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A hundred years ago, the average life span of a human was a little more
than fifty years in most developed countries. In the year 2002, on the other
hand, Japan has an average life span of 82 years for women. The United States
has a life span almost as high. In fact, many countries have experienced similar
increases. What accounts for this dramatic increase in longevity? Cures against
disease, more accessible medical research on preventative medicine, and people’s
constant drive against world hunger are three reasons to explain this
phenomenon.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, doctors could not cure many
diseases. For example, when my great grandfather became stricken with small pox,
his doctor worked very hard to help treat the symptoms. But because there was no
cure for small pox, he died a few weeks after being exposed to the virus.
Nowadays, all children are required to receive a vaccination against small pox,
making the occurrence of such an illness almost nonexistent. During the middle
ages, thousands of people died in Europe because of the Bubonic Plague. This and
other diseases, significantly causing death to people of young ages, are now
eliminated due to simple vaccinations given to children.
In contrast to the past, modern society has ready access to medical
research on preventative medicine. A current popular information medium on
preventative medicine is the Internet. A useful Web Site titled WebMD has a
wealth of information on cancer, sexual dysfunction, maintaining a daily
exercise routine, diabetes, and so on. People can now learn how to prevent
diseases by reading medical journals and articles available at a click of a
mouse. In the past, this type of information was only available to those in the
medical community.
To further reduce the number of people dying at younger ages, many
countries have been educating their citizens about world hunger. Michael Jackson
and other singers, a few years ago, wrote a song titled “Feed the World,” which
raised millions of dollars for starving children in Africa. Many nonprofit
organizations to feed starving children in many countries spawned from that
drive. It is not uncommon to see television advertisements in the United States
soliciting donations from Americans in an effort to feed those inside and
outside the borders of the United States. Consequently, many children who would
have otherwise died due to starvation are given vitamins, staple foods, and
preventative medicines to help extend their life-spans and quality of life.
Cures for once incurable diseases, easier access to medical research on how
to prevent diseases, and more food and money to children in starving countries
now give many the opportunity to live longer and healthier lives. Perhaps in
2102, at our current rate of medicinal innovation, the average life span of
those living in developing countries may extend to 100 years.
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发表于 2016-7-10 15:25:06