The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-20
RAILWAY SURGEONS.
EVERY LARGE RAILROAD NOW HAS
IRIS corps or DocroRs.

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ulent Claims-Unscrupulous lawyers and
Doctors Try 60 'swork' the Companies.
This Is the Railway Side.
Doubtless every one knows something
Of the business Of the eye doctor, the
horse doctor and divers others 10 whom
the medical title il appliedi but. with
the exception of the unfortunate individ-
nails 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 rea-
soning to suppose that, because an eye
doctor treats the orbs OF vision and q
horse doctor prescribes for horses, the
business OF a railway surgeon ID to re-
pair railways. It might be said that
in general the disciple of Galen and
Hippocrates knows as much about rail
roads ~ the ordinary railway man
knows about the art of Escufapius.
Actuated by principles Of philan-
thropy and business Ca cynical outsider
would in all probability everse the or
derl 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
ISOLATION 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 a switchman by one of two things
IA bruised thumb and o grievance. II
he hasn't just come ont of an accident.
ne 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 il there did not exist . class of
lawyers who just watch the papers for
news of q railroad accident and pounce
upon the injured with alacrity. Allied
with them lie o different class OF rail-
way surgeons that cost the companies
O great deal, but who are paid indirect
ly. IL they find o man who has q slight
confusion, they prove to him, and TO .
jury sometimes, that he is suffering
from a severe conclusion of the spine.
Their fine work is i'm what are known
SIS spinal injuries. If a train of passen-
gers happens to be slightly jostled. near
" every n aboard, with the aid OF
these doctors, may develop p case Of
spinal disease. II q man insists he has
shooting pains in the back, no one
can say him may, and in absence Of
proof that he has not q jury will natu.
rally give him damages. The sfrailway
J 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 gymp
| toms Of the disease they are sarp0sed K
have, and in learned terms alnazs ths
ordinary country jury.
On roads like the Pennsylvania ani
| the Central Railroad Of New Jersey
there are regular surgeons at stated
} points, and rs oon as an accident oc
ours they are Immediately sent for. The.
have the power Of calling such extra
! help as they deem necessary.
Roads on which Q surgeon Ia q pale
official claim that through him much
money has been saved. Outsiders wouli
grow dizzy with wonder If they knew
! Of the number OF suits and claims tina
arise from railroad accidents. The ON
cials, however, remain imperturbable
! They know that most of the claims ar'
spurious, and ON investigation will fad,
away like q mist before the rising SIM
To investigate such claims and to settl'
In cases of real damage are the dutie
Of the claim agent The railway sur
> geon and the claim agent are TO the MAJ
who has q fraudulent claim q source o
horror and disgust
An Illinois surgeon tells Of M inter
esting claim. Al man who was travelling
in company with q number Of friend
was thrown across the aisle OF q a b.
q slight accident that jostled every one
but In reality hurt no one He wen
home all right, but after several days
deliberation ne made mp his mind tina
( his head was paining him. From the1
. ON he would drop in to BEE the peopl
who had seen him thrown and In th
midst OF q serious conversation wQul'
make some idiotic remark about 81
price Of beans in Pennsylvania Ate
awhile he induced his friends 70 believ
: he was crazy. The company heard .
his strange proceedings and began \ ht
tie investigation. They found that h
!, crazy fits were confined TO certain on
: Giles. Among business people his action
D were those Of q perfectly sane . =
. never oyerpaid his workmen, nor did ,
buy anything at double what 1t wa
worth. People with whom he was doin
business were informed-frOm wha
: ! source may be gnessed--that Mr. 4
was insane. Mr.. a finally came TO th
conclusion that III no wanted 10 retai
2 his business the best thing he could q
was 10 spread abroad reports Of his rapi
+ and complete recovery, and he did
The surgeons are frequently the spes
2 tasors OF almost incredible coolnesl
= One tells o story Of D Texas engines
= manned Pen Riun&. The surgeon Wiy<