The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-29

EVERY LARGE RAILROAD NOW LAS
ITS CORPS OF DOCTORS.


the medical title is applied; but, with
the exception of the unfortunate individ-
nals who have come into contact with
the gentleman, few people know any
thing about the routine duties of the
railway doctor 1t would be false rca.
s1ning to suppose that because an eye
doctor treats the orbs of vision and n
horse doctor prcscribcs for horses, the
business of railway surgeon is to re-
pair railways. 1t might be said that
in general the disciple of Galcn and
Hippocratcs knows as much about rail.
roads rs the ordinary railway man
knows about the art of Esculapius
Actuated by principles of philan-
| thropy and business Ga cynical outsider
would in all probability reverse the on
| dcr) nearly all the large railways i'll
this country have instituted what is
| known as relief corps. " Prominent
members of this corps have formed au
association known as the National As
ISOLATION of Railway Surgeons
The greater part Of the railway sur
geun's time is taken up in attending TO
accidents in the yards. The men who
sustain these injuries are, in a majority
of cases. the switchmen. A New York
gentleman who has been connected with
several railroads said: You can always
tell switchnan by one of two things
"A bruised thumb and n grievance. II
he hasn't Just come out of an accident,
he is just getting ready to strike.
Whereas there are numerous cases Of
passengers being seriously hurt, the vast
majority OF the claims made upon the
railroads for injuries are fraudulent
Half of these claims would never De
heard of if there did not exist a class OF
lawyers who just watch the papers for
news of railroad accident and poruc3
upon the injured with alacrity. Allied
with them is different class of 'rail-
way surgeons that cost the companies
great deal, but who are paid indirect
ly. If they find a man who has a slight
confusion, they prove to him, aud to a
Jury sometimes, that he is suffering
from II severe conclusion of the spine.
Their fine work is in what are known
as spinal injuries If train of passyn-
gers happens to be slightly jostled, near
ly every one aboard, with the aid of
these doctors, may develop a case of
spinal disease. If man insists he h.-
Shooting pains in the back, no one
can say him nay, and in absence of
proof that he has not a jury will natu-
rally give him damages. The RAILWAY
surgeons referred to have no aSsocia-
ton that is known, but they know their
business from alpha to omega. They
instruct their pupils as to all the symp-
toms of the disease they are supposed to
have, and in learned terms amaze the
ordinary country jury.
On roads like the Pennsylvania and
the Central Railroad of New Jersey
there are regular surgeons at stated
points, and rs soon as m accident oc.
ours they are Immediately sent for. They
have the power of calling such extra
n help as they deem necessary.
Roads on which surgeon is a paid
official claim that through him much
money has been saved. Outsiders would
|. grow dizzy with wonder if they knew
: of the number of suits and claims that
arise from railroad accidents The Off
= Cials, however, remain imperturhable.
They know that most of the claims are
spurious, and ON investigation will fade
d away like a mist before the rising sun.
To investigate such claims and to settle
t in cases of real damage are the duties
; of the claim agent The railway sur
gcon and tho claim agent are to the man
who has fraudulent claim q source Of
e horror and disgust.
t. An Illinois surgeon tells of one inter
c Csting claim. a man who was travelling
IN company with number of friends
u was thrown across the aisle of car by
slight accident that jostlod every one,
hut in reality hurt no one. He went
F. home all right, but after several days
dcliboration he made up his mind that
;. his head was paiming him. From then
/. IN he would drop in to see the people
who had seen him thrown and in the
midst of serious conversation wuuld
make some idiotic remark about the
price of beans in Pennsylvania. After
awhile he induced his friends to believe
he was crazy The company heard Of
his strange proceedings and began IL lit
tie investigation. They found that his
crazy fits Were confined to certain cir
rles, Among business people his actions
were those Of Il perfectly sane man. He
never ovcrpaid his worl,mcn, nor did lie
buy anything at double what it was
worth. People " it'll whom he was doing
business were ilformcd-from what
source may be guessed-that Mr.. A.
was insane. Mr., a. finally came to the
conclusion that if he wanted to retain
his business the best thing he could dc
was to spread abroad reports of his rapid
and complete recovery, and he did.
The surgeons are frequently the spec
tators of almost incredible GOODNESS.
One tells story of Texas engineer
named Ben Blunt The surgeon gives
the account III the words of Blunt:
"Well, you see, was in the cab, and
everything looked all right ahead, when
suddenly the engine turned by mis-
placed switch, and the first thing
knew l was all tangled up between the
If engine and a freight train. The next
If thing / knew | heard some one say,
b He's dead. But wasn't. AS soon az;
X they had pulled the engine off me had
= them telegraph back to the station so as
"a to stop the oncoming express, sent a
d message to my wife and saw that the
n fireman was properly bandaged up. Was
o hurt? Oh, no. had one leg and one
o arm and several ribs broken, but moth
e ing that you could call serious New
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