Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-23
Industrial
Surgery
Progresses
Makes Great Strid es
in Last Few Years
BY LOGAN CLENDENING. NJ. D,

pldNlfe "HlCn mas mace
great strides in the last few
years is that of industrial sur
gerry.
1t was. of course, natural in a
great industrial age that this
should be so, but most people do
not realize. I believe, how spe-
cialized a department it is.
For instance. l find in the
magazine which devotes itself 10
this speciality, Industrial Medi-
cine, the following subjects listed
as the ones which have received
the largest amount of attention
In the industrial field of medi-
cine in the past few years; Dust,
lead. silicosis. skin diseases, car
bon monoxide, gases, eyes penti-
lation. air conditioning. benzene,
tuberculosis, workman's compen-
sation and industrial hygiene.
A subject which does not ap-
pear on this list, but which new
ertheless takes up a great deal
Of the industrial surgeons time,
IL burns.
was especially impressed
with the work OF the industrial
surgeon recently when l visited,
with the surgeon in charge, one
Of the large United States ord
nance plants that is being built.
never saw any one more
alert and interested and full of
his job. and with a more intelli-
gent grasp OF his problems and
responsibilities.
ONE thing that impressed me
" with the specialization In
industrial surgery and also the
common sense with which this
young man met his problems was
in discussion Of the subject Of
burns.
He said that he had q number
OF burns which were both chem
ical and heat burns. and he had
found out that unless you treat
them as chemical burns first,
they do not heal.
| asked him how he treated
the chemical burns and he said
that the first thing he wanted TO
find out was whether the chem.
ical that did the burning was an
acid or an alkali.
II IL was an acid, he taught
the men TO put baking soda solu.
ton on the burn Immediately.
If II was an alkali. he taught
them 10 use vinegar and vine-
gar-soaked gauze on the burn az
soon as possible.
Here was not only technical
knowledge OF the condition, but
also the ability TO get down 10
ordinary. everyday life In telling
the worknen 10 use substances
on which they could put their
hands Immediately 10 counterfeit
the effect OF a burn.
IN ANY kitchen they could Get
L either baking soda or vine.
gar--one an alkali and the other
an acid.
He told me that he had seen
some OF these burns, which il
not treated for the chemical. re.
open and sloughing for
several months.
AS we drove over the plant, I
found out that the young doctor
was thinking about his Job all
the time and that he was think.
ing in terms OF prevention.
We passed two men who. were
working on a stalled caterpillar
tractor and the doctor said:
TIL bet they haven't even cot
. first-ald Kit with them"
He had a real man-sized lob In
educating the workers to take
first.aid kits with them wher-
ever they went and was teaching
them how to apply emergency
'irst.aid treatments under ali |
conditions.
| WENT to the hospital and |
I found that in putting up this
plant, they had very ser,sibly
erected the fire house first and |
the hospital second.
II was well-equipped hospital |
with all the equipment necessary |
Tor first.aid emergency treat
ment. and also for treatment OF
common ailments such as colds.
sore Threats and so forth.
The industrial surgeon does
not observe union hours.
BY the time we got 10 the hos.
pital. IL was almost 7 o'clock in
The evening. but the doctor and .
The nurse were still on the Job.
QUESTIONS. ANSWERS
T. S.-What benefit Ia derived
rom drinking buttermilk?' I
nave been told II is very good
'or colitis. and that IL contains
bacteria in IL that are healing TO
he colon.
Answer-The advantages OF
ouaerrnilk are that IL Ia not as
attenins as ordinary milk in
EQUAL amounts and that II isa
,,ather pleasant stimulant to the
DIGESTION.
Buttermilk itself is not the
tlnd OF acid milk which changes
he bacteria in the colon.
This is done by another kind
II milk called acidophilus milk.
NJ. A C.:-Will fruit and fruit