The herald., 1894-08-26
RAILWAY SURGEONS.
EVERY LARGE RAILROAD NOW hAs
ITS CORPS OF DOCTORS.

Doctors Try to "WorIS" the Companies.
This Is the Railway Side.
Doubtless every ono knows something
Of the business Of tho eye doctor, the
horse doctor and divers others to whom
the medical title is applied; but with
the exception Of the unfortunate individ-
uals who have come into contact with
tho gentleman, few people know any
thing about tho routine duties of the
railway doctor. 1t would be false rea-
soning to suppose that, because an eye
doctor treats the orbs of vision and
horse doctor prescribes for horses, the
business of railway surgeon is to re-
pair railways 1t might be said that
in general the disciple of Galen and
Hippocrates knows as much about rail
roads as the ordinary railway man
knows about the art Of Esculapius.
Actuated by principles of philan-
thropy and business "a cynical outsider
would in all probability reverse the or
der, nearly all the large railways in
this country have instituted what is
known as "relief corps" Prominent
members Of this corps have formed an
association known as the National As
sociation of Railway Surgeons
The greater part of the railway sur
geon's time is taken up in attending to
accidents in the yards. The men who
sustain these injuries are in q majority
Of cases, the switchmen. A New York
gentleman who has been connected with
several railroads said: "You can always
tell switcllulan by one of two things
a bruised thumb and grievance. If
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 be
heard Of if there did not exist class of
lawyers who just watch the papers for
news Of railroad accident and pounce
upon the injured with alacrity. Allied
with them is o different class of ''rail-
way surgeons that cost the companies
q great deal, but who are paid indirect
ly. If they find a man who has slight
jury sometimes, that he is suffering
from severe conclusion of the spine.
Their fine work is in what are known
as spinal injuries. If train Of passen-
gers happens to be slightly jostled, near
ly every one aboard, with the aid of
these doctors, may develop a case of
spinal disease. II man insists he has
shooting pains" in the back, no one
can say him nay, and in absence of
proof that he has not jury will natu
rally give him damages. The railway
surgeons referred to have no associa-
tion 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 as soon as an accident oc-
ours they are Immediately sent for. They
have the power of calling such extra
help as they deem necessary.
Roads on which a 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 imperturbable
They know that most Of the claims are
spurious, and on investigation will fade
away like mist before the rising sum-
To investigate such claims and to settle
in cases of real damage are the duties
Of the claim agent. The railway sur
goon and the claim agent are to the man
who has fraudulent claim source of
horror and disgust.
An Illinois surgeon tells of one inter
esting claim. A man who was travelling
in company with number of friends
was thrown across the aisle of car by
slight accident that jostled every one,
but in reality hurt no one. He went
home all right, but after several days
deliberation he made up his mind that
his head was paining him. From then
on he would drop in to see the people
who had seen him thrown and in the
midst Of a serious conversation would
ILdAo SOllo AdiOtlC I6IudEk dUOuU INC
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 lit
tie investigation. They found that his
crazy fits were confined to certain cir
cles. Among business people his actions
were those of perfectly sane man. He
never overpaid his workmen, nor did he
buy anything at double what it was
worth. People with whom he was doing
business were infor1ned-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 do
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 a story of Texas engineer
named B2:l Blunt. The surgeon gives
the account III Tic words OF Blunt:
well, II Soc was in the cab, and
everything looked ali right ahead, when
suddenly tie engine turned by mis-
placed switch, and the first thing l
knew was all tangled up between the
engine and freight train. The next
thing | knew I heard some one say,