"AT A COST OF LESS THAN $50 PER LIFE"

SURGEON GENERAL SAYS DEATH RATE REDUCED BY SCIENTIFIC CARE

New York City (JFK+50) In a front page story in The Newark Leader of December 4, 1925, Dr. Hugh S. Cumming*, speaking at a health conference here in New York, said that experiments have taken place in Syracuse and Cattaraugus counties "to see (if) twenty years can...be added to the average life span by scientific care."

The doctor says the death rate has been reduced by 350 persons per year in Cattaraugus County "at a cost of less than $50 per life."

JFK+50 NOTE

The average lifespan in the United States in 1925 was 58 years.

Hugh S. Cumming (1869-1948) was born in Hampton, VA & was educated at the University of Virginia School of Medicine (1893) & University College of  Richmond.  HSC served as Surgeon General of the U.S. 1920-1936.

SOURCE

"Can Add Twenty Years to Life Doctors Say," The Newark Leader, Newark, Ohio, December 4, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

Rear Admiral Hugh S. Cumming

1946

US Public Health Service

National Institute of Health

US National Library of Medicine

"OUR GREATEST ENEMY WAS NOT THE GERMANS, BUT DIRT"

RED CROSS PRAISED FOR WORK IN WWI

Rahway, New Jersey (JFK+50) One hundred years ago, January 24, 1919, "Over Here" published a front page article quoting a statement made by the Surgeon General of the United States Army, General Merritte W. Ireland*, praising the work of the American Red Cross during the world war.

The statement read...

"Without the help of the American Red Cross, the American Medical Department could not have done its work. Our greatest enemy in this war was not the Germans, but dirt.  

Never before have soldiers had to fight so much exposed to dirt and filth.  And yet never has a great war been won with so little suffering and death caused by this enveloping contagion.  

For this achievement...we have to thank most of all the American Red Cross."

The statement was to be included in the February 1919 issue of Red Cross Magazine.

*Merritte Weber Ireland (1867-1952) was born in Columbia City, Indiana.  MWI received medical degrees from Detroit College of Medicine (1890) & Jefferson Medical College (1891).  He served as a surgeon with the 45th U.S. Volunteer Infantry (1899) & was Surgeon General (1918-1931).

SOURCE

"Red Cross Great Aid In Winning The War," Over Here:  Official Publication of United States Army General Hospital, January 24, 1919.  www.collections.nlm.nih.gov/

Merritte W. Ireland

Surgeon General

From "The Medical Dept of the US Army

in the World War"

by Joseph H. Ford (1927)