World gain: Improvements in mankind's survival into old age were not limited to rich nations or the West. They occurred on every continent. At a New Year's Eve party, I asked our guests to name the major development of the 20th century. They had several excellent candidates, including the rise and fall of communism, the growth of democracy, and the advent of computers. But I believe none benefited the ordinary person more than the extending of life expectancy. The gains in health care between 1900 and the present have been spectacular. Life expectancy at birth in the Western world grew from a mere 45 years at the beginning of the 20th century to over 75 years at the dawn of the 21st century. More than 100 infants, and about an equal number of mothers, died for every 1,000 live births in 1900.
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