Evening star., 1935-10-27
By James Nevin Miller.


ter guarded from injury there
L L than if you were fighting in
the trenches or driving an automo-
bile? If SO, then you are due for
some startling surprises, according
to Robert E. Bondy, in charge of the
Nation = wide campaign rece emily
launched by the American Red Cross
to reduce accidents in the home
During the World War, Mr.. Bondy
Gays, 50.510 American soldiers were
either i.illed outright or fatally
wounded. Bad enough, but after all,
isn't war waged with the express pur-
pose of killing on wholesale scale?
There was nothing accidental about
these fatalities; they were deliber-
ately planned and million of men
were employed to the end that sud-
den death would come to as many
as possible.
During 1884 there were 10l 900 per-
sons in the United States who met
death through accident That's diff
ferent, isn't it? Think of it. Twice
the number of Americans killed dur
ing this country's participation in the
war!
Apparently hazards in the home are
more dangerous than high explosive
shells and even more deadly than
machine gun fire. This is strong
statement, but supported by figures.
Here is more food for thought: In
1884 accidents permanently crippled
$4,000 people and temporarily dis
abled 1891 900 in the United States.
To phrase the price of carelessness
for the practical minded-accidents
last year cost the Nation S3,500,0O0,-
coo. Not so much less than the S4,-
800,000,000 appropriation for the
vork-relief fund.
Accidents occurring in the home
during 1884 killed $500, permanently
disabled 100000 and injured nearly
100000. Motor vehicle accidents
during this same period killed $4,000, !
permanently disabled 100000 and in
jured another 100000.
A COMPARISON of these figures
indicates that accidents in the
home resulting in death were but
1.500 fewer than those caused by mo-
tor vehicles, whereas permanently
disabling injuries were half again as
great and other injuries five times
greater. This comparison clearly il
lustrates that the problem of home
accidents is greater than that of
motor vehicle accidents, even though
less understood.
Agriculture is rated as the most
hazardous of all occupational pur-
suits, the Red Cross finds 1t is esti-
mated that in 1884 there were 4,400
persons who met accidental death
while engaged in farming. This fig
ure represents 81 per cent of the total
deaths resulting from all occupations
This high rate is in large part due to
the fact that farming is generally not
covered by compensation laws and
consequently the farm accident prob
lem has received less attention than
It deserves. Farm accidents present
q problem in large part as serious as
that of home accidents.
The Kansas Department of Health
recently completed study of deaths
resulting from accidental falls and
burns that occurred in the home over
q four year period ard similar one
covering fatal work accidents on the
farm that occurred over a five-year
period.
7. Vas found that 80 per cent of
the falls within the home occurred In
the bed room, 81 per cent in the liv-
ing room, is per cent on the stairs or
steps, 6 per cent in the dining room.
4 per cent in the bath room and
per cent in other places. The major
causes of these accidents were slip
ping on floors, rugs, or stairs; getting
in and out of bed and sitting down in |
or getting up from chair.
For burns, 56 per cent Of the fatal
accidents took place in the kitchen. |
10 per cent in the living room, IL
per cent in the bath room, 4 per cent
in the dining room and per cent in
the basement.
For fatal farm work accidents the
study revealed that 20 per cent re-
suited from machinery accidents, of
which tractors caused 81 per cent, ,,
animals accounted for % per cent,
excessive heat 10 per cent, vehicle ac-
cidents per cent, falls 9 per cent
land lightning per cent. All other
causes were responsible for Is per
cent Of the fatal farm accidents.
According to the Red Cross survey,