The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-17
tcopyrsh',
"Any Skin Disease in Your Plant,
Doctor?p

The investigation recently begun by
the L. S. public health service into
the causes and prevalence of skin dis
scases arising from occupational haz
ards is already yielding interesting
fruit Most striking of all, so far, il
the discovery of the number of plants
where many employees are suffering
from occupational diseases, most Of
them skin. with either the plant
physician or the men themselves realiz-
ing that their trouble is more than in
dividual
an one plant" said Surgeon General
Cumming, "where Khaki cloth was
made up, inspection by public health
service representative disclosed wom-
an who complained to the plant doctor
that a slight cut from her scissors had
given her eczema; boy who carried
bales of the cloth on his shoulders who
complained that the dust from the
bales had given him the same dis
ease; and a very large number Of
women stitchers, whose duties com
PEELED them TO handle and sew the
cloth continuously, who were suffering
with Inflammation of the mucous
membrane of the eyes. Analysis Of
the dust showed that it contained a
large percentage Of chrome yellow and
sulphur dioXide Steps are now being
taken to reduce the dust hazard.
In another plant, where a thousand
men were working on machines, where
they were exposed to large amounts
of cutting" oils, superficial iavestiga
ton showed that about fourth Of
those examined were suffering from
and other skin troubles. Nei-
Their the doctor nor the men had as
crbed TIE trouble to the oils. Sim
pie methods OF preparing for work and
Of cleaning up at the end Of each shift
were prescribed and resulted in a
marked decrease in the number of men
affected
In another plant where cutting oils
were also used in large amounts, the
plant doctor said that there had been
4 good deal of skin trouble, but that
It had suddenly disappeared some
weeks before from some unknown
'ause. Investigation showed that II
lad disappeared because the foreman,
worried by the suffering of the men
ind their lessened production, had in
listed on their amounting their hands
With vaseline before they went to work
md washing them with antiseptic soap
Il closing time. Skin troubles seem
o be typical where cutting oils are
Ised at any quantity.
How greatly the manufacturers as
veil as the men appreciate the work 1
hat the public health service is do !
No is shown bv two Characteristic in
tances A Young physician who had
barge Of the medical and surgical re-
ief work of a plant. asked the public I
calth service doctor how he could 1
make his employers raise his $1,000 a |
ear salary. The doctor told him that /
e was already being paid $500 year
90 much, for he was doing no more !
han the 5000 nurse who worked with
i'm could do BY herself Study the
eeds of your plant" advised the serv-
ee man, Investigate the causes of
ccidents and of head aches and col
-; suggest to the management ways
thereby these may be reduced and the
,st time saved; and see what will hap
en-" Six months later the plant
MUSICIAN told the service doctor that
e had acted on the advice; and that
is employers had doubled his salary in
Still more illustrative Of the value
( preventive hygiene is the case Of
high priced man, who at the insist
nee Of the vice president Of large
company, resigned from
ie public health service, by which he
as employed. in order to supervise
he health Of the workers in the com
lny's factories. Later, the vice pres
ent resigned; and the other officers,
no had taken little interest in the
,alth work, seriously considered drop
nr Il They preached the subject
the medical director, who produced
S records and charts aud clearly dem
l-trated how greatly accidents. i'll
IS and absenteeism, and turnover Of
nployes had been decreased in direct
Of his work Not only did
e company continue the work. but
ey promptly voted the doctor a thou