Once you get past the age of fairly widespread deaths from childhood diseases (often prevented by vaccines), a lot of people in modern society don't get a lot of critical medical care from maybe their 20s through 40s. Sure, some do, but tons of younger people don't routinely see doctors--even when doing so is free.
As people get into what we now consider about late middle age, modern healthcare for a variety of things becomes more and more important.
> a lot of people in modern society don't get a lot of critical medical care from maybe their 20s through 40s.
Did you know that in England, 40% of middle aged men have had a fracture? [1]
Personally I haven't seen the inside of a hospital in over 20 years. So I agree with you to that extent. But oh boy have I benefited from sterile surgical techniques, titanium plates and screws, and antibiotics since that one week 20 years ago.
Oh I don't disagree. I'm sure there were a ton of people who had fractures that didn't heal properly on their own or with non-invasive care, infections that would be fairly straightforward with antibiotics today, etc. Certainly I've depended on modern medical care many times and probably benefited overall many others.
I've had serious fractures and taken antibiotics on a number of occasions. So I violently agree. But there's probably an age window when modern medicine is less important (outside of war and other especially dangerous activities).
Once you get past the age of fairly widespread deaths from childhood diseases (often prevented by vaccines), a lot of people in modern society don't get a lot of critical medical care from maybe their 20s through 40s. Sure, some do, but tons of younger people don't routinely see doctors--even when doing so is free.
As people get into what we now consider about late middle age, modern healthcare for a variety of things becomes more and more important.