Document VGjZnX9kDyB7q7K6m3R4GmbKN

Q i 7V*/v UA'ABA un /M /V /fSZ> VA 7??c C ~UJ/ //' dL rrr ^ Dr. William J. McConnell To Retire---- Metropolitan Life Executive An Outstanding Authority On Occupational Working Hazards; Got Legion Of Merit From War Department. 1 >r. William ! McConnell, director <d the safety and or.upationaT health lureao or Metropolitan Life's health and welfare division and associate medical director of that company, it retiring at the end of the year aiter being with Metropolitan 27 years. 1b a country which is e interna* tional leader in industry, which has more mines, lactones and other places where raw material it processed than any other nation, he is regarded as an outstanding authority on industrial hygiene. Some* time* he has been designated as a man who has dedicated his life 10 helping dc* led. explore and successfully reduce the hazards of employment. The surreys and studies which be has conducted, cither lor the Government, the Army's medical service, private industry or lor Metropolitan Life, together with his work in relation to safety measures which have been adopted, have been an important factor in helping cut down fatalities caused by occupational dis eases. For instance, his participation in combatting silicosis (dust particles in nvacs and plants which hare resulted m many occupational diseases, some fatal), is widely recognised. HaadUag of la MuafH-- suffered for each billion pounds oi explosives produced Had lieen rut down lo five. Colonel Field continued; "It is believed that this is ilte first large-scale demonstration of what can be accomplished in a large industry of fering many serious health and accident hasardi by a rigorous industrial hygiene and safeiy program. Dr. McConnell is the author of a series of research studies on high tem perature and numerous articles on in dustrial health subjects published in the Bulletin of the LT. S. Public Health Service. L'tuted States Bureau of Mines. Proceedings of American Heating and Ventilating Society and other health publications devoted to industry. Also he is a contributor to Cecil's Textbook cm Medieine. Lanza and Goldberg's Textbook on Industrial Hygiene: and Conn's Textbook on Current Therapy. Hsa Ciroer Born in Pittsburgh Dr. McConnell attended high school there and then went to Sl Louis I'niversity where he was graduated in 1914 with a B.S. de gree at the college and an M.D degree from us medical school. Hil internship was at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Receiving a reserve com mission in the Army Medical Corps he taw service on the Mexican border in 1916 and theo helped organize and be came medical officer of the J6th infantry regunent. Dr. McConneB in 1919 went with the Industrial Hygiene Department of the 1`nited States Public Health Service and later was with the I'niied States flurcao of Mines where he conducted inctuvtn.il health surveys, research stud ies into the physiological effects of high temperatures and various humidities, carton monoxide and the relation of various dusts to silicosis and tubercu losis. While engaged in these studies at ihe Bureau of Mines experimentation station at Pittsburgh he was appointed lecturer in industrial hvgieae at Uni versity of Pittsburgh Medical School. Other industry affiliations of his were with Philadelphia Health Council Gen era) Electnr Co. and Budd Manufactur ing Wheel Co. StwdUa Cwdwted for MetmgafiUa Dr. MeConnell joined Metropolitan Life in 1929 when Lee K. Frankel was vice president in charge of the com pany's health and welfare operations. Hit first work, however, was with the company's Policyholders Service Bureau. For the Metropolitan Life Dr. Mc Connell has conducted a number of in dustrial hygiene investigations of the pioneer variety. Among them were the study of silicosis in the foundry indus try; of asbestosis (a microscopic dust which produces an inilamatory condition of the lungs) in the aibestos industry: and an inquiry into leather industry hazards. When thin country entered World War II Dr McConnell obtained a leave of absence from Metropolitan Life and again served in the Army Medical The work of Col. McConnell as chief, industrial hygiene branch, safety and security division. Office of Chief of Ordnance, was so highly regarded by tne War Department that lie was awarded the Legion of Merit. As the dirtet representative of the Surgeon General. Col. McConnell was chirped with the development and su pervision oi a comprehensive program to prevent general illness and occupa tional disease and to promote maximum health and efficiency among civilian em ployes engaged in Ordnance establish* menu throughout the I'niied States. One of the biggest problem- raspoison ing from handling of cxp.wives. par ticularly TNT. In reading the citation Colonel Crosby Field, assistant safety director Office Chief of Ordnance said: `Colonel McConnell's assignment was of great import inasmuch as these in stallations were fraught with dangers of various toxic exposures requiring con stant surveillance sad control. He launched into an aggressive program with unusual energy, foresight, per spicacity and comprehension, success* fullv reducing disabling illness from toxic explosives to an insignificant level, thereby insuring full utilisauoa of avail able power for ammunition production.** Drup in Number f FaUliti** 2S9 Yziri of Service Priceless P,raise "Bmum it confinra is opoatiau cxdoairalr <*> * dact dianrala, th* Praabyraiaa Miasm' Fund mjoyt ranacfcaMy low aeruiitr and UpM ratio. Low .dmiautniira com*, coupUd with the fact dot th* Fund ha* oo ial fore* cmara*. panic toad. low . com -- in fact, th* lowrat of all oompaaio*. accotdiaf to Bom*. Lift Iniuraaca Raped*.* -- From Tko Broadenct. PhUoStlpfuc Inittrtmt Vnddrrritdt't Ofeitl Mtgttmt. During World War I the l*. & facili ties which produced 40 of the military explosives, used by the Allies, reported a ratio of 220 fatalities for gverv billion pounds o; explosives manufactured. In World War If the Govermnent*owned. vy* C.scontractor - operated plants produced of all manufactured military explosives, and the number of fatalities PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS' FUND Aloundor Meetto, Protidont RrHonhotiao $qu*ro, PttiUduipki* 3, P*. 1717 -- Two Hundred Thirty-mu* Years -- I9S4 dr. william .i McConnell Corps. As a representative uf the Sur geon General lie was assigned to the safety division of the chief of Ordnanee to direct the Ordnance hygiene program He advanced through the various grades to eoloaet. medical corps, and in 1945 was awarded the Legion of Merit ior the services explained earlier in this article. Aethw la Mur Orynaiaatioaa Some activities of Dr. McConnell in associations of which he is. or has been, a member, in part follow; American Public Health Association* committee on atmospheric comfort and appraisal of industrial health. American Public Health Association chairman of committee on appraisal of industrial health services; and commit tee on atmospheric comfort. American society of Healing and Ventilating Engineers: committees hav ing to do with air conditioned ipaees. American Standards Association : toxic dusts and industrial sanitation in man ufacturing establishments committees American Welding Society. Safeiy recommendations and medical advisory committee. Federal Civil Defense Administration r part-time consultant of division of spe cial weapons Home Office Safety Committee: con sultant to home office buildings division with respect to employes complaints on lighting, ventilation and possible ex posure to toxic substances New York State Department of Lator: committees having to do with rule.* relating to control of silica dust m none crushing operations and revision oi in dustrial code relating to control oi dusts, gases and fumes L*. S. Army: consultant to the Sur geon General He has also been on committees of National Association oi Manufacturers and National Fund for Medical Education. Has Prsparsd Many Paper* Sume papers written by Dr McCon nell in collaboration with others in pari follow . Lead poxomns in the poiterv trade*: physiological effects of high tempera tures and liumtditie*; the industrial physician and the qualification* enenti.nl to his success: carbon-monoxide poison ing: health through industrial service; exhaust ga*es front eneine* using ethlyn gasoline: methods of enumerating bac teria in air: ventilation standards, prac tical suggestions ior nurses in industry; health of Hank worker* In all there have been 60 paper* on suhiects such as these which he prepared himseli or in collaboration with other* For the past 20 sear* Dr McConnell has been an associate proie*or m in dustrial hygiene, manaremem depart ment. School of Commerce New York 1`nivcrtitv k bachelor hr. hohln- dug* and he ha* r.\ine>l *rtt number of 'hm over the *ear