Evening star., 1938-07-17
Prospects for a Longer Life
With Better Health Explored
Problem of Distribution and Application of Existing
knowledge One of Key Topics
for Conference

boast Of its progress in the mastery of this
malady. Yet there has been progress-A
expensive, slow, solid. 1t is estimated that
at least one-sixth Of the cancer deaths
could be prevented by universal applica.
tion Of the knowledge now available-eveH
II nothing further ever Is discovered.
These are just few examples Of how
the span Of life in the United States can be
increased even If, as some economists pro-
pose, scientific research be stopped until
the economic structure catches up with it.
They are cited from the report of President
Roosevelt's Interdepartmental Committee,
headed by Josephine Roche, Assistant Sec
retary Of the Treasury which was appoint-
ed in 1886 to survey the health and medical
care activities Of the United States Gov
eminent and then map a comprehensive
program for their coordination and direc-
tion. The first job of this committee car
ried out by group of technical experts.
was to find out what the country actually
needed, why it was not getting it and what
could be done about it,
Fitness Enters Picture.
Possibilities Of lengthening the span of
life. of course, constitute only half OF the
problem. Mass without quality is hardly
goal to be sought very earnestly. A
nation Of sick, miserable people, every
one Of whom lived to be 100, would be
less desirable than q nation of well,
energetic people with an average life span
Of so. Generally speaking, of course,
lengthening Of life and improvement In
general health 60 hand in hand-but
obvious. A good example Is afforded by
malaria. 1t is sometimes directly fatal,
but Is not often recorded as a direct cause
Of death. But millions of persons suffer
from it. 1t constitutes an enormous drain
on the available human energies Of the
nation. Some historians hold that the
civilizations of both Rome and Yucatan
fell because Of the prevalence of this
disease and its sapping of the energy and
initiative of the people. In certain
Southern States, in fact, malaria Is even
now SO common that it remains a leading
cause Of death in spite of its low mortality.
Public health scientists know how to
control malaria. Great progress has been
made in recent years through the CO.
operation of the Public Health Service and
the Works Progress Administration in
draining some of the worst endemic areas.
There is still, however. great need Of basic
research. This now Is being carried on
by the Public Health Service.
Another such disease is arthritis. 1t is
estimated that 100000 persons are dis
abled annually by 1t. 1t recently has been
stated that careful and prolonged treat
ment, unfortunately rather expensive,
health. What Is to be done about it? That
Is one of the problems for the Inter-
departmental Committee to answer.
Dementia Praecox Adds Problem.
II malaria caused the downfall Of Rome
and Yucatan, there have not been lacking
prophets who have declared that dementia
praecox will cause the downfall Of the
United States-that is, few years ago
before the present hopeful insulin and
metrazol treatments came into use and
the malady appeared to be increasing very
rapidly. Still the problem of mental dis
ease remains one of the most serious for
the Interdepartmental Committee to con-
slider. It is estimated that 500,0 900 persons
are in hospitals for the mentally in
competent. All but 2 per cent are in
public institutions. They are costing
$50, 900 OF public funds annually
over one-fourth of all Government ex-
penditures for health and medical services
There can be little doubt that CO.
operative movement by Federal, State and
local governments toward prevention pro-
gram would cut down this number enor-
mously in spite of the increasing stressec
of civilization which seem to be in part
responsible for it. At present preventive
clinics are scattered and spasmodic. There
is no more difficult problem than that O.
devising ways and means of cutting down
this great burden Of expense and misery.
Health and life cost money! total o.
$3,2l0, 900, 900 in 1896, the last year 70,
which complete records are available. Thi
was paid. for the most part, by individual
to ndividuals-s2, $50 0o0, 900 from patient
to physicians and hospitals. State, Fedora
and local governments paid s52o,000, 900 Of
the bill Philanthropy accounted for $6e,-
100000 more. Industry, to protect tho
health Of its employees, paid out $40 900 900.
This, of course, leaves out Of account alto
gether the enormous contribution Of free
services made by private physicians. which
would at least equal the contribution b!
governments.
+. In passing, 1t might be remarked, this
is some indication of what the bill to the
taxpayers will be if socialized medicine ever
becomes well established, assuming thai
there is the utmost efficiency in manage
ment, which nobody really assumes The
proportions of this bill and how the pay
ment can be best distributed constitute
another major problem.
Depression Accentuated Crisis.
Some Of the questions raised have been
very much in the public eye during the
past few years. They were brought to O
head by the depression and by relief ac-
tivities which first revealed in what de-
plorable circumstances such q large group
Of the population lived Both organized
medicine and Government have expert
mented in all sorts OF ways to answer these
questions. The Government for the frst
time through the Social Security Act
has undertaken direct responsibility for
the health Of Its citizens.
All Of these matters are to be tf1reshed
out in discussion at conference of 200