Increase of Heart-Disease by Dr. William H. Guilfoy

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 8, 1910

Increase of Heart-Disease

By Dr. William H. Guilfoy

Twice as many people are dying of heart-disease in New York to-day, in proportion to the population, as died from the same cause thirty-three years ago. At the present time, heart-disease ranks third as the principal cause of death, not only in New York, but in the entire country. Every year the death-rate due to heart-disease is increasing; and unless something is done to combat it, it will become a greater menace than tuberculosis or acute respiratory diseases, which now claim the largest number of victims.

In 1896 there were 1,331 deaths from heart-disease in New York City, a death-rate of 82 per 100,000. Last year 6,639 persons died from heart trouble, a death-rate of 161 per 100,000,—practically twice as many persons, proportionately, succumbing to the same disease. And from present indications the death-rate from this disease will show a still further increase when the figures for 1910 are completed.

Conditions Over United States

What is true in New York in this connection is true throughout the country, on a greater scale. According to the official figures of the Census Bureau, 65,000 persons died of heart-disease in the United States in 1909. The deaths from pneumonia and acute respiratory diseases were 82,000, while tuberculosis claimed 81,000. So it will be seen that heart-disease is a close third.

But although the death-rate from tuberculosis and acute respiratory diseases is being gradually decreased, every year sees an increase in the number of deaths from heart-disease; and it is only a question of time, unless steps are taken to check it, when it will be the principal cause of death in the United States.

The Cause of Increase

What is the cause of this alarming increase? What is making heart-disease one of the most common of our maladies? There are several reasons why it is becoming more prevalent every day. For one thing, the grip bacillus, which first made its appearance in New York in 1890, has brought about thousands of deaths from heart-disease.

But a far more important cause, in my opinion, is the luxurious manner in which most of us Americans are living to-day. We are eating too much nitrogenous food, particularly meats and game. We are imbibing too much liquor. Cocktails and wines, taken to stimulate the appetite, are having their effect.

The numerous deaths from acute indigestion, which is heart-disease more often than not, show that most of us are overeating. Our systems are unable to take care of the additional waste matter that is imposed upon them; and as very few of us take much exercise in the open air, heart-disease claims more and more victims every year.

Too Little Exercise

We are taking great pains to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, but we pay comparatively little attention to looking after our own health. If we would only eat less, drink less, and exercise more, the death-rate from heart-disease would show a decided drop.

One has only to see the fat men and women in fashionable restaurants and hotels to appreciate the fact that we eat too much. Of course, there are many abstemious eaters, but what I have said is true of the great majority of Americans in New York, Chicago, and every other important city.

This is not only true among the rich and the well-to-do, but among all classes except the very poor. The introduction of labor-saving machinery has lessened the amount of effort the average working man has to put forth; yet he eats more than he did a few years ago, and takes less exercise.

Fast Living

Then, there is no denying the fact that we are living faster than we did twenty or thirty years ago. Life is more intense, and the struggle for existence, especially in the larger centers of population, is more difficult. Naturally, that has some effect in increasing the prevalence of heart-disease.

However, I am inclined to believe we place too much importance on this cause, and not enough on the real cause of overeating and drinking. If we are going to avoid heart-disease, we must emulate Mayor Gaynor, and walk several miles in the open air every day, and be almost as careful of our diet. —Dr. William H. Guilfoy, head of Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York, in New York World.