Evening star., 1939-08-20
Rising Life Expectancy
Foreshadows More
Mature National Mind
Medical Journal Sees
Day When Old Folks
Will Run the Show
~ the Associated Press.

VIII Kun me Sn0W
~ the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. Aug. ia more ma
ture national mind" Is developing
in the United States, medical au-
thorities believe.
The reason: There have been
fewer births and an increasing num-
ber Of older people. And, If this
keeps up, the oldsters may run the
show"
Older men and women will enjoy
increased employment in industry,
these medicos think. and will as
sumo more important places in So
cial and political activities.
See Stabilixing Result.
The viewpoint of more mature
thought and judgment. they con-
clude. should have a stabilizing ef-
feet on national life.
The American Medical Associa-
tons Journal called attention to an
extensive study of the aging process
by DR.. G. M. Piersol and DR.. E. l..
Bortz, both of Philadelphia, and re-
ported:
Already many industries have
modified their views on workers in
the older years It is beginning to
be appreciated that those over 40
often bring to an industry certain
advantages more than compensating
for any alleged fault associated with
older persons.
Since at present 26O of every L.
600 persons living in the United
States are 40 years old or over, and
since 1t is estimated that 36 per cent
OF the population will be between 40
and IS years old by 1860, the prob
lem of industrial adjustment to this
development Is already here"
Birth Rate Declines.
The birth rate has declined from
22.5 per 1000 population in 1921
1925 to l6.7 per 1000 in 1887. and
medical men see no immediate pros
pect of an upturn.
And even more men and women
in this country can expect to live to
ripe old age, due TO new victories
in the fight against disease and the
likely possibility of reducing fatal
accidents.
Longer life may be expected even
though the United States now holds
a top position in the world for high
life expectancy
There is no doubt" the journal
stated. that the life expectancy of
the white populat ton of the con-
tlnental United States Is as long or
longer than that of any country in
the world. although that of Negroes
Is disturbingly out of proportion"
DR.. Plersol and DR.. Bortz consider
the life expectancy increase "one of
the trlumphs of modern medicine. "
They point out that in the 18th CEN
tury an infant had life expectancy
of 81 years. In 1890 the expectancy
figure had risen to 90 or IS wears
for males and 81 to So years for fe-
males. For the future they fore
cast:
BY 1860 boy may be expected to
live approximately rs years and a
girl may reach 80 years or more"
Disease Control Big Factor.
The medical association. sum-
marizing the role Of medicine in the
dramatic fight for life, said
The control Of the communicable
diseases has been the most important
factor in increasing average longev-
ity: in fact, except for tuberculosis
and pneumonia, all the other infec-
tlons have been almost eliminate ted as
factors of Importance so far as the
death rate is concerned.
For tuberculosis there has been
a decrease in the average death rate
since the decade from 1886 to 1865
OF more than 80 per cent.
With better UNDERSTANDING of the
epidemiology and the social and in
dlvidual factors involved in the
spread of this disease, tuberculosis
as cause of death will probably re-
cede still further in importance.
For pneumonia. the record has
not been as good as for tuberculosis
From an average death rate of 107
per 900 population in 1856 1865 the
decrease is only IS per 1000 popula-
ton in 1886"
Today. however. with increased
knowledge of pneumonia S causes
and the discovery of such remark
able drugs as sulfanilamide and its
cousin sulfapridine, "a relatively
short span of years should remove
pneumonia from its exalted posi-
ton as third among the causes of
DEATH, the association predicted.
Accident Realm Hopeful.
lhere is much room also for i'm
provement by reducing the large
number OF accidents which MAIN or
destroy human life in the home, on
the highway or in the factory.
insurance statistics show that
10000 persons died accidentally in
the United States in 1887. The
Medical Association regards this
number as amazing"
Trafflc accidents. of course form @
large part of this total. The Ma
tional Safety Council counted 81. 400
trafnc deaths in 1898. Its figures
snow 1880 fatalities during the first
SIX months of 1889, compared with
l4,l6O for the same period last wear
Or a decrease of only per cent.
Since accidents rate high among
the causes of death, their material
reduction obviously would increase
the average span of life.
Diabetes a Threat.
among the diseases of metabolism.
tne process OF chemical changes in
the body, obesity and diabetes arc