State board of health. 
291 
ened. In estimating the value of life, it is important to ascertain 
how many days of sickness are included in the sum total of exist¬ 
ence. In Europe the average duration of sickness for each indivi¬ 
dual is a fraction less than 20 days per year. Massachusetts is 
divided into six geographical sections for the compilation of re¬ 
turns, supplying information similar to that collected by European 
boards of health; and from those figures we learn that the highest 
rate of incapacitation through ill-health obtains in the Boston 
division, where the average is 24 days per year, or one-fifth more 
than the percentage exhibited in Europe. This does not result 
from anv cardinal defect in the climate, as the Berkshire Hills di- 
vision shows a total of only 14 days; or less than two-thirds of the 
European average. The whole state presents a total more favor¬ 
able to health than the Boston division, the rate being 17 days to 
the year; but in that respect a marked decline is observable, the 
average for eight years, ending with 1872, having been only 14 
days, or three days less per capita than the ratio obtained in the 
year last named. In this state we possess no statistics which will 
enable us to compare the individual results of incapacitation by 
sickness with the Massachusetts tables; but we may be sure that 
our loss approximates thereto. The money value of the labor lost 
in Massachusetts by sickness alone has been estimated for one 
year, at .$39,146,980. The reader will draw his owr: conclusions as 
to the figures which may represent our losses on that score. 
Every man must die; but a large proportion of the sickness com¬ 
monly endured is known to be preventable, so much so, that it is 
assumed that the death rate, which exceeds 21 per thousand per 
annum in Milwaukee, and 30 per thousand in Boston, could be re¬ 
duced, with proper care, to 11 per thousand. Sanitary science 
offers means for the perfection of human government toward the 
point indicated; but we are slowly reaping its advantages. Ventil¬ 
ation is but one of many subjects which should command universal 
attention. Upon the realization of efficient ventilation depends 
life, health and happiness for untold millions who shall inherit this 
fertile land; hence it is impossible to overrate its importance. Two- 
thirds of all the funds now being expended in the maintenance of 
benevolent institutions might, with advantage, be devoted to the 
procurement of better hygienic conditions for the classes from 
which our state institutions are filled with chronic misery, allied to 
