C526 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



o 



of the vital machinery, are heavily on the increase in this country. 

 There is no evidence, however, that these diseases are on the increase in 

 Great Britain. Nor is there in Great Britain, as in this country, any 

 evidence of a rising mortality among those in middle life and later 

 who are chiefly affected by these degenerative maladies. The same may 

 be said of Germany, where the death rate at every age period has steadily 

 fallen during the past thirty years, notwithstanding a tremendous in- 

 dustrial progress. 



This masking of the encroachment of the degenerative and regres- 

 sive class of diseases by the fall in the death rate from the communi- 

 cable diseases is a source of danger, in that it begets a feeling of false 

 confidence and inhibits much-needed activity for the real up-building 

 of a resistant race rather than mere protection of the non-resistant 

 from one class of maladies. 



The present state of American vitality and physical eflSciency as 

 compared to the best attainable state can only be accurately measured 

 by thorough physical examination of all citizens. The examination of 

 all citizens is at present not practicable, but much can be learned from 

 the results already attained in the examination of representative groups. 

 The figures that I present in this paper are derived from two classes 

 of individuals examined by the Life Extension Institute. 



First : Insurance policyholders, to whom the privilege of free medi- 

 cal examination at certain intervals has been extended by the life insur- 

 ance companies having contracts with the Institute to perform this 

 service. 



Second: Employees of commercial houses, banks, trust companies, 

 etc., to whom this privilege has been extended by their employers who 

 contracted with the Institute for this service. 



Eesults op the Examination of Life Insurance Policyholders by 

 THE Life Extension Institute 



Per Cent. 



Normal 2.40 



Imperfect — Advice needed regarding physical condition or living 



habits 97.60 



Not aware of impairment . 93.04 



Eeferred to physician for treatment 65.75 



Classification of Impairments 



Moderate to Serious 



Per Cent. 



Organic heart disease 4.50 



Arteriosclerosis — thickened arteries 6.27 



High or low blood-pressure 23.50 



Urinary — albumin, sugar, casts 53.60 



Individuals showing combined disturbance of circulation and 



kidneys 15.83 



Nervous 92 



