The Colorado statesman., 1916-10-14
CAUSE OF
TERRIFIC WASTE
Uncle Sam Seeking to Reduce
Great Economic Loss
Among Workers.
HEALTH LABORER'S CAPITAL
Conservation of Efficiency, Aside From
Humanitarian Aspects, Called
Plain Business Prop
osition.

Uncle Sam is turning his attention
to the task of improving health condi-
tions among the 30,000,O00 workers in
the United States.
The United States bureau of mines,
in the past, has been mainly interested
in the reduction of deaths by accident
among men connected with the mining
industry, has broadened its scope to
include the health of the men, and has
just issued a report on health conser-
walton at steel mills. This report,
while especially prepared for the ben
eft of the men who toll in the great
steel mills, contains advice of direct
value to every one of the 30,000,000
workers in the United States and also
to all employers of labor.
The issuance of this report is direct
ly due to a cooperative agreement en-
tered into by Director Van. III. Man
ming of the bureau of mines with the
public health service, the latter serv-
ice assigning Surgeon ]. A. Watkins
to the task.
"The Importance of the prevention
of disease among workers can be real
lied from the fact that the average
| loss of time due to illness among ap
proximately 30,000,000 workers in the
United States is nine days a year."
says Surgeon Watkins. "If medical
attention be estimated at one dollar a
day and earnings at two dollars day,
this loss amounts to nearly $SS0,000, 900
annually.
Is Business Proposition.
"The statement that a man whose
health is below par has a working ef
ficiency below par should need no ex-
PLANTATION. Efficiency of the workman
is a subject no operator can afford to
| ignore, for, after all, industrial eff
cheney depends ON the man behind the
machine. Aside, then, from its hui
manitarian aspects, the prevention of
conditions productive of i'll health is
a plain business proposition.
Health is the workingman's capi-
tai, his stock in trade. Without health
his earning capacity is limited, and
those dependent on him suffer as well
as he. The workingman has right
to demand that he be not required to
work beside men who are diseased or
mentally deranged. All candidates for
employment and all men already en-
ployed should be examined in order
that those physically or mentally de-
fective may be detected and given
medical attention. Moreover, sys-
tenn of medical supervision is neces.
sary in order to prevent the introduc-
ton and spread of infectious or conta.
gious diseases. Experienced, hard.
working and valuable employees may
not be working at their full capacity
because of some defect of which they
are unaware. Should such conditions
be brought to light and remedied
these men will be restored to full eff
cheney.
"Again, a progressive disease may be
affecting person, so that his working
period is being rapidly shortened.
With system of physical examination
his condition is discovered, treatment
is instituted at an earlier date, and
relief made more certain.
| Physician Should Be in Charge.
'In the past it has been customary
for the attending physician of an in
dustrial plant to confine his activities
to the treatment of those injured or
taken acutely ill while at work and to
| give only a part of his time to these
| duties. The physician should be
whole-time employee, and his expert
knowledge and training along other
lines should be utilized. His duties
should include medical examination
and supervision of the health of the
working force.
| "Another important duty that a
company may take up is that of per-
sonal hygiene. Employees of expert.
ence and skill whose services are of
value may be living in such unhygienic
surroundings that their period of serv-
ice is being rapidly cut short. BY en-
couragement and advice the condition
can be corrected and sickness in the
family prevented.
"Undue fatigue is one of the most
common causes of occupational dis
ability; it lowers the vitality of the
individual and thereby increases his
susceptibility to the hazards of his oc-
cupation and to disease in general.
Fatigue is also of direct practical i'm
portance. 1t lengthens the time nec-
essary for the worker to perform
given amount of work, thereby decreas-
| ing the amount of work performed in
given length of time, as, for instance,
working day. In addition, it increases
the liability of error and is an 1mpor-
tant causative factor of accidents"