Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-24

CO1upSilSdttOH COHlIiISSlOIfeTS ndS been rendered to the governor. It covers the number of accidents reported dur ing the last two xszkg and the total sums expended for snpensation and doctors bills; also ail approximation Of the number of persons under the act. The relation of doctors to the administration of the act is discussed and. recommendation made that the commissioner be given power to change doctors. Recent decisions of the supreme court are discussed and explained, and nineteen amendments to the act proposed, one or two of which are somewhat fundamental, but most of which are more or less tech nical, having to do with the admin iStration of the act.
 For the twenty-two months in cIuded in the report 79,1S4 accidents were reported, of which 20,374 were cases calling for compensation in ad- dition to doctors bills, the amount paid out therefor by self-insurers and insurance companies amounting to $3,0S2,71S. From the best figures ob- tainable it appears that 544,SS5 people in Connecticut are protected by the act.
 Tables are given. showing that of the 140 employers carrying their own risk, 60 maintain first aid departments and B have emergency hospitals with one or more trained nurses in attend ance. In discussing these industrial hospitals, the commissioners say that it may be laid down as an almost in- variable rule that the surgical results from such hospitals, where they are properly administered, are distinctly to the advantage of the employees. h. r,Io cases of infection which are so ire quent as affecting the general run of employees, are practically unknown '' adding that the danger is that phy sician will not be called in every case where his services are needed The most satisfactory results "are found in those plants where there is a we'll equipped emergency hospital with conscientious trained nurses and pos sibly an orderly in attendance the hospital being visited daily, or oftener, by one or more rSputable surgeons ir general practice in the community
 Physicians receive considerable at tention. The so-called contract doc tor,'' who is employed on a salary by insurance companies or large employ CTS, comes in for his share. So, too, do those physicians, who habitually, either by private arrangements as to fees or for any other reason, treat practically all of the cases of certain employers or insurance companies. The commissioners point out that, aside from an almost unavoidable de- sire to stand by his employer, such a physician deals almost wholly with trouma, and, fails of that broader view point which comes from the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders as such and independent of their source. He is apt to be unduIy sus- picious of the motives of injured workmen. Furthermore, he is espec- tally prone to disregard those symp toms which. although they are sub- l iective, are none the less real.' They also issue d warning that "one of the besetting sins of physicians and sur l geons, and often of practitioners of very high standing, is to slip uncon- sciously into the role of advocate" 1 On the whole, however, greater dan- gers would result from the choice o1 i physicians entirely by the injured 1 Workmen, as less sllillful and con 1 scientious physicians on the average would be secured in that way. In or der ito mitigate what seems to be ar undue harshness in the existing rule. 1 two important amendments are rec
 
 where an employer has neglected tC 1 provide a physician and the workIner | has gone and secured his own, the i employer cannot then come in and or,
 der change without the approval O 1 the commissioner. The other gives tt ] the commissioner in all cases thu right to order a change of doctors fo 1 good cause shown.
 i The discussion of the relation 0 l physicians to the act ends with tn
 rcassuring statement that it is II pleasure to report that the code o
 ethics which the medical profession ! has developed throush a long series 2 years has amply vindicated itself il
 the operation of the act, and not
 little of the success of this piece o
 legislation has been due to the ski
 and high sense of honor of the physi
 clans and surgeons who have aide the commissioners in applying tn
 law
 Under the general caption. "som
 Points Set at Rest" there is an ex
 piaEation Of the leading decisions C
 the supreme court. interpreting tn act, handed down during the perio covered by the report, the most i'm portant of which from a practice
 point of view is Franlll vs. WilliaI
 Schollhorn Company, decided in Apr cf the current year. under which . workman, who has lost a Gnger' CT ; leg may, in addition to the specif number of weeks allowable for sue
 loss, also collect compensation for th } period of total tncapacity which ma have preceded such loss. Connecte with this are two other decisions. lin iting the period of time for whic , compensation may be So collected
 that preceding the amputation.
 Another interesting decision ws ] that of DouthWright vs. Champlin, which the supreme court decided tha if the injury is sustained in Connec
 ticut, the claims falls under the Cor { necticut act. even though the contra . Of employment was made in son ] other state.
 Perhaps the most important part 0 the report is that containing the ret f concentrations as to legislation. Nint ,. teen amendments to the act are re-
 commended or suggested. Several l these are mere verbal changes mat !. necessary by experience to avoid an q biguity or correct minor defects. Or n amendment simplifies the method h which an employer of less than if . persons can come under the act, if h so desires: another recommends tn s the period allowable for partial il d capacity be the same as that alloy e able for total incapacity. that is t weeks; another that under certa t conditions, interest shall be paid, n the employer or the insurer on owe h due compensation; and another pr = vides for appeals from a part of I award only, leavfng the undisput
 portion to become effective at once.
 l q dGC h R where appeals are taken and one