Document ExrGrv9Ye9xBGDVb5EB7ME1On

NYU - BELLEVUE TALK - March 31, 1949 0 r C o M PAd i . When I joined (prake Shoe) 38 years ago office talk about doctors and medicine had only to do with the sickness of a member of the family or some friend. I am sure no one in our headquarters ever mentioned Industrial Hygiene. Nurses in industry.-- I am not sure I even knew there were any except in extremely dangerous industries where adequate first aid facili ties were essential. In fact, in 1911 there were only 75 indus trial nurses as compared with 11,000 last year. Although we had many foundries I don11 think silicosis was a word I heard during the first ten years. Lead poisoning was recognized but we were ineffective in eliminating its danger and as a matter of fact not very excited. Today we have a Medical Department, and its Director is recognized as a most important member of our management. He has a strong staff. Today, a look at our departmental expenses quickly proves industrial nurses are accepted as essential. What we argue about, what we spend important money on, has changed amazingly in my Brake Shoe years. Yes - and more rapidly in the last 20 years. Business is fully alive to res ponsibilities which in the old days were, to say the least, not fully accepted. Not too long ago there was a feeling generally that company employees were indebted to the employer. Now I spend an important 1. SPNY 005724 ABEX-049 SCF-ABEX-0570