The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-27
Sante Fe Looks After Its San
itary Conditions.
Provides Better Water for En-
plOyes in Shops.
WONDERFUL RESULTS.
Not One-Tenth as Much Sickness
Among the Men.
Other Items Of Interest to
Railway People.

The management of the Santa Fe
shops has inaugurated a campaign for
making the shops as sanitary as posi-
bic and this campaign in the short time
of six months has decreased the cases
of sickness in the hospital to about one
tenth of the former number.
The main cause of sickness in the
Santa Fe shops until within the past
half a year has been caused by the
water which was furnished to the en-
ployes. The water was pumped from
a well by the Santa Fe pumping sta
ton which is located near the Kansas
river bridge and piped through the diff
ferent shops where 1t was taken out of
ers with ice. Impurities crept in at
times and sickness resulted.
In order to avoid the large amount
of sickness which followed this prac-
tice, John Purcell, the superintendent
of the shops, together with the physi-
clans a the Santa Fe hospital, devised
a system for treating the water so that
it is almost pure.
East of the locomotive shop large
tank with a capacity of 5000 gallons
was constructed. Every morning a z
o'clock this tank which is scientifically
constructed according to the directions
of Mr.. Purcell is filed with water and
is boiled under the supervision of a
special employee who is employed solely
to look after the water.
After the water has been boiled for
some time, all the water in the large
tank is emptied through strainers into
smaller tanks containing from 40 to 80
gallons which are located in the various
shops. These tanks are constructed
used for ice. The ice and water never
come together. This water serves
throughout the day for the employees.
In the evening at o'clock the big
t.,
boiled. While this is being done, an
other man performs the task of clean
ing the smaller tanks and scalding them
out.
At midnight the cooling tanks are
again filled with water which has been
freshly scalded and at three o'clock in
the morning the tanks are filled with
ice. When the men come to work in
the morning the water is cool and is as
pure as can be obtained any place in
the world.
In order that the water may be kept |
as nearly pure as is possible a chemist |
from the hospital every two weeks pays |
a visit to the shops. Small bottles are
filled with water from every cooling |
tank and analyses are, made If any |
trouble is found it is speedily reported |
to the superintendent. and the bad con- |
ditionS are corrected. |
Those who have charge of the work |
of treating the water are very enthus- |
iastic when they talk of the success of |
the system and the men in the shops |
heartily approve OF the purifying of the |
water which they realize is for their
benefit and fewer cases OF sickness and
men laying off are reported now than
before this system was inavgurated.
Another system has been instituted in
the shops which plays large part in
promoting the physical conditions of the
employees. Two men in each different
shop, twenty men in ALL through the
shops are given special instructions and
special privileges in order that they may
act as the first aid to those who are
injured. Every few days these men are
sent to the hospital where they are in
as to the best methods of car
ing for the sick and injured men in the
shops. They are provided with the
usual remedies for use in cases of sick
ness and injuries and are also provided
with a kit OF the necessary surgical in
struments which they bring into service
when any one is severely injured. Most
Of the injuries tc men in the shops come
from bruises received from machines or
allowing weights to drop on their feet.
Cramps and fainting comprise the chief
eases of sickness.
In case a man is afflicted with a sud-
len injury or severe case of sickness
drop their work and rush to the rescue
IF their unfortunate comrades. They
apply the remedies for the case at
hand. The injured patients are re-
hospital in the shops from
which they notify the hospital and
n en- care for the men until a physi-
,ian and ambulance arrive from the
hospital 1t usually takes about fif-
cen or twenty minutes for a doctor to
arrive from the hospital and during
his time the wounds and injuries are
Jared for at the emergency hospital
The special employees accompany their
patient to the hospital where they
.ender whatever assistance they can.
When their work is completed they re-
urn to their work in the shops as if
lothing had happened and ready to
ARE for another patient If any of their
elbow laborers meet with severe ac-
,idents.
At stated intervals since the install
alton of this system these men meet
It the hospital where they are given a
ecture by some member of the hos
,ital staff and where they relate their
and ask questions, all of
which benefits their medical knowl-
dge mutually.
1t is now about eight months since I
he Inauguration of this system and
Turing this time there have been but I
ew cases which have failed to be
enefited by the work of these special ]
medical employees. Oftentimes the SER
ice they have rendered before the ar
ival of a physician has saved the I'M ]
ortunate laborers from death. At
ention rendered during the first fif-
cen minutes after an accident has