Document 2jaReZkd7VxQ7eKDQRdkvXR65

I V. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE McGILL UNIVERSITY .----------------- ---------- - MONTREAL, October 11, 1932. N.L. Burnette, Esq., Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., Ottawa, Cnt, Dear Mr. Burnette: You have asked me to let you have a statement regarding in dustrial hygiene at McGill In time for the American Public Health Association meeting this month. As you know, I came to Montreal in August, 1927 to take charge of the industrial hygiene work at McGill. The first aotivity was the creation of the Industrial Clinic at the Montreal General Hospital. It was thought at the time that the best point of contact with Industry was through a clinic to which cases of occupational disease might be sent for investigation and treat ment. A considerable number of such cases were directed to the Cllnle, particu larly cases of lead poisoning, and contact was made with the industries from which they came. One plant with an exceptionally seTere lead hazard actually erec ted a new building, partly, I believe, on our recemendation, and several plants have Improved their working conditions, by installing various ventilating devices to carry away poisonous dusts and fumes. Several papers have been1 published on the subject of lead poisoning, copies of which are enclosed* The occupational pdaonlng work has been considered a less Important activity than others, particularly on account of the fact that the num ber of cases of occupational poisoning is small compared with other diseases which affect industrial workers. All evldenoe points to the fact that industrial work ers suffer in the main from the same diseases which affect the general population, and that preventive medicine far industrial workers should be directed towards those diseases and not especially towards the so-called occupational diseases. For this reason, it was thought that a valuable service could be rendered Industry in particular, and the ecxnanity in general, if industrial health services oould be established in the larger industries, so that the health of the workers could be brought under the inaediate supervision of a doctor and a nurse* A good deal of time was devoted to making contact with in dustries which, it was thought, would be interested in a scheme ef this nature. Considerable success was aohleved at first and five plants created health depart ments Immediately under our supervision, while four or five other concerns were stimulated to establieh medical departments. These medioal departments havs all given satisfaction and are still operating, bnt the industrial depression during the last three years has made progress in this work very difficult. , T-'5* : Industrial Dental Clinic pp.0^ In connection with the work of the industrial health services, 0357 an industrial dental clinic was established, the activities of which are recorded la an attached re-print. This clinic has financed itself entirely and Is having a certain amount of difficulty now in making both ends meet. Industrial Medical Association of the Province of Quebec Is an outcome of the industrial hygiene work, the Industrial Medical Asso ciation, P.Q., was established In 1928. This is a bilingual Association which carries on independent activities, and is also considered a branch of the Province of ^uebec Medical Association. Doctors, Pennoyer, Mercler, St. Jaques, and Tees, have been the successive presidents, and Dr. Ward and I have served as secretary. The organization took an active part at the request of the Workmen's Compensation Conmisalon, in drafting the tariff of the 1923 Workmen's Compensation Law, anj has held meetings approximately bi-monthly since its organization. Montreal Health Survey The Industrial Hygiene Department co-operated with the Montreal Health Survey Conmittee and prepared the industrial hygiene section of the report. Study of Asbestosls . In co-operation with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, a survey of two companies mining and milling asbestos, was made in July and September,1 1930. Physical examination of some 150 men was made, together with chest X-rays, and an interesting state of affairs was disclosed, which was reported to Dr. Lanza of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, but to date permission has not been se- t cured to publish the results of the study. ^ Lectures at McGill Courses of lectures an industrial hygiene have been given evsry year to ^ the third year medical students and graduate nurses, social workers and architects. General Publicity A number of public addresses have been given on the subjeot of industrial hygiene. Various papers have been prepared for publication or presentation at solantifio Matings, moot of which arc enclosed. I hav* be sir submitting rerlsmsand editorials to the Canadlal Medical Asso ciation Journal^, eadr ieve also acted as joint editor with Dr. Cunningham of the Industrial HyglsM'Soetlom of the Canadian Publlo Health Association Journal. A repreiesortatlom favouring the creation of Division of Industrial Hygiene in the Provincial Health Department, has hasn made to ths Social Insursnes Canals si on and ths Province of Quebec, and this Ccomisslon has recemended such a Division to the Provincial Government. / PRODUCED S/C/iYi/iws Present Activities f The Industrial Clinic has been moved to the University under ths lnnediate direotlon of Dr. Vanes Ward. The eupervi si bn'Vf the plant medical departments con tinues, and in addition, two new activities have bean started and are now in operation (1) a study of mercury poisoning and (2) an industrial health survey; * 0358 -a 3 (1) Our Attention na drawn a year or eo ago to the mercury hazard In one of the plants outside the City, and also to the .faot- that a relatively snail amount of experimental work had been done on Industrial mercury poisoning. The co operation of the Department of Pharmacology at McGill was obtained and an ex perimental study with doge la now in progress to asoertaln the minimum per- mlenable concentration of mercury In air. It is anticipated that a publication of this study will shortly be ready. This study is being financed entirely from the Industrial Hygiene funds. V- (2) & J-'\ , o-f V.-v j ' <*' In co-operation with the Canadian Tuberculosis Association, the Provincial Health Departmnt, and tha Department of Industrial Hygiene at UcGlll, a study lias been started with particular reference to tuberculosis in Industrial workers, but also with reference to general health. Soma 2,000 workers In three companies have already received a complete physical examination, with chest X-rays, and it is hoped to continue this survey so as to include 5,000 employees in differ ent occupations. Thia survey has been under way for a year, and^e being fi nanced .partly by the ^Provincial Health Department, partly by the industries con cerned, and partly by-^oursalves. The $25,000 promised by the Metropolitan Life Insurance haa all been paid, and soma $4,000 is left to carry on the work. Is are in hopes that the mer cury study can bs completed within this appropriation, but it will not be possible to finish the industrial hailth survey unless additional funds are forthcoming. An activity which we ha- been endeavouring to establish fcr some years, Isa co-operative health service to plants too small to provide a complete service of their own. An endeavour was made to get this servics undsr way, financed by the companies themselves, but various difficulties presented, chief of which was the scepticism of the employers of its practicability. Since this scheme has been succeaaful In Philadelphia and Hudson County, Haw Jersey, it seems likely that when better times return, if a demonstration were made perhaps in co-operation with the Royal Sdward Institute, employers might be convinced of the desirability of such a scheme. We> feel this would be of value to the oomaunity in general, and to the industries affeoted in particular1, and might be of actual scoDoaio value to your own.oampany. ^ V*- These- are the mala fasta in oonnectlon with the industrial hygiene work at McGill university.*.;-. .. . *. - -v .77 Tours very truly. FGP/IM. ; .1 r UM .Frank 0. Pedley, M.D. Assistant Praflssor, IndhiWrSl' Hygiene. 0359 it i-ffrittici) A //, l \(f