Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-01

physicians, out tnat we SnOuu take up
and discuss questions with which we are
particularly qualified 10 deal from our
connection with railway work, discussions
which Will elicit much valuable informa-
ZION. alike helpful to railway managers
and useful to the large number OF per-
sons who earn their living in the various
branches of the railway service; also. in
struCtive and interesting 10 ourselves as
railway surgeons.
The first subject which ] would direct
your attention 10 is a field In which lite
work has been done as yet on this side
OF the Atlantic--a field where the railway
surgeon viii be doing great and unset
fsh work for the benefit of humanity-l
refer To the instruction of railway en-
ploYees i'm the principles of rendering first
aid 10 those injured or sufferlng from
other emergencies. 1t has been said, ana
truly SO. that the fate OF the injured per-
son is in the hands of the surgeon who
applies the first dressing. The fate or the
injured is indeed Il sad one II Inc irst
dressing 10 his wounds be done IN me aD-
Sence OF skilled surgical assistance by q
person ignorant of the first principles OF
rendering first aid.
1T is our duty having the knowledge
and the opportunity, 10 take up inns
work 1t Is our duty to our fellow-Delnss
generally. and more particularly to those
railway EMPLOYEES for whose pnNslCa
well-being we should feel ourselves III
some measure responsible. III, 80
"Saving of life and suffering Wouu re-
sult from the diffusion Of first aid intor-
nation among railway employees, anu /"
saving in money would accrue 10 lne Iaii-
way companies by reason OF me less..n
ing OF the number OF lntecteu i,s9
SEEMING i'm the number of deaths now que
10 preventable causes. such as ntlnVa
rhage. asphyxiation. and sepucaeflia' VI
blood poisoning.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
"To direct your attention 10 3nU e,ol,Id
Al nj 4
suuJ 49, mo railway surgeon has a Spe-
cial duty and responsibility III IesaIu ~
public health as well as uut5 to ~
railway and transportation coHlpa'Hinn' a.
the country. The arpiuaIS ,ibo are re-
vised action Of some persons VINO ale
snonsible for the carrying OUT OF ~ Pc
visions of the different pubic-heaIth az W
nov entails great INCONVENIENCE ~ " 80
public and enormous lidnO'''
transpOrta ton companies lid bis in
sTbe railway surgeon can Wlelu M ~
a,,epce To prevent this needless lltu .o
ference with commerce, ana al w n,7ard-
time see that public healtn ~ 80 90 S9cting
"a With many of our members d. ms ,o
an STATE and other boards o. nedl'h, ~
should endeavor to mould pupnc sn,,Id
ment and legislation SO llat tm ',ico win
he the least possible ln.et ioi ia com
.free n,oVement Of individuals ana c""i
81 was astonished TO see during sun nv
Of nv travels little time dso tia t ~, va
citizens OF some oil tnf loMI' " 10
tbroueb had considered 1t necessary "
ostoh1sh what was new TO me-namelE'
n shotgun ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS neighpoi
tne tny,ns Such a state or AFFAIRS DO
this is Il disgrace. not 80 much " ~ IL
IGNORANT public, but to those amOnS w
,1cdical profession who should exert SUI
ficient influence in the commuhlt!
render such a condition OF ai ilanS , 81
possible 10y instructing and mounting pun
lie opinion ApplauseD - -,,,,ioc+
,,la
Of sanitation Of cars ana station Dullu-
ines has received considerable allehtIoil
i'm the uast by members OF TINS aSSoCld
ton, but present conditions sun ueii'''''
our continued efforts.
STANDARD SYSTEM OF RELIEF
another field for the railway surgeon:
I believe a standard system or reheI iof
enpl6vees injured while in dlschaItc vi
their duties is n much-needeu Ivios III
as much so as was the Adoption Oh
etanderd gauge. for tho rOad-bed or
standard coupling on The cars ne wv
last reforms were only secured dltoi
wears of effort by associations 'hteieSleu
in these branches Of railway Work, ana
co IL WIN probably take time and persls-
tent effort to accomplish standard ~
tenn of relief: not that II is not urgently
needed but reliable information VIII nave
TO be gathered from many sources pTIoi
q satisfactory system will be eyoiVed:
From the multiplicity Of systems OF reheI
now i'm use we are sure a standard syS-
tenn can be constructed; a system thdt
win he acceptable and satisfactory poth
Ia the railway employees and the manage
ments and owners of railway companies.
There nav be such a perfect system IN
existence at present, but if there is IL Will
be discovered by a committee appolhle"
to do this work from tnis asSocId tioIi.
"From personal observation ana read-
ing. / find that there is a very cOnsld-
cradle objection manifested on the part
of the employees to any of ;he systems
of relief with which i am acquainted, ana
on the other hand. / believe that the ran
way corporations, at the same time,i are
expanding a large amount of money,
which is being wasted, in so far as II Is
not bringing value To them in the way
Of lcsscnins claims for personal damage
brought against them through courts ana
MONEY Is DIVERTED.
u believe l am within the mark when when
l make the statement That not HlUre
than one d3ll2r in five paid out OF me
Golfers Of railway companies reaches the
pockets of the injured employee or ms
family The amount paiC iOr SuIslCat
attendance would be represented pN
mere fraction. In fact, II Is me n l"nnv.
men who are getting most OF the money
this is unsatisfactory and unjust Doth
to the employee and the railway COrpo.
ration. We want system tnat VIII ~.
rid Of the ambulance chasing lawyer Mho
Is useless parasite; like other noAi"us
germs he cannot thrive in the Hght.
"Whie no doubt there Is a marked an
ference Of opinion as 10 the lines on
which remedy can be found, any dis-
cussiOn which is calculated TO throw ilsht
on the question will be of great value.
and a report Of the proceedings OF such
"A commission as ] suggest VIII be Watch-
ed for with interest by moth railway
managers and railway employees. II
system can be found which would be ac-
ceptable to the railway employees ana
the railway corporations Including, might
/ suggest. arbitration in disputed cases.,
we would be assisting 70 free the man
agements from the enormous cost Of liti-
CATION and the losses of money which
now result to the honest employee who
has suffered personal injury while In as
charge Of his duties"
OTHER OFFICERS REPORT
The treasurer. Or. Eugene r. Lewis, of
Kansas city. submitted his report. in
which he paid a high tribute to General |
Manager Stevens. of the Chesapeake ana |
ohio and TO the general manager OF the |
Grand Trunk, Of Canada. who. he said, |
lad done more for the organization or |
'ailway surgeons than any other railway |
,fiicials and both had risen TO official po-
litions through the ranks OF employees
# the Wabash. He therefore humorous
y suggested that ION the Banks of the
Wabash" be adopted as the song or the
ssociation. He submitted figures setting
orth the financial condition of the or
anization, and his report. together with
short report. rendered by Secretary