Omaha daily bee., 1921-12-23
DISEASES AMONG WORKERS.

pany, dcducting therefrom that Ger
tain physical defects are not Of i'm
| portance In a factory such as tn,
one with which he Ii connected.
Here is what he says abou
| hernias:
1--WE have not found already ex
| isting hernia an industrial defec
leading to loss OF time, operation O
compensation. During 10 years onl.
one OF the Norton company's EN-
ployes has developed strangulate,
hernia. and that occurred outside O
working hours.
I'm four years only lc cases O
varicose veins applied for treat
ment."
He therefore advises his employ
ment department TO take on meY
with varicose veins. unless they have
varicose ulcers or swelling of tho
ankles. Varicocele amounts Il
nothing.
Deafness, while It increase.
slightly the general risk and make.
explanation of work more difficult
Is no bar to employment for ordi.
nary work. In fact, some foremer
prefer deaf men because they at.
tend to work better.
In abrasive industries there Il
considerable hazard to vision
Therefore men with poor eyesight
are not employed in the abrasive in
dustries. For work requiring extra
good vision men with eye defects
cannot be used.
Arteriosclerosis Is not barrier
to employment. Among the Norton
men there were two deaths from
apoplexy in four years. Under med
ical supervision, with some advice
as to habits, persons with arterio-
sclerosis make satisfactory work
men. ..
There are about 1000 men under
observation. During four years 90
applied for treatment of heart
trouble. In 1920 11S men with
heart leaks were found, but only 10
lost time on that account. There
fore 1t is important to know the
state Of the heart muscle as well as
Of the heart valve, In setting men to
work.
In 1920 eight cases Of consump-
ton were found. Active consump-
ton has no place In a factory, but
cases Of arrested tuberculosis can be
employed with safety in all depart
ments except those where the air is
dusty.
But If these conditions are unim-
portant from the standpoint OF the
employer and employe, there are
others which are not.
In four years 14,5o2 applied for
treatment for respiratory diseases.
Forty-six cases of tonsillitis were
absent from work 328 days in the
aggregate. After removal of the
tonsils the rate Of absenteeism due
to tonsillitis was cut in half. There
fore, an examiner should be on the
lookout for bad tonsils, because they
bring about both tonsillitis and
rheumatism.
He should be on the lookout for
arthritis of the spine and hips. and
of the long bones and old injuries
of bones etering into joints. These
cause frequent illness and consider
able enteeism-much more than
heart disease or consumption.
Sunlight Kills 'Em.
Mrs. o. D. writes: "Just now,
when there is so much diphtheria
throughout the country. I should
like to see something in your col
umn about it.
81. Why is 1t such dreaded dis
ease and regarded as SO contagious?
20. When one in a family has 1t.
why do the younger rather than the
older members of the family take 1t
"3. Will antitoxin kill, II it does
not cure? s,',, :. - .,,..,.,
80. Can one carry germs outside
the house and give them to another
child?
"6. Would you have to touch a
patient, himself, to do so?
~. How long does germ live
In the fresh air?
"S. If one dies and the body IS
embalmed should the house be
fumigated before admitting people :?
Have just lost relative and
earned the ill will of all my family
because I was so strict"
REPLY.
I. When diphtheria attacks only
one member of a family, it Is be-
cause the other members were not
exposed, or they had a natural i'm
munity, or they acquired immunity
at the time.
q. " lIC oISVeiSC 40
gained with age. Children are more
susceptible than grownups.
8. No.
4. No.
5. Yes.
6. No.
7. Not longer than a few hours,
if bright sunlight strikes it.
8. Public funerals in contagious
disease cases are against the law,
even il embalming and flmiga tion
have been done. The reason is that
the chance is considerable thar
some member OF the family present
at the funeral will be a carrier.
Grease the Skin.
J. NJ. writes: "Will you please
give in your column recipe for
heating season each year? 1t Is
most troublesome from knees down."
REPLY.
Grease the skin. Use whatever
grease or ointment you prefer. Keep
the air in your bedroom cool and
moist. Sleep under less cover.
Might Be Harmful.
]. H. writes: "Will you kindly
advise If snuffing a weak solution OF
salt and water up the nostrils is
good for a cold or catarrh in the
head, or will it help breathing
through the nostrils?"
REPLY.
There is considerable chance that
ii will do no harm, but the prob
ability is the other way.
DIR. Lorenz's Heroism.
Any surgeon who, like DR.. Lorenz.
will struggle in the face of his own
physical suffering to relieve the
throngs of cripples who have be-
sieged his clinics is a man whom
America should delight to honor
and hold in the highest respect
Baltimore Sun.
Fore!
Winter golf Is one of the hest of