Evening star., 1935-06-09

United States. Indeed, among the
unskilled, the rate Is 20 per cent
higher here. What the explanation Of
this is will require more study to de-
termine. 1t may be that the pace of
work is faster here
Taking an equal number Of workers
for each Of the two countries, 1t Il
shown that, for every 100 deaths
among professional and business men
in England. there are but % in the
United States. For every 100 deaths
| among skilled workers in England,
there are 103 in this country. For
every 100 deaths among the semi
skilled in England, ll3 die in the
United States; and for every 100
deaths among the English unskilled.
l29 American unskilled workers sue
cumb.
These figures seem to bear out the
contention which has long been made
that the economic position OF the
| individual, by and large. governs his
health, or, at least, strongly influences
1t. Save for the outright hazardous
occupations, 1t seems that income has
great deal to do with survival.
Alarming Accident Fixurea
All the records go to show that the
individual in the low-income class has
| the greatest amount OF illness. Poor
and perhaps insanitary housing, food
| Of poor quality and sometimes inylffi-
cient quantity break down the resist
| ance to disease. There are exceptions
in every group. There is many an
unskilled laborer in low-income class
who is very Hercules Of strength and
resistance and plenty Of the pampered
rich who are sickly but. nevertheless.
the general rule of disease follows the
! line Of income.
/ For one thing, in case Of an epi-
demic disease, the poor man is able
TO escape. He cannot 20 to the
mountains or seashore or any distant
place to escape the infection. He must
remain and face 1t out. 1t is OF the
utmost interest TO note that in 1884.
for the first time in many decades. the
| death rate in large American cities in
/ creased, even though there were no
serious epidemics in that year. 1t was
year when there was great amount
OF unemployment and in which, in
spite of Federal and local relief, there
was bitter economic hardship. Nor
| mally, the American city is o more
healthful place than the rural regions.
but the congestion Of poor families in
the cities has a tendency to combat
the normally better conditions.
The situation has become such that
there is a strong movement in favor
of substantial Federal grants to sub
sidize local public health services.
In addition TO the toll OF diseases Of
various kinds the accident record con-
tinues alarming. 1t is true that there
has been a great amount Of accident
prevention education in recent years
and the great industrial corporations
have made efforts in the way OF pre-
vention. yet accidents continue 10 oc-
+ cur. In 1888, for example, there were
81 900 accidental fatalities. The auto
mobile continues to be the greatest
menace. but l4500 workers were killed
/ in industrial accidents. while such acci-
dents permanently crippled $1,000 and
temporarily disabled 1869 900. Final
compilations Of the National Safety
Council are not yet in for 1884. but
the preliminary reports indicate the
number Of fatalities was 90 .000-sn g.
900 increase over 1888. OF these, l5.-
/ 500 industrial workers were killed at
their jobs-an increase of 1000 over
1893.
The year 1923 was the low year Of
; the depression and because Of the
slack activity in many industries fewer
men we're at work and, therefore, sus-
,eptible to accidents at their jobs With
1884 there was some industrial revival,
but at a cost of thousands OF lives.
The money cost is difficult to assess.
but one Official estimate has placed the
| cost for 1888 at s2135. 100000.