The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-07-06
Dressing rooms and

separated from the rooms where tn
~ dangerous process is carried on, ant
every precaution must be taken t
prevent poisonous dust and fumel
from polluting the air. More impor
'tant still, employees in dangerous pro
Il scesses must be examined by a ply.
stefan once a month, the physician
to be provided by the employer.
s.. No other state so far has Legislation
of equal Importance to the worker!
in dangerous industries. Massachu.
sets empowers her State Board o.
II. Health to rectify Industrial conditions
r which may cause eye injuries to work
"aers and to remove children from EN-.
ployment in dangerous processes.
:, Eight American states, California
Connecticut, Illinois. Maryland, Michi-
gan. New Jersey. New York and Wis
consin. require physicians to report
. cases Of illness resulting from work.
ing in factories where common in
dustrial poisons, such as lead, mercury
ana arsenic, are uSeQ.
h.. Michigan, Minnesota, New York.
= Ohio and Oklahoma prohibit the en-
ployment Of women in any occupation
requiring constant standing.
DR.. M. q. Overlook, medical inspec-
tor Of factories in Massachusetts, ia
-. of the opinion that education can
= greatly aid in the prevention of in
dustrial diseases. He believes that
medical colleges will be obliged short
ly to add departments for the study.
diagnosis and treatment of industrial
diseases.
Industrial clinics similar to those in
successful operation In Milan, Italy,
the doctor thinks, will soon be estab-
lished here and he believes that in
4. dustrial hygiene exhibits similar to
v the travelling exhibit recently sent out
- by the American Association for La
:: Dor Legislation should be used to
stimulate those at the head Of in
dustrtal establishments. particularly in
the dangerous trades, to provide the
best sanitary conditions.
A few years ago much was printed
in the newspapers Of this city in ref
erence to the fatality Of the bends or
sandhogs' disease, which afflicts those
obliged to work underground under a
heavy air pressure, but much has been
done since then by the medical men
Of this city toward lessening the dan
gers Of employment in compressed
air, and cases OF the bends are by no
means as frequent as formerly.
Chief among the remedies which
have proved effective are physical ex-
aminations Of all employees, shorten
ing the hours of labor and hospitals
in connection with all large under
ground operations where compressed
air Is used. In these hospitals, which
are in charge of qualified attendants.
ately treated.
In Germany, England and France
workers in dangerous trades are re-
CURED to wash their hands and faces
before eating or leaving the factory.
No food or drink or tobacco is al
lowed in workrooms.
In the dusty trades employees are
required to take regular warm baths
:. and the plants must be daily we'll
cleaned. They must also be we'll light
ed and ventilated.
- Germany and England require em-
: ployers In certain trades to keep
health records of employees. In these
countries and in France a medical
certihcate Of fitness is required from
every applicant for work in a dan
ii, gerous trade. Physical examinations
ID. are frequent.
~'7 In some Of these matters the United
States is far behind foreign countries,
but the American Association of La
Dor Legislation Is making every ef-
fort to influence legislation along the
same lines.
Those In charge of the association
believe that the government is re-
sponsible for and it alone can remedy
many Of the needlessly injurious con-
ditions which produce the Industrial
diseases.
Although industrial diseases are
found in some degree In every indus.
try. from the largest to the smallest,
there are certain we'll identified com.
. plants which have become common,
] such as the hatter's shake. the pot
r ters rot. the painters collie, and wrist
drop. the caisson workers bends, the
match makers phossy jaw, the brass
workers chills. the boiler makers
deafness. the glass blowers cataract,
the miners asthma and the blue gums
Of the lead workers. Those who are