The Washington times., 1922-07-26
u S. To Find Relation
Of Work. To Sickness
Public Health Service Among
Federal Clerks Now Elinni-
mating Hazards in Three
Branches.


new role.
He's the new Government doc.
| tor"
The United States Public Health
Service Is looking out for the
health Of the $4,000 clerks EN-.
ployed In the Government depart.
ments in Washington.
There have been many clerks
! home on sick leave who have re.
ceived visits from visiting nurses
from the, departments" and been
told to BRING a Doctors certificate
| when they are able to return to
the real significance Of those opera.
tons.
The Public Health Service Is in
the nidst Of one Of the biggest
health programs ever conceived by
this Government. con p2rable 10
the German health system before
! the war, In It's effort to protect the
health Of it's thousands OF Federal
employees. Health cards have been
installed in some Of the depart.
ments.
With the Government hysienic
laboratory at Twenty.fifth and r
streets nothwest. at its disposal. n
staff OF scientists and doctors are
at work studying health conditions
in Government departments and the
diseases most prevalent among its
employees.
DR.. Thompson Directs.
Under the direction Of DR.. Louis
I. Thompson. the work of eliminat.
ing health hazards" in the depart
ments is going on as the newest
branch Of activity OF the Govern
ment service.
The idea OF protecting the health
Of workers is new in the Govern.
ment service. Big business and
private industry have long appre-
ciated the importance Of looking on
good health OF it's workers as q
decided asset.
Mrs. Carolyn Harding Votaw. sis
ter Of the President, and . noted
welfare worker, has charge Of the
absentee work in the general pro
gram. and In an advisory capacity
gives valuable assistance at the
Veterans Bureau. She has offices
in the headquarters building. at
Seventh and B streets southwest.
Would you know that the white
could cause headaches and eye
strain. and be a constant cause for
absence among clerks?
Would II occur TO you that handl.
ing Of certain kind OF ink could
cause boils. and that another ink
could be found that would eliminate
that "hazard?"
These and sundry other hazards
are a fair sample Of what the Gov
ernment scientists are working to
eliminate for the protection OF health
OF it's employees.
A backache epidemic from Ger.
| tain divisions in departments has
been reported to the Public Health
and II has been found that the type
chairs used had caused II. New
ones were recommended by investi.
gators to replace them that would
eliminate that handicap.
Saving Workers' Eyes.
Cases Of eye strain and headache
were reported TO the new division Of
the public health by the District Blu.
reau OF Internal Revenue recently.
Investigation showed that the 'slar3
Of the white walls had caused II, said
DR.. Thompson. Approximately 5000
clerks out of $4,000 were suffering
with eye trouble. II was recommend.
ed that the curtains be changed to
roll up from the bottom instead Of
the top as a remedy. Results report.
cd back to the health service showed
that the disability OF clerks was
much reduced, said DR.. Thompson.
Another hazard was eliminated.
Another instance OF health hazard
elimination which has been accom-.
plished since the newest branch of
the health service went into opera
ton last September is that Of the
printers of the Bureau Of Engraving
and Printing. Reports came into ;he
bureau of ink poisoning. known in
scientific parlance as link derma'
toses." Investigation by the health
service chemists showed II was tho
way the printers washed after using
the ink that caused this skin erup-
tion.
They were shown how to over.
come this danger by putting lanoline
and green soap on their arms before
going to work on the ink machine.
and how by washing afterward
with sawdust and green soap. the
hazard of poisoning would be elimi.
mated. They had been using pumice
to remove the ink stains. which were
found by Public Health chemists
called in. to harden the skin ard
cause boils.
Good Health an Asset.
The scientific reason underlying
the protective activities IL to deter.
mine IL illness has any relation to
the type Of work the employe is
engaged in. and II the illness is
found to be caused by the work.
transfer the clerk into a division in
which he or she is fitted.
''Paternalistic, YOU will say. Not
at all, according to DIR. Thompson.
who is directing the work. He says
good health is a business asset in a