Document nNy8QbZEZynRa3rwGao0ywaXw

FILE NAME: General Motors (GM) DATE: 1949 Sept DOC#: GM076 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Presentation from GM 11th Medical Conference with BC Notes **& *< , ^ 7TZ. A / O is ^ J / ^ ' U o : /m *~ S /?5 'epiember, gy I G E o /VS * e Board Chicho, Jiaoia hlcigo, UJiooii ^ h in g to n , D. C. Chicago. /JJinoif MD-PWlideiphi, ft. hl'*o, l||;noiI i3tsf Govarnmenul ^ . , U-S- Public "aahington. D c hecy-Trea,. Chicago. iHf/*U)!b'urgAh,,o1c8f,*tipont , c h , f C u`lve S^ : 'RC, C o u n c i l 36 North D ,,, . UryI.J1- Ca m . * Vh ^oclAtlon. lo r k Xg, n . Y * M-D.. Exmu.' Uocton. tr * Trauma. '`*d1a. Aaaociatlon *ith, American re U ,y : Cam . 0 N. Dearborn '" on of Amec Htsburyh ij ,N- Managing "gh. induatrlal 'laaiona. u . . . "t Labor. rryk-.Treaaurer. R 'o,`a7; -murer. `lion; Sc... `and h uo. Vork 18. 'adelphia. ition. a n . n- Louia u North N i d H. Fish, INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE and su rg ery SEPTEM BER 1949 The 1949 General Motors Medical Conference - J. M. R O C H E, Director of Personnel & Public Relations, Cadillac Motor Car Division, General Motors Corporation, Detroit 0 N BEHALP of the Central Office and the DeT troit Divisions of General Motors Corpora- r 18 "!y Privile* e t0 weRome you to this 11th General Motors Medical Conference This meeting today is the first of a series to be held this week, devoted to the consideration of indus trial health problems. I am sure today's program will be interesting and beneficial to everyone, and the program for the remainder of the week should be most constructive. I believe meetings of this kind are essential to the continued progress of cur health program in General Motors. In our great organization we have almost every kind rnp oruA/ . of industrial activity, and in these varied opera tions encounter almost every kind of industrial ealth problem. The opportunity afforded by these periodic conferences to exchange ideas, dis cuss mutual problems, and develop new plans and procedures contributes a great deal to the accom plishment of our objectives in this field. General Motors is an acknowledged leader in the science of industrial medicine. This reputaion has been earned by each of you and the mem bers of your staffs in all of our plants. The ex cellent manner in which you have carried this important responsibility has won for uus" ,nIUoLt only R. A. Young; L JV r * G. A - E a d ^ V 4 d i n ^ J. H. Couch; w RffTH ROW; H. W. A l ' T V ,H " h * N . T l. 8 . ^ J' Pr" ,0" : K F` J. Fulton; J. Sch.r.ch.l; A. J Hamilton; L. B. C a i.f Hol. D W ? ^ r0P:. M - C. Ki..r; C. Hanna; FOURTH ROW: R. D. W l g ^ H M T B" T S ' D - M u d * F. M / s h a Z Fradarielc; W. C. Sib,on; J M. Ly'nch;' L G lZ p 'l.s Wm. D T l p F> L K W#rd#" : A ' A C - L S.mu.l,o; H. B. THIRD ROW: F. BarUan; G . W c "' M B^nuy' j ' m V ' Hickman; G. H. McDonald; F. F.rlaino; A. it. SECOND ROW: F. A. P a tty J R Vand. R K* l,0* : -R' c H.uy F' `J ^ * . Tj ' Kr#Ul#n: R' S' Va" Harn: W * F' . om i*. . Irwig; R. A. on; C. O. Sapplngton; Wm. B. Culllnan; E. Wo7ffVj B CooaU y-'sP RJ'DK. M l r m%n: t Gr Unnin9ham: A. B. Thomp. BOTTOM ROW: E. F. Lut* R B Rob,on- F ^M* A W * * "^ ^ A * F. S. Parnay; Wm. M. W alk.? Jr.; . o f , " b y j ` M #,b* umi, J' _D- R.lly; E. D.Jongh; P. B. Rast.,|0. E A Irvin- i i-; * ] f r;: . - * ** -r V. i i -i - : ,v. A -'U rtft'i- >n. 1780 N. Y. ? *35.. :: ^ -i. v - t i- > - n \ v ; U TruStraat. f. Vo*. 1 ft1 f ' . 4 = vu % f *.*-*' JRV-, if ;v. 4 + * *: . i-v i \fv- >L ' ut ' - V.-* 'u ''L .k- , < ^ w* m ; V. Y x S'* . . , .k " , v .v"- V % m -'ii V A ; iA < /m- Page 354 INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE and SURGERY September, 1949 our position of leadership, but even more im portantly the confidence of our employees in the administration of this program. The executives of General Motors share with you the pride we may justly take in our accomplishments in this field. While our meeting this morning is open only to General Motors people, I am sure that if we in vited everyone who would like to attend, we couldn't handle the crowd. I say this because of lhe steady stream of visitors from other com panies and industries seeking advice and infor mation as to our methods of operation. This is a splendid tribute to the work you are doing, and is tangible evidence of the high regard in which it is held by your own profession and in dustry in general. ' T h e maintenance of health and good industrial 1 hygiene has been accepted as a management responsibility in every General Motors Division. Management's attitude toward these problems lias been positive and constructive. These facts have been most helpful to those of us who have been working at first hand with the problems in the plants. As a result of a progressive man agement attitude, we have been provided with excellent facilities for carrying on these activi ties. It is our responsibility to make certain that we are utilizing these facilities to the best ad vantage. Our routine work is being handled most efficiently, and we have certainly made great pro gress in the methods and types of examinations and the treatment of occupational diseases. Good facilities manned by competent personnel will enable us to maintain and extend our good work in this area, so as to insure continued progress. Substantial as has been our progress in the past, I am sure you will agree we have almost unlimited possibilities for the future. It is my opinion that the next important development in industrial medicine is going to be in the con tribution it can and should make to employee morale and good employee relations. Everyone knows that an individual who is physically ill is not a good employee. When we recognize a physical problem, we try to do something about it. We can suggest treatment, proper placement, rest, or whatever other measure might be re quired to correct the condition. We also know that an individual who is \emperamentally unfit for his responsibilities will not be a good em ployee. We recognize that a person subject to emotional disturbances is usually a problem em ployee; yet in spite of our knowledge of these facts, much remains to be done to find satisfac tory solutions to these problems. It is in this area that I think our medical service can make a substantial contribution to the effectiveness of our business. As time goes on, I believe we must utilize more and more the skills and facilities of our Medical Departments in the solution of many personnel and human relations problems. As economic conditions become stabilized, we shall have an opportunity to build in industry the good employee relations and morale required if General Motors is to continue to progress. That is the challenge for the future, and I am con fident that industrial medicine can and will play an important part in meeting it. In the past we have counted the gains of our medical program in terms of such things as improved efficiency, higher morale, reduced absenteeism, reduced workmen's compensation costs, etc. In the future, I am sure that we shall also see increased bene fits in improved industrial undertaking. We have made rapid progress, particularly during the past 10 years. However, we still have a long way to go. I am sure this meeting today and the ones which will follow this week, under the auspices of the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OK INDUSTRIAL PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, will help point the way toward continued progress in the accomplishment of our objectives. (N o t e : The 11th General Motors Medical Con ference was held at Detroit on Monday, April 4, 1949, immediately preceding the 34th Annual Meet ing Of the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF INDUSTRIAL p h y s i c i a n s a n d s u r g e o n s . The following pages, 865 398, contain the G. M. Conference presentations.]