The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-05-17
by Logan clenaonipg. ". D.

DR.. Clendening will answer
questions of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
approximately 4 per cent per gen.
Grafton. This is different from
the 1880 record. II the birth and
death rates which were operating
in 1880 had continued, it woulo
have resulted in an increase OF
population of about IL per cent
per generation.
We are older than we were in
1890. The average median age OF
the population of the United
States in 1910 was ESQ years
whereas in 1880 it was 26.4 years
There are over s,956,000 peopl,
So years of age in the United
States, an increase of 35 per cent
over the number in this age group
in 1880.
There has been q steady IN.
crease in people in the upper age
groups since 1890, at which time
the median age was ola. This II
an extremely important and seri.
Gus consideration from every point
of view. The cause Of this in
crease in the upper age group in
population is undoubtedly due to
the improvement in the treatment
Of diseases of infancy and child.
hood and the reduction of infan.
tile mortality. More people live
to be old.
It means an increasingly larg
group of people who are likely to
be dependent
The Dependent Aged
About 90 per cent Of people at
the age of 65 are out Of work and
semi-dependent. Perhaps three
quarters of these are taken care
of by their families. The rest are
candidates for institutions main
tanned by the state. The incidence
of mental disability after the age
of 65 increases rapidly. Of course,
the figures for those of the age Of
10 to rs indicate that even more
are dependent. There is no indi-
cation that this condition is going
to get better and the medical Pro-
fession, as we'll as sociologists
must prepare to take care Of this
large aged population.
There was an increase in tn,
urban population of five and a
half million in 1910 over 1880.
The actual figures are "a, 423, 702
people living in cities on April l,
1910 and 57,245.573 living in the
country. While there is distinct
medical aspect to large urban
population, the figures as given
do not indicate that any particular
change in our medical and social
methods need be made at present.
1t is really easier to handle sick
people in the city than it is in the
country.
Population Decline
The size of the average Ameri-
can family in 1910 was 3.S, where
as in 1880 it was Al. There has
been a continuous decline in av-
erage population perGfamily since
1890 when the figure was 4.9.
The total increase in population
In the United States between 1880
and 1910 was TO, but there was
an increase in the number of fam
lilies of 1853. This has some medi-
cal significance. Small families
are easier to handle in the way Of
prevention of infectious diseases.
The incidence of infectious dis
eases is not so great and it is
much easier TO control the nutri-
ton of a small family than Of
large family.
A most serious medical aspec,
Of the census figures is the in
crease in the old and middle-aged
population. This will undoubted-
ly mean that permanent, wide
spread social changes mustsbe in
augurated and a large part Of
these have to do with medical and
mental care Of this rapidly in
creasing group.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
D. L.:-"What causes a person
10 yawn q lot and take a long
breath like a sigh? / have been
told have no organic heart trou-
bic"
Answer-This is quite a COM
mon symptom and often causes a
good deal Of worry, but so far as
! know, il has no significance. It
is certainly not q sign Of heart
trouble.