Industrial Medical Services for Small Industries *

Industrial medicine and hygiene have made considerable strides in this country during the past two decades. A great many facts dealing with the signs, symptoms, toxicology, and preventive aspects of this branch of the medical sciences have been accumulated, but, unfortunately, the application of the data and the distribution of industrial medical care have not proceeded with parallel speed. In the larger plants, viz., those with a personnel of over one thousand, medical programs of diverse types have been inaugurated. In some instances these are quite creditable; in others, they are rather shoddy and ineffectual. Let no one be mistaken-these services have not been established with humanitarianism or philanthropy as the impetus. They have been introduced and maintained because it was obvious that it was good business to have them. Although there are still many unanswered problems with regard to the development of an adequate medical service for large plants, we are concerned here with a more important phase of the problem-the small plant. By definition, we shall include all plants employing under 500 as being in this category. It is in this group that the greatest industrial population belongs,t and in which relatively little has been done to safeguard man power. There has been much talk, but precious little action. It may be worth while to outline the activities of a reasonably well-organized industrial medical program applicable to either a large or a small plant.