The Harvester World: Volume 4, number 4, April 1913

              Welfare Work

PROTECTION    AGAINST    INJURY SANITATION HEALTH
INDUSTRLM.,    EDUCATION RECREATION SPORTS

WELFARE WORK AS RELATED TO SUCCESSFUL

MINING OPERATION

By W. C. Tucker, Superintendent Wisconsin Steel
Company, Benham, Ky.
Welfare work and its relation to successful operation is a topic in which the industry of today is showing vital interest. Welfare work is being taken up by large manufacturing concerns and in individual instances by large department stores, though it is by no means general, but it is not yet practiced to a sufficient extent in the mining industry. It is a subject that covers a wide field, and, while I am studying it and am trying to practice it in some of its phases, I realize that in putting it into execution one must needs go slowly be¬ cause of the attitude of suspicion and antagonism which will surely be encountered from the employes for whose benefit the work is undertaken.
In considering the subject it is well to take it up by steps and in so doing I will begin with the medical department. As you all know it is the general custom of mining concerns to employ a physician, one or more according to the size of the mine or mines, the number of employes, etc. The methods of employing the physician and conducting the medical de¬ partment vary widely. In some cases the doctor is paid a sum deducted from the employe's wages and in return he furnishes the drugs and his services with very little supervision by the manager or superintendent. In other instances a percentage is deducted by the company for clerical services in collecting from the employes. In still other instances the company or employer selects and employs the doctor, paying a fixed salary and also furnishing the drugs. There are still other ways, but this last appeals to me for the reason that the doctor, his drugs and the conduct of the medical department is more directly under the control of the superintendent or manager as the case may be.
A FEATURE LONG RECOGNIZED
This is one feature of welfare work, the importance and necessity of which has long been recognized and which has long been in practice, but it costs the opera¬ tor nothing and in many instances is not so well handled as it could be for that very reason. It is of great benefit to the employe, both physically and economically. It is hardly necessary to point out that one case of serious illness, in which the employe had to secure medical attention and drugs as an individual, would cost for drugs alone more than is deducted from his earnings for a period of a year under any of the systems now in vogue among operators. The only comment I wish to make on this is that it is distinctly up to the employer to be sure that he gets a capable, conscientious physician so that there will be no neglect of duty, no lack of care or proper drugs, no unneces¬ sary amputations, etc.
In some instances trained nurses are employed whose duty it is to visit the homes, show mothers how to care for their children, how to wait on and attend to slight illnesses; to teach the women and girls how to cook, sew, and give them some insight into the necessity for cleanliness and sanitation about the home. She also will assist the physician in all cases of serious illness, accidents and operations.   When not actively engaged
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in looking after the bodily welfare of your employes she should teach them personal neatness, good house¬ keeping and economy in living. It is important that your employes should have nourishing food properly prepared if they give you the maximum of efficiency in service, but it is not necessary, or should not be, for them to spend all their earnings to obtain it. Where this condition exists you have a breeding place for socialism and anarchy.
THE FIRST-AID WORK
Next comes first-aid work, which is just now receiv¬ ing a great deal of attention and is becoming so general that any comment from me will be superfluous. In case of accident the operator is more or less (generally more) liable to suit for damages, therefore he readily sees the necessity for and benefit in caring for the injured from a money value standpoint as well as one of humanity. I am thoroughly in sympathy with this movement from both ])oints of view and I also realize that a great deal of needless suffering and in some cases loss of life may be prevented by timely applica¬ tion of first-aid by a person or persons trained in the what and how to do, the necessary work; therefore I think one or more teams of first-aid men should be formed and trained in this work at every mine. The men composing the team or teams should be selected from the various branches of the underground work so that some of them will be in different parts of the mine and easily and quickly found in case of need. I also think it advisable that a team should be formed of outside employes—they could handle any accident occurring outside or it might be found that a man injured inside could be brought to the surface before an inside first-aid man could be found.
Under the medical department comes also the means, method and manner of handling contagious diseases and it is to the operator's interest to prevent, if possible, those diseases; and to prevent the spread, if started, is as important, if not more so, than the treatment of the individual patient. See that your water supply is not contaminated, that the waste and filth from the house and kitchen and the excreta from the human body are all taken care of so as to prevent sickness from such sources. Closets or outhouses should be made as tight and dark as possible and houses screened if possible to prevent flies from passing to and fro. Some common-sense sanitary rules along these lines should be enforced. Your state board of health would no doubt co-operate with your local physician along these lines.
THE EDUCATIONAL WORK
This brings me to the educational work. I have a friend who often uses this expression: "You can't do much with an old goat, but you can do a great deal with a little kid; you cannot do much to benefit an old drunken bum, but you can do something with his kid." In most instances mines are located in more or less isolated places. At least the schools are dependent on the county and the allowance of money is small, the term short, and the teachers not of the best, and not trained for their work. Tliis condition can be changed and greatly improved if you will go at it in the right way— please understand that what I am going to say applies only to such  conditions as already  described.    Such