HEART DISEASE FORTY YEARS AGO AND NOW

Despite the disturbed state of the world at present and the increase in the prevalence of heart disease, physicians and patients can look back over the last 40 years with much satisfaction; what is more important, we can look forward to the next 40 years with hope and confidence. The state of the world is not so bad as it is painted. Newspapers are filled with gloomy headlines, and it has become almost a fad to publicize the distressing events in current history and to foster fear and pessimism about the world of tomorrow. Even in medicine there is an overemphasis on the alarm reaction and the effect of the unhappy emotions on body, mind, and soul. Worse events than present ones were taking place a generation ago in many different parts of the world, but the press was less avid then. There was no radio, communications were slow, and