| Show Fountain F of Youth Y Nears N eal S SAs As Life Span Lengthens By ALEXANDER R. R GEORGE AP Feature Service Writer We have yet to find the fabled fountain of youth but the average American is becoming healthier and bigger and is living longer the fast of life to- to day the automobiles automobile's appalling slaughter and new diseases a child born in the 5 This 1 is The he United United States this last of fIve articles n wh which year has the pros pros- of living 12 A I e x a a n der R. R G e o 0 r g 9 e after years more than talking with the his parents had at researchers who researchers birth ir are charting tomorrows tomorrow's to- to morrows morrow's world And on the pictures life i in basis of continued d 1963 as it shapes conquest of dis- dis up in the lab lab- ease the average oratories and on C child h 11 d b born 0 r n 25 years hence will the d r raft a ft i n g 9 boards of 1938 live five to 10 years longer than one born this year The 1900 infant had lad a prospect of living until 49 and the he 1938 baby to reach 61 The 1963 baby's jaby's life expectancy should be 66 perhaps 71 Nation of Gra Graybeards beards This increase coupled with a declining declining de de- de- de clining dining birth rate is enlarging the proportion of elderly persons in our population But dont don't be afraid that we ve soon will be a nation of gray- gray beards The change within the next century T will be scarcely perceptible Nor is soft living and machine age strain making Americans deteriorate deteriorate de- de physically College boys and girls of today are taller and heavier than those of the last gen- gen ration Medical science and hygiene virtually virtually vir- vir have conquered typhoid fever diphtheria malaria and smallpox Scarlet fever measles whooping cough ough and similar diseases of childhood childhood child- child hood lood are much less malignant Surgical wizards build new blood pipe lines to the heart take off tops ops of skulls to operate on the brain rain and perform miracles in building new stomachs as well elJ as new faces working Wonder-working glandular lar ar treatments are still in their infancy infancy in- in fancy ancy and new secrets of vitamin values and the functions of body cells ells are still to be revealed Var War on Deadly Big ig Ten Medical authorities now concentrating concentrating concen- concen rating their attention on the Big Ten of death dealing diseases that take their their big big toll among the middle middle- aged ged and elderly predict spectacular gains in 25 years The Big Ten in order of mortality rate ate are Heart diseases cancer pneumonia kidney diseases cerebral cere- cere bral hemorrhage ral tuberculosis malformation malformation mal- mal formation and diseases of early Infancy infancy in- in fancy ancy diabetes influenza and Ills lis U. U S. S medicine is marshaling powerful powerful pow- pow erful resources for the war on cancer cancer caner can- can er which takes some lives Ives yearly The federal government government government govern govern- ment the American College of Surgeons Surgeons Sur Sur- geons the American Medical asso asso- I and health officials officials officials are enlisted in the drive for early diagnosis intensive research and improved treatment for the great darkness Heart disease has been increasing but medical science is better able to detect this No 1 killer and has made effective means of controlling controlling controlling control control- ling it Help for the Poor All of the Big Ten except cerebral hemorrhage diabetes and appendicitis appendicitis appendicitis appen appen- strike most often and hardest in the homes of the poor Consequently Consequently Consequently Conse Conse- the prospect is for more group effort to improve the health of the underprivileged Meanwhile our now slightly predominant predominant predominant pre pre- dominant male population is to become become become be be- come more feminine the average woman living three years longer than the average man Reasons Women are believed to be tougher biologically than men their metabolic metabolic metabolic olic processes are slower and they wear out less quickly and they are more sheltered from occupational hazards In 1910 the ratio of males to fe females females females fe- fe males in the United States was 1066 to In 1930 the 1930 the last census cen cen- sus the sus-the the ratio was 1027 males to females Women probably will outnumber outnumber out out- out number men 25 years from now now now- unless the immigration bars are let letdown down |
