Recent advances in medical science : a study of their social and economic implications / by Sir Edward Mellanby.

  • Edward Mellanby
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Recent advances in medical science : a study of their social and economic implications / by Sir Edward Mellanby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    active period of the lives of men and women. If it should happen that the first effect of medical research is to increase the span of life of the average healthy adult from the proverbial threescore years and ten to fourscore years and ten, in such a way that the last twenty years of life are accompanied by mental degeneration and physical decrepitude, the outlook is indeed gloomy. It will be clear then that, so far as its beneficial effect on population in this country is concerned, medical science has almost shot its bolt, except possibly that it may extend the fertility period of women desirous of bearing children. It is the factor mainly responsible for the increase in number of people in England and Wales from 14,000,000 in 1840 to 41,000,000 in 1937. Only qualitatively in terms of standards of health and physique, where medical science has already done so much, has it still a big contribution to make. MEDICAL SCIENCE AND TROPICAL COUNTRIES This, however, is not the case in our colonial territories, especially those inhabited largely by native races. Knowledge, bringing control of tro¬ pical diseases, has increased enormously in recent years, and there is every evidence that the British Government intends to press forward with the application of this knowledge for the benefit of
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