Accidents and their management at two casualty units.

This is a study of the nature and management of accidents at a hospital casualty unit and at the medical centre of a large factory. Analysis shows that a high proportion of the refer-rals to both units were for the treatment of minor injuries. Minor injuries create an excessive burden on hospital doctors, who are required to see each person attending the unit, although such injuries often do not require the skill and knowledge of a doctor. Treatment by qualified nurses at the works medical centre eases the load on medical staff. Consideration might be given to the establishment of minor injury units, staffed by trained nurses, within hospital casualty units, at health centres and in the vicinity of large factories.