II undls
covered, more serious ones.
The next great step forward in
national health Is for every one to
have a periodic physical examination
): X * %
"And." continued DIR. Louis /.
Dublin, noted statistician OF one of
the great life insurance compa panles,
there are many car owners who
wouldn't think of trying to run their
automobiles by putting wood alcohol
or kerosene into the engine. But
there are many persons who put just
as foolish things into the human en-
gine and try 10 make it rum.
DIR. Dublin is q very unpretentiouS
little man with keen eyes and a quick,
pointed way Of talking. When asked
him for a picture Of himself he COM
planned that he was better looking
when not seen twenty-five years ago
Dr.. Dublin finished his mastery of the
intricacies of figures under the world
famous wizard Of this art, Franz Boas,
and almost Immediately started his
connection with great life insurance
company. Every day he keeps up to
date a record of the progress of the
Nation in health.
*
"Dr. Dublin" / said, "a French
philosopher once said that monarchies
fall from tyranny, but republics perish
from extravaganza and waste. In the
course Of two years noted authorities
have told me that in the United States
all the work on the farm could be
done in 25 days if our farmers would
stop wasting man power and use ma
chinery; that crime wastes between
s. ,000, ,000,0 and $4,000000,O 900 worth
of property every year; that bugs raid
our crops for another $500. 100000.
which could easily be prevented; that
antiquated machinery and out'of-date
methods of production in industry
waste between $4,000, 600, 900 and
$40 900 100000 annually; that with an
oil famine only short two decades
off we extract oil SO wastefully that
two.thirds Of it is left in the ground
and lost; that for every ton of coal we
burn under our present wasteful sys'
tenn of individual furnaces there goes
up the fiue in sheer waste II 900 cubic
feet of gas, Is pounds of precious
sulphate, which could ward
off an approaching shortage in fertIl'
izer, and nine gallons Of coal tar, out
of which could be made exquisite per-
fumery; that the annual waste OF sin
in America-what we spend to wreck
ourselves physically and morally
what we spend in cold cash to be
happy in this life and red hot in the
next-is over $4,000, 200. And |
how, doctor, are we squandering our |
resources in national health"
u
'The same as we do other re. |
sources" replied DR., Dublin Il esti- |
mate that the total capital value of
the lives which can be saved annually |
through the application of modern
preventive medicine and public health |
mea sures is over Sc 900 100000
do you know that every year |
100 900 babies die from altogether pre- |
ventable conditions during the first |
year of their life? There is no reason |
for this slaughter except the igno'
rance Of the mothers and the indif- |
ference OF the communities where they |
live. Perhaps our legislators might |
have more interest in these lost babies