Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-29
PROLONC life
BY 10 YEARS
Seven Years AID d e d
Since Beginning of
Present Century

The child of today may reasonably
expect to live 10 years longer than
the child of 1850.
Not only has the life span been
heightened by that many years since
the decade Immediately preceding the
Civil War, but present indications are
that the average expectancy Of life
may be increased by 10 additional
years.
Application OF simple measures Of
health and sanitation constitutes the
key to a long and Sealthful life, ac-
cording 20 DR.. j. V. LaPorte. director
Of the bureau OF vital statistics Of the
New York state health department.
Any community can largely deter
mine it's own death rate, he says and
adds that one-third Of the deaths each
year in New York state are caused by
disease that might have been avoided.
had the proper precautions been TAX
en-.
Progress in disease prevention and
a resultant increase in the length Of
human life has made rapid progress
in the past few decades. The average
human life today Is lis years more
than 10 was 30 years ago. IL has been
increased by a total of seven years in
the present century alone.
More Dangerous Than Bullets
Yellow fever took more lives than
were ended by bullets in the Civil
War and a century ago one out of
every 10 persons in Philadelphia died
during an epidemic of the disease. de-
clares Or. Iago Gladson, professor Of
public health az Forham University.
Today, a case a year in New York
represents q high average, he says.
Epidemic diseases are controlled,
DR.. Gladson explains, by four major
factor; vaccinations and innocula-
tons. preventative medicines and
periodical health examinations, an in
crease in knowledge regarding the
care of tuberculosis and better rules
Of diet and hygiene together with
their observance.
But even a well balanced diet and
a regular program of physical exer-
else may fail Of their purpose. physi-
clans point out, unles the diet repre-
SEM food that has been preserved
properly and not allowed TO become
infected with disease engenderinR
bacteria. Food must be kept at less
than so degrees to eliminate the dan
ger of bacteria and curb preventable
diseases, scientific investigation has
disclosed.
Present Average IS Years
DR.. Louis n. Dublin. statistician for
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany Is one Of the specialists who
predicts a 10 year increase Of the life
span. The total life expectancy at
birth in the United States is now So
years, he says. Present mortality
rates, he believes can be reduced two
thirds IN the first five years; for the
next five years one-half to two-thirds
and from the age Of 10 to 60 years BY
one-half. The present infant mortal
ity rate Of fifteen per cen OF all
deaths that occur cut heavily into the
life expectation average, he says.
Prof. Ira VI. Hiscock, Of the depart
ment Of public health Of the Yale
schol of medicine hold that 10 years
may be added to the present life ex- |
p~ectancy span III the public will ap-
ply measures Of health promotion and
disease prevention which are now
generally known. Public health work
ers. he states, are charged with the
responsibility Of acquainting the
masses with methods of reducing ILL
ness and ~prolonging life.
Automatic refrigeration is playing
an important part in disease preven-
ton and in frightening the average
span of life. Equipment of this kind,
manufactured by "A reliable company.
maintains a constant temperature in
accordance with government stand
ards, beolw so degrees and above
81 degrees, preventing the growth of
microbes and bacteria.
Reduction in the mortality rate, !
made possible through modern meth
DDS of hygiene, exercise, diet and q
more general knowledge Of illnesses
that we're mysteries n few decades
ago, represents also a reduction in the |
national sick bill. which averages ST.
OOO. 100000 a year, government fig
ures show.