Document a1LZ3KmY0qomLVEd2VXnbbJB9

FILE NAME: Metropolitan Life (ML) DATE: 1932c DOC#: ML007 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Excerpt - Autobiography of Surgeon R.R. Sayers AUTOBIOGRAPHY 0? SURCEOH R. R. SAUSRS [ivcl., tirca l<\3Zj[ Dr R. R. Salons, Sturgeon of the United States labile Health Service, was horn at Crotharavills Indiana, October 25, 1885 He graduated Srm the University of Indiana in 1907 with the degrees k* 3 end A M** having majored in chemistry end eXectro-ehscaistry. Fran 1907 to 1910 he was chief chemist for the Gould Storage Battery Cotapaqyg from 1911 to 1913 he was professor of laetro--chemistry at the University of Buffalo, and in 1914 graduated from that University wlththe degree of U. D. On vune 16, 1913, Dr. Sayers became an interna in the Public Health Service Hospital at Buffalo. E. Y., and on July 1 1914. he vac transferred to Ellis Island. On October 19, 1914, he took the exami nation for appointment as Assistant Surgeon from Indiana. His nomination was confirmed by the Senate in December, 1914, and his commission as Assistant Surgeon issued on January 6, 1915. On January 9, 1915, he w~s relieved from his interneship and ordered to Ellis Island Hospital for duty. Early in February, 1915, he was detailed to the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca. After one year he was transferred to the Harine Hospital at Stapleton, K. 1, where he served for about two months when hs wac ordered to Greenville, S. C., for rural sanitation work. On July 5, 1916, he was relieved from duty at Greenville and directed to proceed to Liberty, Ho., by w^y of Jefferson City, Ho., for similar duties. On October 23 1916 ha was directed to proceed to Washington, D. C for temporary duty at the Hygienic Laboratory. On February 24, 19X7, be was directed by the Surgeon General to proceed to Okmulgee, Ohio,, where be was engaged In rural sanitation investigations until April 4, 1917, whan, on account of military necessity, be was ordered to proceed in* mediately to Galveston, Togas, to report to the Coast Guard Cutter Cosmndhs for duty, where he served until early in June, 1917 when be was transferred to the Plague Laboratory at Kew Orleans, La,, and in J u l y , 1917, he was directed to report to the U, S, Bureau of bines for duty. He was assigned to o m of the mine-rescue cars to conduct in vestigations on the conditions affecting the health of the minors and their families. On Senteuber 16, 1918 while with the Bureau of Hines Dr, Sayers, at the request of the Director of that Bureau reported to tbs American University Experimental Station, Washington, B. C,,B to study the physiological effects of poisonous gases and the use of gas masks and breathing apparatus. On Hoveaber 1, 1918, Dr, Sayers received orders for duty in Massachusetts end was assigned to Connecticut in charge of the Service work in connection with the Influensa epidemic, (hi Eoverber 25, 1918, hf' was directed to proceed to Joplin., Ho., and such other places as necessary in that vicinity for the purpose of assuming large of & trisinte sanitary district to be composed of Ottawa County, Okla, a Jasper County, Mo. and Cherokee and Crawford Counties, Xans, On September 5 - 2- 1919# ha ms relieved of duty in the tri-state diet?let ad informed that his' application for four months leave had been granted. On December 11, 1919 he as directed to report to tha Public Health Serrico at Washington, D. 0 for ozarsination to &eterrain? hie fitness for promotion to the grade of Passed Assistant Surgeon. His commission as Passed Assistant Surgeon as Issued effect ire J&nu&iy 1 1920. On February 4. 1920 Dr. Sayers as relieved from further duty with the 3ection of Industrial Hygiene and directed to report to the Director of the Bureau of Mines Washington D. C. for duty. On February 9 1920 the Director of the Bureau of finea assigned him as Calef Surgeon of that bureau. with hs;dquarters in Washington D. C. Dr. Sayers has continued to date with the Bureau of Hines in charge of its investigations into tha conditions affecting the health and safety of miners. On January 6, 1923 he received hie eoanission as Surgeon in the Public Health Service. On April 12, 1923, ho as authorised and directed to proceed to Melbourne, Australia, to attend the meeting of the Pen-Pacific Scientific Congress and from thenoe to proosed to Johannesburg, South Africa, to study the problem of mine ventilation prevention of dust in mining, and miners diseases, in cluding silicosis on the Hand in South Africa, end then to proceed bach to his station via England for the purpose of studying British methods of conducting mine-rescue stations and investigations of miners dis eases. The expenses of t.-lc trip ere borne by the Bureau of Pines. At the request of the Bureau of Mines, Dr. Sayers as rsdetailed to that Bureau "on February 4, 1924, and again on February 4, 1928. On July 15, 1926, a new branch, ,to include the Health Division and the Safety Division, vats created in the Bureau of Hines, Shis m s designated as the Health and Safety Branch with Dr, Sayers appointed as chief He also retained M s title of Chief Surgeon On December 10, 1930, a new division, the Demographics! Division was created in the Health and Safety Branch and the Accident Statistics Section of the Mineral Statistics Division of the Economics Branch transferred to the new Demographies! Division The work of this division includes statistical studies regard ing accidents, health and safety in the mineral and allied industries. This division is under the direct control of the Chief Statistician, As chief of the Health end Safely Branch, Dr. Sayers is respon sible to the Director of the Bureau of Hines for the selection of plans for the work of the branch in making surveys and statistical studies of conditions in the minin': metallurgical, and allied industries as to health and safety, and in giving instruction in the use of mine-rescue and recovery apparatus, in first-aid and accident prevention, and in mine-rescue and recovery operations after mine disasters. He makes final selection of problems to be carried out, determines the scope of the investigations and criticises the results. He has veto power* subject to appeal to the Director, over the choice of personnel and assignment to their duties0 the 1! mine-rescue stations and 10 mine-rescue cars operated by the Bureau or: under M s administrative supervision, direct control being under the chief engineer of the Safety Division. As b branch, chief. Dr. Sagers is a member of the Personnel Board of the Bureau of Hines, This board re views and revises efficiency ratings of all employees, considers end recommends to the Director all questions that arise in connection rith the Classification Act, and all requests for creation of new positions REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES and suggestions for promotions in the Bureau. He is also a member of the Publications Conialttee of tbs Bureau of Hines which considers the usefulness or public need of papers submitted for publication* whether or not they should be for free distribution* approval of mailing lists* budgeting of funds* determination of causes of delay in publication of results after completion of investigations* methods of keeping track of progress of m a m scripts with the object of speeding publication* preparation of general outlines for preparation of manuscripts* etc. all with the object of secur ing better publications and more of than* with tbs limited funds available* Th& Health Division* under Dr. Savers direct control as Chief Surgeon, has about 25 employees* including five Acting Assistant Surgeons detailed frost the Public Health Service* who carry out the following dutiess 1. field investigations* which include a clinic for the examina tion of miners to determine the effects on health of conditions under which they are actually working; and sanitary surveys of mining camps* stud;* of medical organisations end industrial hygiene and causes of death of miners* and dust and ventilation in mines. 2. Laboratory investigations* which include a. Gas laboratory for analysing gases and dusts collected In mines and tunnels; experimental studies on effects on men and animals of various gases* as carbon monoxide * hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide* oxygen, etc. b,, fhysiological laboratory for examining animal tissues exposed to various toxic substances to detemins their pathological effects on men end animals. c* Dust laboratory for experimental studies on animals to determine effects of various dusts* da Gas-mask laboratory for developing masks for protection against various vapors and dusts cni approval of manufactured gas masks* Ooupreesed-air laboratories for xprinnte on the use of synthetic atmospheres in the prevention and treatment of caisson disease. 6 REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES So JJLr-conditlonlag laboratories for studios on physiological offoots of atmospheric conditions such as abnormal temperatures end huzaldltios g. Stream pollution laboratory for ImrestigatIon of methods of disposal of vasts waters iron mines end prevent Ion of stream pollution fro-' acid mins drainag, She Safety Division, which employs about 100 persons, is an~r/*ed in the followin' worlr: 1. Instruction Section entered in a. t raining employees in the mining rand allied industries In laetiiods of first aid to the. injured and in the use of mine-rescue irrnrntus, fc. Instruction Is mine safety involving the mating of mine examinations &nd recomsandations for improvement of unsafe conditions oosarvod c* Giving instruction to min officials in tlw proper handily of mine disasters, d, 'stablisnlnc and keeping la active working condition local safety ortpoiiz&tions In the fora of Holmes Safety Chapters, a, Assisting at various State and company firstaid and nine-rescue contests and having chary of the International first-hid and. Kino-Rescue Contest, 2* Emergency Section eng ged in a. Assisting at rtine disasters Involving nine explosions, fires, floods, and cave-- ins. b. Investigating end preparing roaorts ou cause? of disasters and Btsltinf: racommendations for prevention of recurrence. REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES Tbs Deraographical Division, which omploys 15 people, is engaged in the following work! 1 Statistical inquiry into the causes number, a&A frequency of accidents of different type to man employed in the mineral industries a Xn connection with the study of accidents, printed schedules are mailed at the close of each calendar year to all mines end quarries In the United States and to all cols ovens, mills, and smelters (exclusive of blast furmuses) o She figures furnished on the schedules are tabulated and statistical tables prepared therefrom to show the occurrence of accidents within the industries and the progress being made in the prevention of accidents ^ bo Publications containing the above information are issued annually and are furnished without charge to all companies requesting them. Xn addition monthly reports are issued shoving the number sod causes of fatal accidents in coal mines, and the relation between the occurrence of accidents and the quantity of coal produced These reports arc prepared from information furnished by the State mining officials of the various coal-producing States 2 Statistical inquiries regarding the health hazards surrounding the miners in their daily work, which to the workers are of equal importance with those regard in' accidents Studies already made show that approx imately one-third of all deaths among miners is due to accidents and two-thirds to disease 3 Collection of statistics relating to the use of explo sives for raining and other work fa United States uses in its various industries approximately half a billion pounds of explosives each year Three-fourths of this amount is used in lasting operations in mines and quarriesJ the coal-mining Industry uses about a million pounds a day for each of the 200 days which Is about the average number of working days in a year The object is to learn the extent to which permissible explosives ar replacing more dangerous kinds of explo sives in coal-raining operations 7 < REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES 4 National Safety Competition is conducted for the promotion of safety in the mineral Industry and the development of friendly rivalry craong the competing companies about 300 mines and quarries representing 30 of the 48 states participating yearly The isaae&late object of the contest is the winning of a trophy known as the Sentinels of Safety which portrays in bronse a mother and child greeting the father upon his Oafs return from work The name of the 111 or quarry which wins the rifit to hold the trophy for a year is engraved on the front of the pedestal Tnere axe five of these trophies presented by the Explosives Engineer magasine Com panies that enroll in the contest are divided into five groups according to the commodities produced that is, tliey are classified under anthracite coal mines bituminous coal mines metal mines noinetallie mineral mines quarries and open-cut mines Each contestant furnishes the hatoographicai Division with a report of each individual accident that disables an employee beyond the day of the accident and also monthly reports of the number of man hours worked This last iter, is used as a basis for calculating the accident rates which determine the relative standing of the various companies* The trophies are awarded to the companies bavin* the smallest loss of tic* fro; accidents in proportion to the total number of man-hours 'worked by all employees at their mine or quarry Honorable mention is awarded to each mine or ou'rry that ranks second third* fourth or fifth in its asm group Dr. Sayers belong to the American Radical Association American Public Health Association, Association of Military Surgeons, Association of Medical Veterans of the torId bar, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and the Cosmos Club. He le a member of the following committees} Chairman, Committee on Industrial Hygiene of the International Union of Chemistry Chairman, Haro Awards Cornelltoe, Joseph Ar Holms Safety Association* Chairman, Committee on Pneumoconiosis, American Public Health Association* Chairman, Subcommittee on Physiological Factors in Ventilation, American Institute of l?ining and Metallurgical Engineers* Cornaittee on Safety Goggles, Helmets, etc.. Federal Specifloutions Board* Committee on Hesearch, American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers* - General Requirements Committee, General Specifications Committee, and Approval Requirements Committee, of the American Gas Association (representative for Public Health Service) Committoe on Ventilation, national Safety Council* htions! Committee for the United States of the Fifth International Uedical Congress on Industrial Accidents and Diseases* Representative for the Bureau of Hines on Personnel Research Federation* Committee on Mining ietuods, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers* Contaittee on Housing end the Cocrmnity of the President flo Conference on Korne Building and Home Ownership. Subcommittee on First Aid and hater Safety of the national Committee on Health and Safety of the Boy Scouts of America. Committee on Standard Practice*1 in the Problem of Compensation of Occupational Disease, American Public Health Association. 9 - REPRODUCED a t th e n a t io n a l a r c h iv e s Subcommittee on Excavating foundation 'Bork Blasting and Compressed Air bork of the Comlttee on Construotion Safety Code of the American Standards Association Hew York State Department of Labor Advisory Coaaittee to Draft Buies on Begulation of Bock Drilling Sand Blasting and Bock Crushing She following list of publications prepared by Dr. Sayers and others under his supervision Indicates the character and scope of the investigative work with which he has been Identified: PU BLIC ATIO N S BY YES BOSAU 0? H U E S Mittag. BULLETIN 222 Heronry poisoning Chapter in Metallurgy of Quicksilver, 1925 B R. Sayers BOLTXTIT 231 Investigation of toxic gas^s from Mexican and th*r hifhsulphur petroleums and products* 1925 R* R, Sayers, B A. C. Smith, A C. Yieldner, 0 . Mitchell, et al BULLETIN 257 Review of safety end health conditio: In the mines of Butte, Montana, 1925 G. S. Rice and I;. R. Sayers BULLETIN 287 Oases from blasting in tunnels end metal-cina drifts 1927 & E. Gardner, 0, 1. Howell, and G* 1 Jones BULLETIN 223 Explosives accidents in the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania, 1923-1927 S. P. iiowell. BULLETIN 331. Panaissible methane detectors. A. B, Hookar, W. J. Pens and R. B. Currie. BULLETIN 238 Quarry accidents in the United States during the calendar year 1929 1931 fc. fc* Adar BULLETIN 242 Mtatal-mine accidents in the United States during the Calendar year 1929 1931 V t. Adams BULLET IK 341. Coal-mine fatalities in the United States 1929, 1931. *. K. Adams* 40- poges o? pu^li'orKonsy1