Minutes of evidence of the departmental committee appointed to inquire and report whether the following diseases can properly by added to those enumerated in the third schedule of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906 : namely: (1) cowpox, (2) Dupuytren's Contraction, (3) Clonic spasm of the eyelids, apart from nystagmus, (4) writers' cramp.

Great Britain. Departmental Committee on Compensation for Industrial Diseases

Date:: 1913

Credit: Minutes of evidence of the departmental committee appointed to inquire and report whether the following diseases can properly by added to those enumerated in the third schedule of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906 : namely: (1) cowpox, (2) Dupuytren's Contraction, (3) Clonic spasm of the eyelids, apart from nystagmus, (4) writers' cramp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$26 October 1912.] 719. Piecework ?—Yes; it used to take me longer to get over the carriages. 720. During all these years, from the age of 50, had you an allotment, or anything where you did any other work P—No. Iam doing a little bit of waiting now. 721. Are there a good many twist-hands who have allotment gardens ?—No, I never had one myself. 722. Did you do anything outside to bring this on, as far you know ?—No, I never did anything else. 723. Did you ever have rheumatism, or gout, or anything like thatP?—No. I have been in a lodge 45 years on the 27th of next month, and I have only had 10 weeks out in 45 years, so I have not hurt them, oR sd [ Continued 724. (Dr. Legge.) Is it your experience that these machines of late years are heavier than they used to be P—Yes, because they have been building them bigger. 725. Which hand do you use most?—The left hand. 726. When did the fracture of the right wrist take place P—When I was quite young. I should be about 1 years of age when I had my wrist broken. It has always been like that. It does not hurt me at all. 727. Which hand did the contraction begin to show itself in first >—The left hand, (Chatrman.) Thank you. 728. Are youin employment now ?—No. 729. How many years have you been engaged looking after these machines as twist hand ?—I have been: in the lace trade, not exactly on a machine, close on 50 years ; say 47. 730. And how long have you been looking after the machine, 35 to 40 years >—Yes, about 35 years. 731. When first did you notice there was anything wrong with your hands or hand ?—I did not notice it till I was about 48 years of age. 732. How old are you now ?—I am 56. 733. Then you noticed it only eight years ago ?— Yes. . Which hand was it ?—The right hand. (The witness showed his right hand to Sir Clifford Allbutt and Dr. Legge.) It has been operated on. 735. What about the other hand ?—The other hand has been operated on as well. 736. That will not go back?—No, you.see the finger were pressed back at the time of the operation. It was five years since that was done. 737. Just consider. In three years the thing de- veloped so quickly that you have had to have an operation. That is, if it came first only eight years ago. That is so, is it not, Mr. Wardle? (Mr. Wardle) Some go quicker than others ?>—Mr. * A.” That hand went very quick (the right hand). 738. (Dr. Legge.) Was this made very much better by the operation (right hand) ?—Yes, it was. Those two fingers were down like that (fingers bent right into the palm). It was in a splint for two or three months with the fingers pressed back. 739. (Chairman.) They are beginning to go again now ?—Not the right hand, only the left. 740. (Dr. Legge.) Then would you recommend those who have this bad condition to undergo an operation —If the right hand was as bad as it was when I had it operated on, I would say I would have it operated on again, because I made a good job of that. 741. How long were you off work for the operation ? —I went into the hospital in June 1907. That is five years ago. ' 742. How long were you in hospital ?—I was in hospital only about 13 days. Of course I was an out- patient afterwards. I used to go up every morning. 743. How long was it before you were discharged as an out-patient ?>—I should think it would be about three months. ; 744, Did your employer know what was wrong with you ’—Yes. 745. Did you tell him?—TI left the place to have it done. 746. Do you know of other people who have under- gone operations >—Yes. One who is in the other room has had to have his little finger off, and I do not know whether I shall have to have this off, it pains me so badly (the little finger on the left hand, second joint). 747. (Sir Clifford Allbutt.) Is that since the opera- tion >—Yes. 748. (Chairman.) Which hand used you to work most with ?—The right hand. 749. And how used you to catch hold of the lever ? —(Witness illustrated with a poker.) 750. And the wheel?—Of course you had to use both hands to the wheel. 751. (Str Clifford Allbutt.) Do you think the wheel or the handle was the more important in doing this ?— Iam sure I could not say. 752. (Chairman.) Did you do anything beside your work? Had you a garden or allotment, or did you fish, or anything of that sort P—No. 753. (Judge Ruegg.) There was nothing else to subject your hand to pressure ?—No. 754. The pressure you got on your hand was from work ?—Just so. 755. (Chairman.) Before you went into the hospital you told your employer you were going ?—Yes. 756. Did you have any discussion?—I told the manager. 757. Did you have any discussion with the manager as to what was the reason you had to go: that you had to have this done to your hand?—No. Of course I did not know what was the cause of it. I had no idea at that time what was the cause of it. 758. Had you heard of other people who had suffered in the same way before ?—No, at that time I had not. 759. Not in your shop ?—No. operation on one in 1909. 760. (Judge Ruegg.) Have you ever suffered from rheumatism ?—No. 761. As far as you know, are your family rheu- matic ?—I believe my father was. 762. But you have never suffered from it ?—No. 763. Do I understand now, with your hands in their present condition, you are able to work ?>—Yes. 764. If you got another job would you be capable of doing it?—The employers object to this kind of thing. 765. You mean they object to engaging you when your hand is in that condition?—Yes. I have been out of work four months. 766. I suppose in the old time when you first began they did not examine your hands?’—No. They used to examine your teeth. (Chairman.) Thank you. There was an little boy. —Yes. 769. And you are now a twist-hand ?—Yes, 770. Have you been looking after a machine as a twist-hand for 30 or 40 years P—For 34 years. 771. When did you first notice anything wrong with your hand ?—About 15 or 16 years ago. 772, Which hand was it in, the left or the right ?— It was the left hand that started first. B 4$

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