Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/391

Rh

Among those found unimpaired, the mortality was only 29 per cent, of the American Experience Table, showing a saving of about 21 points of the mortality expected by the average company among lives exposed for like periods. These risks, although unimpaired, were advised regarding living-habits, eating, drinking, smoking, etc., arid the saving indicated is properly credited to this system.

The group reported impaired comprised some individuals who were almost in articulo mortis, hence an expected mortality of 200 per cent, of the American Experience Table might have been regarded as well within the mark. However, the actual mortality in the group was only 99 per cent, of that table. That is, where we expected 200 to die, only 99 deaths actually occurred.

The net saving, over and above the cost of operation of our bureau, was at the rate of about $20,000 per year. Now, the annual saving, based upon the hypothesis derived from the British company's experience would, in our company, have been at the rate of about $12,000 per year, showing that the theoretical estimates were conservative, and more than justified by the actual test of experience. The full effect of the educational propaganda could not, of course, be traced in the mortality fluctuations even of a very large company, and I have only attempted to show the results among those who were actually known to be in touch with our health bureau.

Important health-conservation activities are as yet carried on by only three leading companies out of the 250 now operating in this country. The health bureau established in the Association of Life Insurance Presidents, in 1910, is keeping alive the conservation-idea, but it is a mere adumbration of what could and should be accomplished through the enormous resources available. The pressure of public opinion is needed to set in motion this vast machinery for lifting the burdens of humanity.