FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



tion with little or no deficit, will be able to do a county-wide 

 work without fear of annual shortage. 



C. Other Health Movements 



It would be impossible even to mention the scores of 

 activities carried on by many, many different agencies such 

 as the great foundations, large estates dedicated to welfare 

 work, churches, societies and individuals that have to do 

 'with raising health standards in the United States. It is esti- 

 mated that the preventable death and sickness loss of the 

 nation greatly exceeds the stupendous sum of two billion 

 dollars annually. The main purpose of the health activities 

 of the nation is to reduce this large sum, fully twice the 

 national debt, to a minimum and at the same time vastly 

 increase the aggregate vitality, efficiency and happiness of 

 the country's hundred million inhabitants. 



D. Eugenics 



There is a movement in Rural America, which, though in 

 its incipiency, deserves consideration. Possibly one is going 

 too far in calling it a movement. But all persons somewhat 

 conversant with the agricultural literature of the nation must 

 admit that, whether or not the activities to which reference is 

 made represent an incipient movement, there are noticeable 

 manifestations of a desire on the part of the whole Rural 

 World to produce in coming generations a more perfect 

 human stock. In recent years eugenics has been the subject 

 of much thought throughout the whole country. To such an 

 extent have the people taken it up that in several states laws 

 have been passed. In some cases these have been too radical. 

 But a beginning has been made that in due time will result in 

 much good. " Ninety-six per cent of the young of wild ani- 

 mals are born perfect. Eighty-two per cent of children are 

 physically defective at birth. Ninety-two per cent of animals 

 live to old age. 229 children out of 1,000 die the first year. 

 There are 310,000 feeble-minded in the United States outside 

 of asylums and 28,000 feeble-minded in asylums. There are 



