Document bNbzvmvaxRebOpdNDyKNa7e0

of the entire medical program and his very special interest in the nursing program, we would not be where we are today. Let's go back and trace the development of the program as we have the growth of the Department, During the years Mrs. Price was at Ansco, Chicago Heights, there was no medical supervision. X-rays and physical examinations were not done. Not yet has any definite safety program been instituted or.any employee benefits started. But Brake Shoe was already beginning in a small way to demonstrate its interest in its employees as people through Mrs. price's home visits to the sick and injured. Dr. Cowle found very little silicosis among our eaployees but she found poor working conditions. As a result of her reports and recommendations, many improvements were made in our plants. Though there was still no overall .medical* nursing or industrial hygiene program, lie seed had been planted. Then Dr. Hamlin took over. Pre-placement examinations and x-rays were started. Within the next year or two, many of the plants began examining and x-raying all their enployees, not only the new ones. In 1944 it was recommended that such examinations be done every two years. This was not on a continual basis as we do them now but every body at one time. I can remember being so sure we could complete our plant in about two months but it took us nearly eight! It was hard on me, on our plant physician and particularly on the foremen. The contin ual survey plan instituted a few years later was such a relief. Now 4% of the payroll are examined each month and everyone gets examined every two years without disrating production schedules or ruffling disposi tions. The latter plan applies only to physical examinations, of course. X-rays are different. We had a portable x-ray back in 1943 and a technician-, who visited the plants for x-ray surveys but it was a slow process and pur plants were visited infrequently. In 1948 we purchased the x-ray bus and now almost everyone in the company is x-rayed annually. The industrial hygiene department was also very busy. The program was gradually expanded to include dust counts in all the plants rather than just those that looked dusty. An amazing job was done in helping oontrol the lead intoxication hazard in those plants using lead. Changes in illumination and general ventilation were recommended. Many other industrial hygiene projects were developed but I will let Mr. Weber tell you about them later today. The general routine of our nursing program was fairly well developed in the early years of Dr. Hamlin's administration. We were handling first aid, arranging for and assisting with physical examina tions and making home visits. This was and is the framework of our program. By itself, it is just a skeleton without much value but we have built a worthwhile humanitarian structure upon that framework. When we are taking care of first aid cases we are interested 5 SPNY 000135