Document qk9dMmOON6r4V794848zj8Gxn

MdmtfK* Hvgivnv Oitfusl lA * rch t | '/h} INDUSTRIAL MEDICAL PRACTICE 227 Sickness Absence Among Forestry Workers in thi- North of ScotiunH, '.9511. 1). McGregor* Bril. J. Ind. Med, 310-3U (Oct, 19601. Sickness absence record* of 1, ) 15 forest workers in the highlands of Scotland during 1959 were examined. Only absences of A days or more were considered. Two hund red and seventy of the workers were established and were therefore entitled to retirement pension*. There was a high proportion of older men among the established workers; but the sickneee record of these men was generally belter than that of the nnustabllshed workore ex cept in respect of cardiovascular disesiu, rheumatism, and arthritis. Among forest workers as a whole, accidents off duty accounted for more sickneee absence than accident* on duty, a reversal of the finding in the male working population at large. The second mosl important cause of sickness absence was back troubles of all kinds. Among the male working population at large, the second moat important cause of absence was bronchitis, a disease which among forest workers comes 13th on the list. A comparison was mode between the sickness absence record of the highland forest workers and a group nf'telephone construction gang hands per forming broadly comparable work (as regards health hatards) in the same area but whose members were drawn from mors urban homes. In general, fewer forest workers than tele phone gang hands went sick in 1959 for all common ailments except cardiovascular disease, a finding perhapa related to the greater average age of forest workers. When this difference in age was allowed for, it was found that the greatest difference between the 2 group* of sick ness records was in bronchitis, cardiovascular diseass, and peptic ulcer and gastrltia, in that order, and was to the advantage of the forest workers. Next como the upper respiratory tract inftetiona. The least difference was in accidents, septic conditions, and rheumatism and ar thritis. - Author's abst. Health and Personality. A. A; Hutschnecker. Ind, Med, h Surg. 2 96-68 (Tab, 1961); Health is a state of balanced functioning, an inner drive of adaptation to the atreseet of life. As long as an individual is emotionally and physically able to adjust to stress he can maintain a state of balance and will remain whole --that is, healthy. If a situation proves to be stronger than the Individual, then something in tho personality must break. This can be a physical or mental break, It will depend on the individual's ability to find hie way out of the dilemma, by either breaking the situation, or by a process of readjustment--which mean* not simple compromise but a positive acceptance of a life situation or situations--without inner rebellion, resentment, or unconscious hostility and thereby allow hla system to regain a atata of balanced functioning. It if safe to say that the individual who If capable of accepting re sponsibility and can relate to his environment will be able to fulfill himself creatively, and because these people are capable of building mature goal* of themselves, the chances are that they will remain wholoeome, -- Author's summary Whet Is Expected uf the Professional Person In Litigation, N. 8. Symons. Ain, ind. Hvb. Assn. J. iT,' 5U2-5I0 (Dec. I960). The author discusses the subject under the following headings: Who is an expert witness? Nucessity of cooperation. The meaning of "opinion". Importance of preparation. k'reiiurMtionby the expert, Purposes of pre-trial conference. The hypothetic*) question. U'Milficstlons of the expert. Conduct of the expert witness. Role of the Industrial expert. Conduct of the lawyer. Conclusion. The author suggest* that the legal, medical and other clrntiflc professions could be more vigorous in policing their own membership in order to eliminate, or at least minimise, any tendencies toward distortion and exaggeration, and In the presentation of either spurious claims or wholly unjustifiable defenses to obviously valid