The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-04-17

To a certain extent that may be
true-some families resist disease
and injury better than others.
Then these statistically minded
insurance officials come along WITH
their figures and look at things
from anot her angle and they
rather take the wind from our
sails.
Insurance Statistics
Il lase bulletin f7osss are OF our
largest insurance companies throws
a different light on the subject.
They work out their conclusions
on the average length Of life after
the individual applied for inSur-
ance. Instead Of computing the age
OF the parents at this time, they
base their figures on whether one
or both Of the parents are alive
and we'll at the time Of applica-
ton, and these conclusions are
very convincing.
The lowest mortality - II per
cent beloU the ordinary average
was recorded for the men whose
parents were both alive at the
time the insurance was issued. The
highest mortality - IL per cent
aboue the ordinary and Is per
cent higher than the best group,
was recorded for those whose par
ents were both dead. Those with
one parent living at the time were
lower than the ordinary exper-
fence by 10 per cent above the best
group. This did not prove TO be
due TO hereditary, because those
whose parents lived TO a ripe old
age did no better than those whose
parents died In middle age or
earlier. Hence the conclusion is
that other circumstances than
heredity have their effect on Ion
gevity.
When one or both parents are
dead, there is a great let-doWn In
the family life and family finances.
Orphans are not as well cared for
as those in a home. The general
health is not so well controlled In
a broken home or among strangers
as when the parents and home lie
are enjoyed. With a broken home,
the housing, clothing. food arc on
a lower level, while loving care
and attention are lacking.
Influence of Environment
These folks must go TO work
earlier: they miss much OF school
ing and the social life Of the COM
munity. Most frequently they be-
come unskilled workers and con-
tinue to be ill-fed, ill-housed, and
ill-clothed, which are all detri-
mental to health. The child or
young person OF twenty or more
whose parents are living together
in home gets better medical at
tention, is better fed and housed
and receives all the benefits OF a
contented and satisfactory home
life not received by the orphan.
But the insurance company in
sists there is also the great ad-
vance in medical knowledge, i'm
proved hygiene and the proven
ton Of disease. The great strides
in treating and preventing SUCH
affections as typhoid fever, pncu-
monia and tuberculosis. have pro-
longed the lives Of thousands.
Surgery has cured many Of the
diseases of young adults, who we're
formerly sacrificed. Public medical
treatment and public health facll-
tiles are becoming easy for even
the poor to receive. The one great
detriment to long life Of late years,
has been the marked rise in acct
dental death due to automobile
mishaps. Education and probably
some new laws may provide some
beneficial effects on these deaths.
II We might all take advantage
Of all our knowledge Of hygiene,
length of life would be further in
creased. We all fear that the war
will destroy some OF our gains, but
the training in our army may so
increase the physical fitness OF our
young men that the loss may not
prove too great. Let us hope so.