Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-04
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
X.-Labor Legislation.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

Effective labor legislation to prevent
unnecessary accidents and to minimize
occupational diseases is a Jurisprudence
Of very recent origin in the United
States. True, Massachusetts turned its
attention to child labor as early as 1856,
but industrial development. particularly
in textile industries, soon outgrew these
regulations: also, the first statute gov
erning safety and sanitation was pass
ed by Massachusetts in 1877, but again
it stood practically alone. and this pio-
neer legislation merely brings out clearly
the backwardness of our other states
Even Massachusetts, failed to take up
eases, deep and thorough, until 1907.
From this dates the crusade that is gain
ing in momentum every day
Then came the United States bureau OF
labor with its monumental series of bull
letins, designed, and successfully so, to
arouse public interest Independent OF
state boundaries. Illinois was next in
line, enacting in 1911 legislation resultant
from an investigation which began four
years before. In 1911 and 1912 California,
Wisconsin, Connecticut. Maryland, MIchi-
gan. New Jersey and New York passed
laws requiring physicians to report occu-
pationaI diseases. including anthrax.
compressed air or caisson disease and
poisoning from lead, phosphorus. arsenic
and mercury and their. compounds.
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IAN forty eight states now have laws.
more or less effective, designed to pro-
vide for the in
Action of States stallation of
to Curtail Danger. the prevention Of
industrial accidents from moving ma
chinery. Observation-Disclosures il is
true-fAr protection against injurious dust
have been enacted in twenty-five states;
against defective or improper lighting in
twelve states: against poisonous gases,
fumes and vapors in fifteen states;
against excessive temperature and humid
ity in eleven states. and for the protec-
ton of workers in compressed air in one
state-New York.
Perhaps the American Association for
Labor Legislation has more to do with
these reforms than any other single or
ganization. Certainly its part has been
ornamental or private. To this association
Is mainly due the thanks of the nation for
its successful fight Of years which abso
lutely stopped the manufacture Of poison
Gus phosphorus matches in this country
July l, 1918, and ended forever in this
country the loathsome ''phossy jaw
Thirteen states have workmen's COM
papsation or accident insurance laws, but
not one has provided thus far for insur-
.ance against occupational diseases. So
biologists and labor hvgienists are al
most unanimously in favor of it. 1t is
applied successfully in European coun-
tries. and they see no good reason why it
is not necessary. here. The Illinois spe-
cial commission reported to the legis'a-
ture that Undoubtedly the time is not dis
tant when Industrial states must take up
the problem Of legislation upon sick in
surance. To provide scientific basis
for such legislation. it recommended the
appointment of u competent commission
having the powers and the means to make
a thorough study of kinds, causes and
extent of diseases among working people
of the state. and the most modern meth
DDS of protection. prevention and insur-
ance. The legislature did not see fit to
go SO far at that time. though it die enact
considerable remedial legislation.
!. =
Wisconsin seems to have gone further
in industrial regulation upon behalf of the
WORK n 9
Wisconsin Goes class. As the