Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-21
Things You Want to Know
Railway
Surgeons,

feet hung merely by the skin. The only
thing TO be done was TO stop the flow q
blood This was accomplished by twisting
two pairs OF suspenders around the severed
stumps. The feet were useless and 30 the
surgeon, taking out his pocket knife, cut
off the encumberlng members. The man
recovered.
As an element OF human falibinty 10
more and more being recognized 60 physical
deficiency rather than criminal negligence
the railroads are making strenuous efforts
to secure the services OF only such men a.
are sound Of limb, clear OF eye and mentally
alert. A decade ago Il was the custom for
the prospective engineer or fireman 20
undergo his examination for distinguishing
colors in the railroad Yards Under the super
vision Of the yardmaster II the candidate
for promotion happened TO call a green
flag red, a yardmaster has been known 20
remark "Oh. Jim knows better than
that" Another incompetent would thus be
placed in charge OF an engine bearing its
human freight to death the first time .
confusion OF colors resulted In a collision
Today the testing tor color blindness
comes under the supervision 'St the chief
surgeon. He conducts a rigid examination
Of every man who applies for admission
to the service or who comes up for promo
ton TO a position I'm which eolors have any
bearing upon the safety OF passengers or
employees. The old fashioned way OF test
ing the eyes was to have a candidate
select from a pile Of assorted worsteds the
colors which the examiner would name But
it was discovered by shrewd surgeons that
some Of the candidates we're furnished keys
to the worsted skeins. These skeins had
small numbered tags. on them for the CON
ypnlaprp pf ~,
and the candidates were furnished keys 70
these numbers by friends in the office and
memorized the colors by numbers and not
by shades. 1t is needless to say that In all
modern examiners offices the numbers
have disappeared
In the most up-to date surgeons offices
there is found a complete set OF railway
signals, rugged up exactly as used on
the lines. These signals are installed in a
dark room. and the,ienses are so adjusted
as to admit light OF varying strength, Ac-
cording to the distance at which the eyes
are being tested For $500 feet the dis
lance at which It would be necessary to dis
unguish a danger signal in order 20 bring
swiftly moving locomotive TO Btandstiil.
the CLEAN Of the lamp is scarcely more
than a plnhead OF light The candidate
must be able to distinguish the red. green,
white and yellow lights and call them In
stHntly If he hopes to pass the examination.
Not only are the eyes Of the employs
examined, but a new applicant hes 20.
undergo a careful physical examination,
while every old employe has to submit
TO denomination from time TO time. as
often once every three years on some
systems. Engineers, firemen and flaRmen
who wear glasses are required TO undergo
re-eXamination frequently, in order to guard
against their eyes growing suddenly weaker
and incapacitatlng them for service
The services of railroad surgeons are.
Of course, gratuitous as far as injured
passengers are concerned. 1t frequently
happens that passengers gain the idea that
inasmuch as the surgeons are paid by the
road they will not give the same careful
attention 70 the Injured as would disinter-
ested surgeons. The argument seems alb
surd for 1t is mutually to the interest of
the railroad that passengers should suffer
/ the least possible temporary Inconvenience
or permanent injuries, as by minimizing the
results of a wreck the damage suits are
necessarily lighter.
Railway surgery holds a unique place
in the medical world. It is essentially sur
gerry OF emergency and surgery dealing
with clean, or new wounds. For the latter
reason the suggestion now being debated
as to the advisabiity OF establishing two
classes Of surgeons, Familiarity known as
the clean" and the "unclean." finds warm
favor with many railway physicians. The
proposition is based upon the theory that
a surgeon who handles an infected wound
never can be absolutely certain that he
has completely disinfected his hands his
clothing and each OF his instruments ArBu-
ing upon this hypothesis It is urged that Il
would be infinitely better II all infected
wounds were carried 70 surgeons who make
a speciality OF that class of work, while the
new or clean wounds could be treated by
surgeons who keep their hands surgically
clean. The agitation has not assumed very
formidable proportions as yet but in the
opinion Of many men who keep a little
ahead of the times II is only q question
of few years when the Idea will obtain
a strong hold upon the medical fraternity.
BY FREDERI0 J. HAsKTN.
Tomorrow-The Directory Business.