Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 86.djvu/322

318 for the state of New York. In 1910, at the age period 45 to 49, the death rate among native-born white males was 16.6 per 1,000, whereas the rate for the same age period among foreign-born white males was 17.7 per 1,000, or an excess of 6.6 per cent, for the foreign-born. For the age periods 55 to 59, the two rates are 27.0 and 35.4, respectively, showing an excess of 13.2 per cent, in the mortality of the foreign-born white males over the native-born. This excess is marked throughout all the advanced age periods. The advantage in favor of native-born females over foreign-born females is equally striking and begins at an even earlier age period in middle life. Conditions similar to the above have been noted in the vital statistics for the registration area of the United States. This would indicate that the foreign-born whites as well as the native-born of foreign parentage show, at all higher age periods, and for both sexes, a mortality largely in excess of that of the native-born of native parentage.

The statistics of the degenerative diseases indicate, furthermore, that the nativity factor plays an important part in determining the death rates from these diseases. Thus, both in the registration states and cities where this subject has been studied, it has been found that the native-born of native parentage show almost uniformly a lower incidence from Bright's disease, diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver than do the foreign-born and their children. The rates, to be sure, vary considerably with the different nationalities; but taken as a group, the foreign born apparently show a lower resistance to the degenerative processes which these diseases imply. Is it to be wondered at, therefore, that the death rates for large cities and states in the registration area show increases in mortality at the higher age groups? In view of the marked changes that have occurred in the composition and characteristics of our population, it would indeed be surprising if these changes in mortality had not occurred.

It is not the intention of this paper to touch upon immigration as one of our national problems except to state what we should know with regard to our mortality rates; namely, that our large centers of population are showing unfavorable mortality tendencies after middle life and that in all probability these tendencies are dependent upon the character of our immigration.

This conclusion does not in any way make unnecessary the caution and advice which the associates of the Life Extension Institute and other hygienists have taught us. It has already been demonstrated that much can be accomplished by emphasizing the necessity for more careful personal hygiene. This will affect not only our own native stock, but also the foreign race stocks in our population. Indeed, if a full return is to be received from our campaigns for life extension, it is necessary that an attempt be made to instruct the foreign population in the principles of