the United States Bureau of Mines. One quarter of the men employed in metal mines sustained an injury during the year. An annual average of over 10,000 men were injured in quarries for the five year period 1913-1918. There has been a slight decrease in the fatality and injury rates for 1919, as compared with 1918, among quarry operators, according to reports by the Bureau of Mines. The records show that 144 quarry operators were injured out of each thousand employed in 1919 and 147 in 1918. Railroads and street cars employ nearly two million men in the United States. Out of each 10,000 men so employed, 19 were killed by accidents while at work. The accident fatalities, although they have decreased from previous years, totaled 3,500 among railroad and street car employees in 1918. In addition to fatal accidents, conservative estimates show that there were 3,400,000 disabilities due to accidents in occupations during 1919, or an average of at least 11,000 a day. During that year over 680,000 men were laid up for over four weeks from non-fatal industrial accidents. Accidents are costly. Wisconsin has paid ten million dollars compensation in five years. The number of compensable industrial accident cases settled was 73,000 in this one State. DEATHS DUE TO INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES 1918. (Based on estimates from the best obtainable sources *) Accidental deaths constituted 4.6 per cent of the deaths from all causes in the United States in 1918. 1 Biennial Report for 1918-1920 of Industrial Commission of Wisconsin quoted in National Safety News, February 21, 1921. Estimates based on U. S Labor Statistics Reports and accident rates of large industrial groups in insurance companies, etc. VENEZUELA. The work of the Red Cross. The last number of the Bulletin 1 published an announcement of the meeting of the General Assembly of the Venezuelan Red Cross and of the report submitted by Dr. Risquez, Secretary General of the Society. The following is a summary of this interesting report: In less than three years, since the reorganisation of the Venezuelan Red Cross, which was undertaken at the instigation of the League, the Society has accomplished a commendable and noteworthy task. Having obtained the support of the Government and the co-operation of the Caracas Ladies' Organisation, the Red Cross has been able to extend its activities to the most distant parts of the country. The first to respond to the appeal of the Supreme Council was La Guaira, which organised two committees, one of them composed of ladies. This example was followed by Victoria, by Maracay, where, besides two committees, a free dispensary was created, and by Valencia, which organised a nursing school of sixty pupils, a dispensary for infants, and a Junior Red Cross branch comprising over 250 children. Committees were also constituted at Puerto Cabello, Yaritagua, Tucana and Maracaibo, where the Junior Red Cross movement met with great success. The campaign against venereal diseases continues at Caracas, according to the plan outlined by the Red Cross, familiar to readers of the Bulletin. The dispensary operates regularly, with two consultations a day and free supply of medicines to patients. The nursing courses in Caracas have a large attendance, the return of Señorita de Manrique, one of the international groups which took course for public health nurses organised by the League of Red Cross Societies at King's College for Women, in London, having given a new stimulus to this work. The Venezuelan Red Cross, fully realising the importance of publicity, is now actively engaged in organising a membership campaign, for which it will employ the 5,000 emblems furnished by the League of Red Cross Societies. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS The Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge (September, No. 33, third year), besides giving interesting particulars on the relief work undertaken on behalf of the famine-stricken populations of Russia, publishes the text of the agreement passed between Dr. Nansen, High Commissioner for relief work in Russia, and Mr. George Tchitcherine, People's Commissary for Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Federative Republic of the Soviets of Russia. The same number contains an article by Dr. George Montandon on exanthematic typhus in Siberia during the years 1919 to 1921, as well as a diagram by Colonel Stoll, showing the war devastations in Latvia. There is also an account of the work of the Conference for the study of the Russian refugee question, which was held in Geneva last August. See Bulletin of the League of Red Cross Societies, vol. II, no 10-11, page 413. UNION INTERNATIONALE DE SECOURS AUX ENFANTS The Union Internationale de Secours aux Enfants is making every effort to extend its relief activities on behalf of Russian children. At the Geneva Conference for Russian famine relief, organised by the Joint Council of the International Committee of the Cross Red and the League of Red Cross Societies, August 15-16, and at that called by the Council of the League of Nations on behalf of Russian refugees, August 22-24, the Union declared through its delegates that it earnestly desired to co-operate in the good work. Directly after the Conference of August 15-16, Mr. L. B. Golden, secretary-general of the Save-the-Children Fund, the most important branch of the Union, who is also a member of the executive council of the latter, left for Riga, where he and Mr. W. A. Mackenzie, treasurer general of the organisation, got into touch with Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, High Commissioner appointed by the Red Cross Conference. Dr. Nansen, in view of the Union's offer of immediate assistance and of the means at its disposal, issued the following appeal addressed to the Union and to all its branch organisations: « Hundreds of thousands of Russian children are dying of hunger, and millions of others are threatened by the same fate. Convinced, as I am, that they can only be saved through an immediate effort, undertaken on a scale far greater than anything which has previously been attempted, I beg the Union Internationale de Secours aux Enfants to appeal to all men, women, and especially to children, to give as promptly as possible whatever they are able to economise, in order to save the famished children of Russia. Never in the history of the world has there been a more desperate need of help. Every moment is precious. I thank you for your offer to collaborate under my general direction, and I guarantee an equitable distribution of all your gifts to Russia which pass through my hands. Fridtjof Nansen ». On receipt of this appeal, the executive council of the Union in Geneva telegraphed to its fourteen national affiliations, requesting them to give the widest possible publicity to this appeal. In most countries, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Italy, France, Switzerland, etc., Dr. Nansen's appeal has been published and has everywhere met with the most favourable response. The Union Internationale de Secours aux Enfants contemplates opening forthwith school kitchens in the district of Saratoff, which is in the heart of the afflicted region, in order that the children may receive supplementary meals In view of the great success which this appeal has met with in all countries, especially in Great Britain, it will be possible to extend this relief to 100,000 children, instead of to 10,000 as was at first expected. NEWS OF THE LEAGUE. OFFICIAL NEWS. The League of Red Cross Societies has chosen Professor Rocco Santoliquido to succeed Professor C.-E A. Winslow as its representative on the Health Organisation of the League of Nations. Professor Santoliquido, who is the counsellor on international public health to the League of Red Cross Societies, was president of the Office International d'Hygiène Publique from its foundation in 1907 to August 1919. During the war he was chairman of the Health Commission of the allied countries, and was the first director of the Public Health Department of Italy. The second Conference on Venereal Diseases, organised by the League of Red Cross Societies, will be held at Prague on December 5 next. This Conference, which is intended for countries in Eastern Europe, will be attended by representatives of the Red Cross Societies of Austria, Bulgaria, Czecho-Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, Poland, Roumania, Yugo-Slavia, as well as by delegates of various governments. The third Conference will be convened at Paris on December 14. The national Red Cross Societies of Belgium, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland will be represented, as well as various governments. The second Public Health Course for International Students will open on October 6 at Bedford College for Women (University of London), of which Miss Tuke is the Principal. Miss Waters, of the League's Division of Nursing, has already left for London, where she will be in charge of the group, which comprises representatives of the following twelve countries: The syllabus for the course is divided as follows: Theoretical. 1. Hygiene and Public Health. a) Personal Hygiene; b) Community Hygiene; c) School Hygiene; d) Hygiene of special senses (eye, ear, nose, throat, etc.); e) Prevention of communicable diseases; f) Oral Hygiene (importance of care of teeth); g) Maternity, Infant and Child Care; h) Food Values, Dietetics, Nutrition. 2. Teaching of Hygiene. a) Theory and practice of education; b) Practice in teaching (health talks to mothers; teaching health habits to school children); c) Value of Visual Education. 3. Elementary Bacteriology (lectures followed by practical work). 4. Elementary Psychology (including Infant Psychology). 5. Modern Industrial Conditions (including industrial problems). 6. Social Administration (followed by a Discussion class). Pratical work. 1. Attendance at Child Welfare Centres, Day nurseries and Children's Hospitals. 2. Attendance at a Tuberculosic Dispensary. 3. Experience with District Nursing Associations in City district in order to get some insight into practical bedside nursing work in the homes. 4. Experience in School Hygiene work (physical examination of children, home visiting, cleansing stations, schools for mentally and physically defective children). 5. About 30 excursions to places of interest in connection with Hygiene and Public Health course. Classes in public health nursing subjects (to be given or arranged by a representative of the League of Red Cross Societies with the approval and co-operation of the Principal of Bedford College for Women). 1. History of Nursing. 2. Principles of Public Health Nursing. 3. Development of Health Visiting and Public Health Nursing in various countries. 4. The responsibilities and duties of the Public Health Nurse in relation to: schools, factories, homes, hospitals, outpatient clinics and dispensaries, general public health and sanitation. 5. Development, Organisation and Administration of: a) Visiting or District Nursing. b) Child Welfare Nursing. c) Maternity and Infant Nursing. d) Rural and Small Town Nursing. e) Clinics and Health Centres (travelling and permanent). f) Open-air schools. 6. Vital Statistics. 7. Records and Reports. 8. Ways and Methods of Teaching: a) Home care of sick. b) First Aid. c) School hygiene. 9. Supplementary Lectures: a) Red Cross Activities. b) Venereal Diseases. |