Improving America's Health (1959)

at her family home in the winter of 1910 official warning nearly one out of every six infants born in 1900 would not live through its first year of life for an infant entering the world of 1900 less than fifty years of life on the average could be expected childhood diseases often resulted in death in 1900 more than 30,000 people died of diphtheria nearly 10,000 died of measles whooping cough was the cause of more than 9,000 deaths in 1900 tuberculosis was the greatest single danger to health of every hundred people 11 could expect to die of tuberculosis pneumonia and influenza together would take slightly more lives heart diseases would kill nearly eight of each hundred people and cancer half as many and so as far as health was concerned this was the world Jenny Fisher was born into in 1900 nearly two-thirds of a century later Jenny Fisher's granddaughter has come into a different world while Jenny Fisher at birth had a life expectancy of only 50 years which she has now passed by more than a decade her granddaughters life expectancy is more than 70 years this infant has better than five times the chance of surviving her first year then Jenny did the children of today are being born into a healthier America than ever existed before America's health has been improved for a number of reasons the control of communicable diseases especially in children has been a major health goal in America today children can be protected against most of the serious diseases of childhood by means of inoculations administered widely through and public agencies while the control of childhood diseases is one aspect of our improving national health the control of diseases in adults especially tuberculosis is also of great importance three programs of chest x-rays are helping to detect cases of tuberculosis in the early stages in this and other ways diseases are being conquered by our local state and federal health agencies tuberculosis from which 11 out of every hundred people in 1900 could expect to die today causes the death of less than one person in a hundred pneumonia and influenza which caused the death of twelve people out of a hundred today cause the death of only three people in a hundred difficult 30,000 people in 1900 today it takes less than 100 lives each year and the number is constantly being decreased despite the fact that our population has more than doubled since 1900 deaths from measles and whooping-cough have been virtually eliminated another major factor in the improvement in America's health is sanitation sanitation is carried on in many ways rats and flies once spread deadly epidemics but regular garbage removal is eliminating this danger swamps and stagnant waters are breeding places for mosquitoes that carry yellow fever and malaria these places are being drained or chemically treated to kill mosquito larvae another area of Sanitation is the providing of pure water for use in a community purification of water for community use has helped to wipe out typhoid fever almost completely in 1900 typhoid fever took more than 20,000 lives today it has been virtually eliminated as a of death in the United States regular programs of scientific testing inspection and regulation on local state and national levels are contributing to the steady improvement of America's health diseases one spread through milk are now under control because of cleanliness requirements and regular inspection of cows and milking equipment dairy plants and equipment are also rigidly inspected to make certain that the milk delivered to the consumer will not spread disease meat is carefully inspected - before it reaches the consumer federal government inspectors place their approval stamp only on meat that fulfills their strict requirements food preparation in general is covered by United States government regulations that help guarantee the purity of food places where food is served also are subject to health regulations in these eating places it is important that glassware dishes and other tableware be washed properly to destroy microorganisms that might cause disease tests that are regularly made determine how effectively washing is being done diseases that can be spread by improperly cooked meat are controlled by requiring minimum temperatures at which certain meats must be prepared cleanliness standards are required for employees of restaurants - not only are Americans being protected by the health standards that control the food they eat but they are also being protected by the regulations that affect the places where they live for many communities requires certain minimum housing standards housing that is substandard is being torn down and new healthful structures are being erected because of such regulation of public and private housing the health of Americans is being benefited local hospitals and other health facilities are also subject to regular inspections to be certain they meet rigid health requirements many communities provide clinics where free or low-cost medical care is available doctors well-educated in medical schools are permitted to practice only if they have passed a rigid examination given by the state the licensing of doctors is strictly controlled and helps guarantee that the people we depend on are well qualified to protect our health whenever the health of Americans is at state licensing helps guarantee good care under sanitary conditions whether the people are elderly patients in a hospital or convalescent home or preschool children in a day nursery because today the health of all members of a community is guarded on many levels newborn infants come into a healthier world than the world Jennie Fisher entered in 1900 today we understand more about the health problems we face this knowledge has come through a vast program of Education undertaken by our communities our state's and our nation true some diseases have been conquered but there are new health problems cancer for example in the year 1900 out of every 100 people four could expect to die of cancer today cancer will claim about four times as many lives out of every hundred people in 1908 could expect to die of heart diseases today heart diseases are responsible for about five times as many deaths scientists are at work trying to find means of preventing these diseases but more trained scientists are needed to continue this important work this is a serious national problem another growing problem lies in the increasing numbers of elderly people in our country this is one result of the improvements in America's health ways must be found of keeping these elderly people useful happy and healthful citizens mental illness is getting more attention to new methods of treating people with illnesses of the mind are being developed but there are not enough hospitals and clinics in America for the mentally ill more new hospitals are also needed for our growing population to help maintain and improve our high level of health great medical centers are growing part of our nation's continued drive for good health there has been great improvement in America's health since the turn of the 20th century [Music] America's continuing goal is better health for all its citizens [Music] [Applause] [Music]