Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-27

I compensation act to include the &C.
I cupationally diseased employee the bull
| letin cites the case of man who was
working on buffing wheel. which was
equipped with an ordinarily sufficient
blower. The elbow accidently became
clogged with dust, resulting in the
employee contracting lead poisoning.
The employer had complied with the
occupationar disease law and could not
be held liable under its provisions.
The compensation act afforded no re-
lief, since according to our law &C.
cupational diseases are no5 considered
an injury due to an accident. a physi
cal examination showed that the en-
ploye was suffering from a lead paraly-
sis and Bright's disease and that he
was entirely deprived OF his earning
capacity. He. his wife and children
are now a charge upon the county.
On this point says Mr.. Nelson: THE
employe. who is occupationally dis
eased, is part and parcel of that great
mass of human labor and no reason is
perceived why an injury by accident is
any more serious than one by disease.
The result is, that in the one case
remedy is given by way of compensa
ton. in the other he is turned loose
TO become a charge upon the state.
The fact that one class of employees
is afforded relief and another is de
MED such benefits. amounts to a clear
case of class discrimination"
''Electrica Ophthalmia," explains Mr.
Nelson, lis one of the less commonly
known occupational diseases. The |
workingman calls it EYE flashes" 1t |
is caused by short circuits, loose con-
nections and strong arcs and occurs |
chiefly in electrical departments of |
public utility plants. The few cases
mentioned in medical literature are de-
scribed as being severe and harmful to
the eyes. But this department hav-
ing investigated 30 to 100 cases finds
that this condition is not as danger
Gus as would appear from previous
publications on EYE flashes" The
flash in most cases causes a simple
of the eyes with a mark
ed aversion TO light. Only occasionally
has vision been affected, and then
never permanently"
ut is the aim of this department in
he study of occupational diseases to
arrive at the truth of conditions by re-
search and investigation in order to
correct the fallacies which pseudo
scientists promulgate.
Although the number of occupation
al disease cases is still quite large, it
IS gratifying to know that all cases are
receiving proper attention and with
he aid of our medical staff in this de-
partment will be carefully watched and
kept in hand"
That the new chief factory inspector ,
s on the job and doing things may
eadily be seen by a glance at the
table showing the num-
Der of prosecutions with resultant =,
ines and convictions.
THE previous issue. our first. of the .
bulletins, has met with such great
measure OF success and the requests
nave been SO numerous that we were
to greatly increase our or
Ter this time" says Mr. Nelson. 81 1
want the public to know what this de-
Dartment is doing My administration
IS an open book. l want the people to
come TO these offices and gather
first hand. SO that they will
De convinced We are in earnest and
not playing AT or posing as factory in
pectors. With the aid of public CO.
operation and through the issue OF our
bulletins the work of this department .
viii he a permanent success and a
benefit for those concerned"
San Eraneiaco- armfnad onnosi- .