Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-09
EDMUND w. FRAN
On the DANGERS We Meet

TT NIGHT be a matter Of interest for the
L average man to know the enormous num-
Der of hazards which he faces in the course
of an ordinary day in the peaceful pursuit or
his business and recreation. points out
Edmund W. Frain, accident claim expert
and superintendent of commercial accidents
and health of the General Accident, Fire
and Life Assurance Corporation.
Without taking into consideration voca-
tional risks-that is. the dangers run in
pursuits that are admittedly haZardous-in
fact merely considering some Of the chances
run every day in the course of normal
life it is amazing the chances we run.
AT home. in the street, in public places
on vacations, on the water, travelling indoors
and outdoors, wherever we may op' thc
dangers we run would appall the average
man IL he but sat down for short time ana
thought about 1t.
Even though he be in perfect health and
has on the one hand reached years OF ans,
creton and on the other has not aged beyond
the wears when he is fully able to take care
of himself, he every day faces loss OF lie,
physical impairment or the ability to earn Il
livelihood.
.In our business we do not insure any
body under eighteen years of age nor more
than sixty wears of age. We do not take
risks on extremely hazardous orruDatlonS.
Yet we got a large number of accident cases,
dine TO thereasons which | am about to mcn-
tiOn, which cost on an average about n
three weeks period of total disability and
three weeks period of partial disability, not
70 mention death Or permanent injury and
thc loss of income due to lost time or phySi
cal and mental ability to earn living and
the costs which such accidents entail.
Always in Danger
From the time man or woman wakes
in the morning until after they have retired
nt night, statistics show that they are in
danger Thus when the sleeper wakes in the
morning. it has been shown that many have
sustained injuries of various degrees OF
seriouSneSs BY falling on the floor aS they
hurriedly arose. The. last thing at night,
the tired sleeper jumping into bed has in
many cases sustained serious injuries by
striking his head as he slipped going to rest.
"One of the most interesting points is the
fact that thc majority of accident insurance
roscs do not come from the dangers which
nre usually feared by the average man.
Thus the apparently safe operation OF taking
bath has proved to be one OF the sources
most prolific of injuries. Fails entailing
serious injuries due to missed footing ana
slippery, soapy tubs have resulted IN Il great
number of serious INJURIES
"Shaying is another dangerous operation.
The number of cases of serious cuts has
renched great proportions, even with the
safety razor so much used, In Pulmans
thiu has DrOVpl to be especially dangerous,
MANY men have sustained serious injuries
nv the train swcrving at n critical point
while other cases have been known where an
outsider nearby has been caught by the
shaver struggling to get his balance and
severely cut.
Domestic Dangers
.The simple operation of cutting cOrns has
nrovrd to be exceedingly dangerous. There
aro many injuries due to accidents while
Tghtinr cigars. cigarettes and pipes.
..Thc sleeper who rises and goes to the
bathroom during the night takes many
chances We have many cases of falls down.
stairs due to the half awake person slim
ming or tripping while on the way to the
bathroom, not to mention the chances of this
sort which he takes in the ordinary courso
| of ascending and descending. Many women
| fall during the day and night us they po
| about dressed in loose ncgligecs, which, ratrh
| and trip them.
pets ABOUT the house, from an Incident
standpoint, are great source Of dan0or
| There are hundreds Of cases of bites wLirh,
| are not only sometimes serious. but nv'
| ncnsive. IIydrophoba Is likely 70 drvoInr
! from the bite Of Il pet animal and II toiop,
| from sixty to ninety days for il to manifoyt
itself. The insured man naturally +" nro
| tcct himself must take the PaStp6r treot
ment, which Is expensive. How monv no',o,,
| there are which are not insured II wouIJ ho
| impossible to say. o'' w
\ frhe rolnping habits Of pets have also