Document xzx6r8Me0pr2DKKRvNdGG985E

e stages of disease were defined and at that time. It was, of course, called 'Miners' Phthisis', and the first definition -was: "Miners' Phthisis shall mean silieoels of the lungs". Certain benefits are awarded when there is no serious or permanent impairment, or more if there is serious or per manent impairment. No mention was made of tuberculosis. Pour years afterwards, it was - the legislation was amended, and it was then said that, for the purposes of this Act, the expression 'Miners' Phthisis' means sili cosis of the lungs, and tuberculosis means tuberculosis of the lungs or of the respiratory organs. | Now, here it may be strange to an American audl- ` ence to appreciate how the acta are drafted. In our draft, | Ii j you start off by defining in the beginning of the act, e7ery i tgrm that you use, as if it were a dictionary, and it is ; that definition that fixes the attitude of the Compensation ; Board toward the particular individual's troubles, j Now, in 1916, tuberculosis was included- and- -Wecejaa compensable, whether associated with or without silicosis. Then, it was realized that the definition which was used i I then was not satisfactory, and a much more elaborate one waa introduced three years afterwards under te so-called Consolidating Act, and a radical change was made. * At this stage - in this Act, a third stage of silicosis was recognized and that is the so-called ante- SEVENTH SARANAC -0088