DISEASES AND Bill.!). 31 



Record Office) as occurring during youth and during middle age in 

 10,000 fairly well described persons. This constituted the control. 



Then there was determined for our groups of very Blender, Blender, 

 fleshy, and very fleshy, the incidence of disease. The ratio of the per- 

 centage incidence of the latter to the former was then calculated. 

 In table 10 is given in sum many of the results found for i he principal 

 diseases. This table may now be briefly discussed. 



Persons of very slender build are characterized in youth by an 

 excess of respiratory diseases — influenza, tuberculosis, and colds. In 

 middle age they show an excess of melancholia, nervousness, and 

 tuberculosis. 



In 737 persons of slender build there are found in youth many dis- 

 eases in excess of normal incidence. These comprise diseases of the 

 respiratory tract — tuberculosis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia: BOme 

 nervous diseases, "nervous breakdown"; various general infections, 

 such as "fevers," appendicitis, anemia, "rheumatism," diphtheria, 

 scarlet and typhoid fevers. One might conclude that slender youth 

 are relatively nonresistant to infections. In slender persons there is 

 found in middle age an excess of tuberculosis and pneumonia, much 

 appendicitis and intestinal trouble, and (as also in youth I anemia. 



These associations of slender build and disease are not alwa 

 to interpret. The common idea of the tubercular diathesis compi 

 slender form. On the other hand, a person who has, or has recovi 

 from, active pulmonary tuberculosis is apt to remain underweight, 

 partly because the respiratory apparatus is damaged. The associa- 

 tion of "nervousness" with slenderness is probably due to the double 

 effect of some glandular dystrophy, as, for example, of the thyroid 

 gland. Hyperthyroid individuals are usually tall, slender, and "ner- 

 vous" or irritable. 



In 103 persons of very fleshy build, the only outstanding disease of 

 youth is pneumonia. In middle age occur "kidney trouble." "dropsy" 

 (which often accompanies chronic nephritis), and apoplexy, which is 

 sometimes caused by extra pressure on the blood-vessels resulting 

 from impeded elimination from the kidney or to a diabetic tendency 

 which puts extra work on the vessels. 'Heart disease" is also com- 

 moner than usual. 



In iA'l persons of fleshy build, "bladder trouble" (probably includ- 

 ing diabetes) and kidney trouble are exceptionally frequent, also 

 arterio-sclerosis and its accompaniments, apoplexy and paralysis 

 Hernia is frequent, as are various diseases of the digestive tract, such 

 as appendicitis, hemorrhoids, liver trouble, and gallstoni B. Th< 

 are doubtless not the cause of, but a consequence or concomitant 

 overweight. Sibilant bronchitis, lithiasis (uric and biliarci. and dia- 

 betes mellitus are mentioned, in addition to the above, by li< 

 (1920, p. 31) as especially apl to be as ited with obesity. 



