Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-10
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

A million dollars has been contributed
by Mr. and Mrs. Albert D. Lasker OF
Chicago TO constitute the Lasker
Foundation for research in the diseases
OF maturity--slle so-called degeneratlye
diseases There are two phases Of this
news: one Is. Where did the million
grow" and the other. How comes NJ.
Lasker 10 be SO interested in the cure
OF disease. seeing that he Is neither a
physician nor SCIENTIST" A few years
ago he gave S25.0 TO be used IN re-
search OF cancer.
The first query is answered By the
adage. 1t pays 20 advertise" A score
OF years ago Albert D. LaSker was one
OF the solicitors Of advertising connected
with the agency OF Lord & Thomas,
Chicago; now ne IS principal owner OF
that agency He is best known IN Wash
ington as chairman Of the United States
Shipping Board under President Hard
ing.
How he comes 20 give q million dol
lars Cor the furtherance OF medical
science may remain unanswered. ous
the need OF such . movement as he now
inaugurates cannot be disputed.
The public has been grossly risled
by the statistics Of life expectancy
which have been exploited through the
press and been mIs,nierpreted- We have
BEEN told that expectancy or longevity
has increased IN the last so years 20
that not less than 20 years has
been added TO the average" life The
"joser'--lt that term may be used n
connection With so serious matter
lies III the fact that practically al TIA.
increase OF the average Q: human
longevity has come through the prog
reSS III overcoming the diseases o. in
tAnlS There has been hardly any in
provemeat IN the expectancy OF r,afcre
humans. The man or woman ~ 50
years o. age has no greater expectancy
before him than had his grandfather
or grandmother at the same age The
medical profession has been almost
standing siil as 20 the diseases o. ma
tur;tv
This statement will be challenged b.
some S;a.ist.cians vho will point 20 the
lowering Of the death rate Of IuesEcu-
ioslS from iT&s deaths per 100, 900 pep
ulatlon III 1900 down 10 only IS s II
1924. There Is y gratifying improve
ment also III pneumonia and influenza
from 1874 in 1900 down 20 Tls IL 1924.
and for dlarThea and eutegliiS from
1899 IN 1900 10 only $50 IL 1874.
Bar while these diseases show sns-
proSement. there Is y serious showing
IN the other direction for diseases az
the heart, LII 1900 the deaths from
heart disease numbered 1854 per 100
600 population In 1924 the number
Tin the same registration aceSl aG,cQns-
cd 10 ID I per 100 600 population,
Much has been said % The wonders
OF lnSul,n which Was discovered foar ~
ilse years aso. and promised ~ cure,
ar At leaS; rctar1. diabetes. In 1870
the deaths trcm diabetes meGttls mum
bered II per 100 90 population; IN
1910. - l. and in 1924. % 4. certainly.
Two yearS~iass- 2&-weye nos leGg
enough 10 permit ,nSl.An ~ ds;nSa-
StTate its effectiveness. but the So
nl!tcant fact Is that N quarter csO-
fury diabetes mel,as has nNt eeen lns-
proved By the general ycSeaN;n VI the
medical profession, whatever credit may
eventually BE- attributed ~ the new
specific. iNSulin.
The number III deaths trom diabetes
meltuS in 1923 was - y pey lea oOp
while in 1924 IN was lHS~-tcc 0agycW
a period 10 seneral,se COMPARISONS VI;
from 1918 10 1923 there was Nc in-
pyavemeni whatever, cn the contrary,
there was greater mortality IN 1872
than in 1919. Then came ,aSUhn
No Improvement is shown as tc ac-
pendicitiS, CarraoStS NJ the Nver caused
II to IL deaths. = 0liarter-ceN;0yy asSN
and now causes tlcm IS ~ HISS deaths
per 100 900 population,
There Is an Improvement cn ,ae
WnAiA ffxNnl Z stAS gfSlfhS annually NY
loo 600 population ~ 1900 down ~
l. ~ IA is2a but. A. pyrNta,s<N noted
practically all Improvement has S~,siss
IN infant mortality, thNlssA tAeye is
some betseEmens in respiratory diseases,
partly aaSStSsng the DETERMINATION ~ ~
eireHlalosy Troubles ESPECIALLY III the
heart ami liver.
attempt 10 crltivtGe the eNl,rggS ct srAynSNl
A 81 the gFeat pscsgcNS IN nle<slcat
knowledge since the Development NJ
haeteriuloxy and the germ the<ky ~
disease that the statistics ~ the SNas-
rarative utility NJ the ngM eo ayet~
come disease on the whole laeiteS the
inquiry as o. why
The learned dSSsarS IsNint With nYtde
10 the N~taN rs mlraele, 10 paSgeurN
and Listers demonstrations IN hac~
tefiolsAgN as Evolutionary, aud 10 ana
Identification M the germs vi view dis.
eases hitherto wrongly diagnosed, and IN
improved hygiene, tneMSslnx nMINpyx<a
rMmhins, improved sanitation ii misk
and water and NJ air in sleegAns asaar-
tess.~Ah these msrsels eeminx within
We aAst Ssasvsy. had made W sspe~ !