| Show Life Is Longer and Bet Better er Thanks to Work of Scientists Dr C. C C. C Furnas Tells of oT Big Improvements T life biologically J L better life and an easier easi easi- er life That is sciences science's gift to mankind Dr C C. C C. C Furnas Yale professor of chemical engineering and author of a stimulating book The Next Hundred Years summarized summarized summarized in a recent address what science and technology are doing to us The record is encouraging The expect expectancy of l life e at birth has risen from less than forty years In 1880 to almost sixty years at present The expectancy for all ages up to sixty has Increased Of each eLlch one thousand people born this year almost 30 per cent more will survive to age fifty than will survive survive sur sur- vive in a similar group born in 1900 Science is giving us a LI biologically better life lUe as well as a longer one Dr Furnas contends Most epidemics ics have been eliminated Tuberculosis Tuberculosis Tuberculosis losis is on the run Even cancer is beginning to think about slipping Colds influenza Infantile paralysis and the various diseases of oC senility are still to be touched but they will willbe willbe willbe be and LInd perhaps surprisingly soon People Learning About Diet Dietary deficiency diseases are on their W way lY out and will soon be a rarity Dr Furnas feels that the average diet is still very verj poor but it is improving The public is learning learning learning learn lea ing he said that tha t the purified over foods roods such as granulated sugar and white flour are lre poor substitutes for food and that there is a great virtue in the protective foods vegetables fruits and LInd mill milk They are LIre responding respond respond- ing to to the exhort exhortations l of science and the health of oC the next generation generation genera genera- tion will show it The material side of l life e Is im im- im- im proving Dr Furnas observes that the cave man expended almost per cent of his efforts in getting his meals By the time of a certain certain certain tain tea party part in Boston that figure had dropped for Americans to 56 per cent That is in 1775 56 percent percent per percent cent of the n average American income income income in in- come went for food By 1931 that had dropped to 33 38 per cent In other words the struggle to fill the stomach stomach ach has steadily become less severe severe se se- vere which leaves a larger part of the average dollar to be spent for or other things Big Increase for Sundries The item of sundries which Includes Includes includes In in- education n travel books all recreation rose from eight per cent of the average American income in 1775 to 24 per cent of the income in 1931 This is a LI three-fold three increase and is tremendously significant We now spend three times as LIS much on the extra l curricular activities which are the most pleasant part of life as did the revolutionists We LIre and now spending five billion dollars per year on education and 10 billion billion billion bil bil- bil- bil lion for recreation One would almost almost al al- most think we were leading a profitable profitable profitable profit profit- able and pleasant life Despite this higher standard of living we are working less Between 1900 and 1930 the average average aver aver- age real wage In terms of standard commodities s such as food rose 48 per cent while the average working week dropped almost 15 per cent The long time trend since the depression depression depression de de- de- de is not yet quantitatively discernible but it will undoubtedly be upward ard for wages and downward downward downward down down- ward for hours This is all nIl to the good says says Dr Furnas Note that I am not saying saying saying say say- ing that life for the average man manis manis is 13 good as yet I am only saying that it is better than it was much better |
