CANCER IN THE U.S.A.

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2269, 16 February 1929, Page 7

CANCER IN THE U.S.A.

129,000 DEATHS YEARLY.

The following information came to hand by the latest American mail from a New York correspondent, writing on December 28th:— Scientists assembled here at “the greatest scientific congress ever held in this country” were told to-day by Dr Harold D. Larsen, of the University of Wisconsin, that tuberculosis causes more than 129,000 deaths every year in the United States, and that if the disease could be wiped out the average length of life would be increased about two years. That is, the life expectancy of the average man would be raised from, 55 to 57 years.

Dr Larsen was one of scores of speakers at various meetings being held simultaneously at the eightyfifth convention of the American association for the advancement of science. About 5000 learned men and women are attending the sessions, which will continue until January 2. Among those present are the country’s foremost authorities on medicine, phychology, geology, geography, physics, sociology, zoology, botany, and other branches of science. “The effect of tuberculosis on the life expectancy of average future life time is of supreme importance,” said Dr Larsen. “The expectation of life at birth among white males, for instance, would be increased from 55.386 years to 57.317 years if tuberculosis were completely eradicated. The 1.931 years are lost between the ages of 20 and 70, the important wealthproducing ages in man’s life.

“Lives destroyed annually by tuberculosis represent a tremendous economic loss to the United States. Estimating the monetary lass I assumed conservatively that the wealthproducing capacity of males from the age of 20 to 70 was 400 dollars. The annual loss from deaths due to tuberculosis on this basis is at least 179 million dollars.”