Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-20
JOHN PRICE JACKSON
Talks OF INDUSTRIAL Clinics

.TF PHILADELPHIA goes as far in the
i matter Of treatment of industrial accl-.
dent cases in the best possible manner I'M
medately after they occur as 1t mas gone
in the matter Of accident prevention. 1t VIII
be n good thing for every one concerned, Is
the opinion of Colonel John Price Jackson,
former State Commissioner OF Labor AND
Industry and vice chairman OF the commit
tee on Industrial Relations OF the Chamber
of Commerce.
"Our committee said Colonel Jackson
Through information which we have re,
ceived from several sources, is convinced
that large amount of the money paid IN
compensation for accidents, much OF the loss
to the worker through lost wages and sur
fering, as well as the disturbance to INDUS
trial procedure contingent upon accidents,
can be avoided through more efficient care
Of those injured in industry and sickness re-
sulting from such injuries.
Benefits to the Worker
THE chief aim is to return the injured
person to his work as soon as possible ana
with as little loss to his earning capacity
as the nature of the accident will allow.
There have been cases where seemingly slight
injuries have developed into serious ones,
and even in extreme cases have cost the loss
of an arm, leg or eye, thus seriously i'm
pairing, if not totally destroying, the earn
ing capacity OF the victim. Our, idea Is TO
prevent these seemingly small injuries from
becoming serious ones.
"Pennsylvania as State and Philadel-
phia as n city are among the leaders of the
Nation in the matter of safety devices anu
protection against accidents. During the
first three and one-half years under COM
pensation, as indicated by the reports Of
the Insurance Department Of the Pennsyl-
vania Department Of Labor and Industry,
the cost to Pennsylvania in actual money
paid out was between $50. .000, 900 and $6O,-
000. 900. This was for compensation, medi-
cal services and expenses. a reasonable cs-,
innate would be that $4,000 900 OF this
sum came from Philadelphia.
A Practical Illustration
a practical illustration is shown by the
record of one of the large industrial plants
of the city which employs more than 1000
men at rather hazardous work In ten
months there was not single compensate
accident in that plant. Scratches, which
often become cases of blood poisoning, we're
Immediately treated, and consequently never
developed into anything serious. In an en-
tire year there was only one compensable
accident, and that might have been avoided
If the injured man, had not got out Of reach
Of the medical attendants, With such n
record in one plant, where there are fine
medical facilities, the possibilities for other
plants are obvious.
THE saving is two fold. It saves the
employer the temporary disorganization Of
q section OF his plant through the injury Of
any Of the regular workers, as we'll as in
compensation, and it saves the worker the
physical suffering as well as the loss of his
earning and 'the danger that his earning
capacity may be permanently impaired.
LAS picture on the other side, there
is another establishment in this city where
the loss in n single year through accidents
and sickness was 5000 days. Three years
later this same establishment showed n loss
of 1000 days, as it had in the meantime
installed thoroughly competent medical su-
perySion.
Available TO All
"Our committee is inclined to believe that
a frank consideration of this problem by EN-.
poyers representatives of the employees
interested, would result in the working out
medical systems, which would make fbe
facilities needed to bring about these much
desired ends available to every employer and
employe in the city.
There seem to be four fundamental re.
ouirements; first, central organization in
each appropriate district of the city, which
will be able to aid employers in developing
properly trained, first aid workers in tHell
plants or work places. for it applies equally
to such businesses as contracting or con.
structon, as well as to industrial plants.
Second, consistent and well directed
treatment of serious cases, with the view not
only of curing, but of getting the injured
person back to work as soon as possible and
with unimpaired capacity.
'"Third, careful diagnosis and treatment
OF cases OF sickness originating in work.