360 



CojistajJt 



But we cannot expect to cut down the 

 annual death rate indefinitely by doing 

 more of the same and doing it better. 

 New problems have arisen. Let us see 

 what these are. 



The most frequent causes of death. As 

 you examine Figure 316, it may startle 

 vou to see that heart and other circula- 

 tory ailments and cancer have a far 

 higher death rate than any other disease. 

 You will notice that far more people die 

 of organic diseases than of bacterial dis- 

 eases. Fifty years ago organic diseases 

 caused a much lower percentage of 

 deaths. In those days fewer people lived 

 to middle age; they died before there 

 was likelihood of their developing an or- 

 ganic disease such as cancer or heart or 

 kidney disease, which usually strike in 

 old or middle age. 



Is cancer on the increase? You have 

 just read one reason why cancer seems to 

 be on the increase. Then, too, we hear 



Care Is Needed for Health unit vi 



more about cancer now because so much 

 has been learned about the disease that it 

 is now recognized where formerly it was 

 not correctly diagnosed. And people are 

 no longer afraid or ashamed to speak of 

 it, so, of course, we hear more about it. 

 Many people today are wise enough to 

 consult a physician when their suspicions 

 are first aroused. This will result in many 

 more cures, since many forms of cancer 

 can be cured if treatments are begun 

 early. 



What is cancer? Cancer was a mys- 

 terious disease before the days of good 

 microscopes and tissue cultures. When a 

 person develops a cancer it means that 

 some tissue cells in a part of the body 

 grow and multiply without stopping, 

 forming a lump or tumor. But you must 

 not get the idea that all lumps or tumors 

 are cancers; far from it. Many, perhaps 

 most, are growths that are not dangerous 

 because they remain in one spot and can 



Heart and circulation 



Cerebral hemorrhage 



Accidents 



Nephritis (Kidney) 



Pneumonia and influenza 



Tuberculosis 



Diabetes 



Syphilis 





Fig. 316 Causes of death a?tJong the Metropolitan Life bisurance Coi7ipany policy 

 holders during 194^. Each tombstone represents 20 deaths for every 100,000 people. 



