"Mental agitations and eating cares are more injurious to health, and destructive of life, than is commonly imagined, and could their effects be collected, would make no inconsiderable figure in the bills of mortality"

In this quote, William Falconer highlights the negative effect of psychological stress and concerns, referred to as "mental agitations and eating cares", on physical health and total life span. Falconer recommends that these psychological problems are more damaging than people generally acknowledge, suggesting that they might significantly add to death rates if their impacts were measurable.

Falconer's assertion highlights the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being, a principle that, while possibly underappreciated in his time, has actually acquired significant acknowledgment in contemporary medication and psychology. The phrase "mental agitations" can be interpreted as different types of mental stress, anxiety, or psychological disruptions that interfere with the mind's peace and strength. "Eating cares" most likely describes concerns and issues that preoccupy an individual, metaphorically taking in or gnawing at their mental energy and stability.

He explains that the unfavorable impacts of tension and worry are not as obvious or easily measured as physical ailments, which may result in them being undervalued in regards to their potential damage. However, Falconer argues that their cumulative influence on health is significant, potentially contributing to major health problems such as heart disease, immune dysfunction, and other stress-related conditions.

By suggesting that if these results "might be collected", they would make a notable existence in the "bills of death", Falconer is promoting for a wider recommendation and understanding of how non-physical health problems can lead to lethal scenarios. This idea presages contemporary holistic methods to health that think about the psychological and psychological measurements of well-being along with the physical.

Overall, Falconer's quote calls for greater awareness and understanding of the extensive effect that tension and concern can have on an individual's health and life expectancy, prompting both individuals and society to attend to and mitigate these problems proactively.