Evening star., 1944-08-22
j. ). Clinical Servic,
Plan Wins Support
OF Medical Experts
Health Programs Poy
High Dividends. House
Committee Is Informed

Stories of high dividends in the
health Of workmen, In production
and in reduced absenteeism that
have resulted from health programs
adopted by industrial concerns were
outlined today to the House SUBJ
committee considering provision of
clinical services for Government
employees.
DR.. Victor G. Heiser, medical con-
sultant to the National Association
Of Manufacturers, a witness before
the Civil Service Subcommittee
headed by Representative Randolph,
Democrat, of West Virginia, de-
clared health programs in industry
are paying dividends that 60 beyond
dollars and cents.
Measured In Lives.
Such programs, he said, "are meas
ured in lives and hours saved on
the home front, and in victory
ITSELF" and predicted the experience
should bring a robust postwar
health to America such as it has
never before known"
A large electrical goods manu-
facturer, he said, cut accidents 30
per cent by serving snacks of good
basis foods between meals. A mill
ing company in Alabama reported
a 10 per cent production increase
due to nutrition program. An
other company gave $500 employees
a free pint OF milk during daily re-
cesses with resulting 80 per cent
decrease in accidents, increased pro-
duction and lessened absenteeism.
DR.. Heiser reported a NAM sur
vey Of 2,064 plants employing more
than 1900, 900 workers in Al States
showed institution of health pro-
grams had reduced accident fire.
quency by A per cent, occupation
disease by 81 per cent, labor turn
over by ~ per cent and absenteeism
by 20 per cent.
Approve Randolph Bill.
General approval of the aims OF
the Randolph bill was voiced by a
number of witnesses appearing be-
fore the committee yesterday after
noon. These included DR.. Thomas
Parran, surgeon general of the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice: Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines of
the Veterans Administration; Dr.
Verne K. Harvey, medical director
of the Civil Service Commission.
and DIR. Carl Peterson, secretary of
the Council on Industrial Health of
the American Medical Association.
DR.. Parran stressed the impor-
tance Of the use of micro films for
chest X-rays to detect tuberculosis
and suggested that this service as
we'll as some others might be con-
Quoted from a central agency in
stead of trying to set up separate
services in each building He and
other witnesses said dental prophy-
Tactic services should be included in
the program.
Gen. Hines described the Ran
dolph bill as very worthy" but
urged amendments SO that the con-
troll be left with the head of each
major Government agency. He
protested there had been a ten
dency in recent years toward over
tapping of administrative controls
The bill provides that the services
be established only on recommended
ton by the Civil Service Commis-
sion after consultation with the
USPHS.
Would Pay Costs.
Dr., Parran said he was not con-
cerned whether the csc or the
USPHS had the final authority. He
said he thought the programs would
just about pay for themselves in
reducing absenteeism and improving
health of workers. He estimated
roughly the cost might run to about
l cent day per public employe. He
pointed to the common cold as the
greatest single cause of absenteeism.
DR.. Peterson said he felt the bill
should include definition of type of
service that is to be provided, that
the Government services should be
related to those afforded by the
community, and that emphasis
should be placed on preventive med
ical techniques. If the program
operates along such lines, he said he
felt the medical profession would
support the plan.
On this point, DR.. Parran said he
regarded the plan as one that would
rather than complete
with the work of the private
physician.