Trends in employee health service : Margaret F. McKiever, editor.

  • United States. Public Health Service. Division of Occupational Health.
Date:
1965]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trends in employee health service : Margaret F. McKiever, editor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1860 1867 1868 1869 One of the earliest published papers on industrial toxicology was a study of mercurialism in the hatters’ trade by J. Addison Freeman of Orange, N.J. Massachusetts was the first State to provide a special police officer to enforce the State law prohibiting the employment of children under 10 years of age in manufacturing establishments. First national union to institute a benefit system was the Cigar Makers’ Union. Another early national benefit program was started by the Iron Molders’ Union in 1870. The benefit pro- gram of the Granite Cutters’ Union, established in 1877, was the first of the national union sick benefit programs. First Federal law regarding hours of work was enacted; it stated : “Eight hours shall constitute a day’s work for all labor- ers, workmen, and mechanics who may be employed by or on behalf of the Government of the United States.” A more ef- fective law was passed in 1892, but it did not apply to work done on a large class of goods and materials. In 1912 a law was passed requiring that an 8-hour provision be inserted in all con- tracts which involved employment of laborers and mechanics when made by, for, or on behalf of the Federal Government, its Territories, or the District of Columbia. First major industrial medical care prepayment program, the hospital department of the Southern Pacific Railroad Co., was organized in Sacramento, Calif. It opened its hospital there in 1869. Other early railroad programs established during this period were the Missouri Pacific Hospital Association, es- tablished in 1872, and the Northern Pacific Beneficial Associa- tion, in 1882. First major fraternal beneficiary society was the Ancient Order of United Workmen. This and other early fraternal organiza- tions had as a primary purpose assistance to members when sick and when totally disabled. Massachusetts established the first State bureau of labor statis- tics and other States did likewise between 1872-84. These bureaus, in most cases, developed into State labor departments. First account of. the payroll checkoff for medical care of coal miners was given in a report of a trip to the Cumberland fields of western Maryland by James M’Killop of Scotland.