32 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



The facts show that there is as great room for improvement in 

 our vital resources as in our lands, water, minerals and forests ; 

 and furthermore, this improvement must come first, for through 

 human life only is natural conservation possible. The dead past 

 may bury the dead, but living and strong men, not the weakly 

 and sickly, must do the work of conservation. And the future 

 belongs to that nation which has the highest virility. 



ILLNESS. 



From our vital statistics, which constitutes the bookkeeping of 

 humanity, we learn that fully 150,000 people in Illinois ar'e sick 

 at all times, 35,000 of whom are consumptives. Not less than half 

 of this is preventable, and three-fourths may be prevented by 

 strong effort. Eighteen experts in various diseases as well as 

 vital statisticians have contributed data on the ratio of preventa- 

 bility of the ninety different causes of death into which mortality 

 may be classified. From this data it is found that fifteen years at 

 least could be at once added to the average lifetime by practically 

 applying the science of preventing disease. More than half of 

 this additional life would come from the prevention of tubercu- 

 losis, typhoid fever and five other diseases, the prevention of 

 which could be accomplished by purer air, purer water and purer 

 milk. Let the business men, who are in the saddle and who run 

 our affairs, thoroughly consider this. They surely know that dis- 

 eases and premature death are drags to business. Fifteen more 

 years of life to each citizen means an enormous increase in the 

 strength and happiness of the people. 



Minor Ailments must be thoroughly considered in any steps 

 toward the conservation of vitality. They are far more common 

 and farther reaching than is generally realized. They are chiefly 

 functional disorders, such as of the intestinal canal, heart, nerves, 

 liver, kidneys, etc. These disorders are gateways to the more 

 serious disorders. Those who neglect colds, or what seem to be 

 colds, will prepare the tissues of the respiratory tract for pneu- 

 monia and consumption. 



Benjamin Franklin, wise and practical, successful as merchant, 

 scientist and statesman, said : "The having of colds is a great 

 drawback. I notice when I have one my efficiency is greatly 

 decreased. Thought, judgment and understanding are clouded. 

 Furthermore, I notice that colds follow excess in eating and 

 drinking and the much breathing of bad air. They are quite 

 unnecessary." The losses due to mistakes in business and in the 



