Evening Star Newspaper, October 27, 1935, Page 59

By James Nevin Miller. you suppose that you are bet- ter guarded from injury there than if you were fighting in the trenches or driving an automo- | bile> If so, then you are due for some startling surprises, . according to Robert E. Bondy, in charge of the Nation - wide campiagn recently launched by the American Red Cross to reduce accidents in the home. During the World War, Mr. Bondy eays, 50,510 American soldiers were either illed outright or fatally wounded. Bad enough, but after all, isn't war waged with the express pur- pose of killing on a wholesale scale? ‘There was nothing accidental about these fatalities; they were deliber- ately planned and miilions of men were employed to the end that sud- den death would come to as many &s possible. During 1934 there were 101,000 per- #ons in the United States who met death through accident. That's dif- ferent, isn't it? Think of it: Twice the number of Americans killed dur- ing this country’s participation in the war! Apparently hazards in the home are more dangerous than high explosive ghells and even more deadly than machine gun fire. This ic a strong statement, but supported by figures,i Here is more food for thought: In 1934 accidents permanently crippled 370,000 people and temporarily dis- abled 9,821,000 in the United States. | To phrase the price of carelessness | for the practical minded—accidents | OW safe is your home? Would | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., OCTOBER 27, 1935—PART FOU F—3 MAN’S SUPPOSED HAVEN, HAUNTED BY DEATH * < ] | bad falls are the causes of most home accidents. Take a typical example, the case of Grandpa Smith: The children used to laugh at him. He looked funny, they thought. Maybe it was hic excess dignity. Perhaps it last year cost the Nation $3,500,000,~ €00. Not so much less than the $4,-| 800,000,000 appropriation for the| work-relief fund. Accidents occurring in the home during 1934 killed 34,500, permanently disabled 150,000 and injured nearly 5,000,000. Motor vehicle accidents during this same period killed 36,000, permanently disabled 100,000 and in- Jured another 1,000,000. ’ /A COMPARISON of these figures indicates that accidents in the| home resulting in death were but 1.500 fewer than those caused by mo- | tor vehicles, whereas permanently | disabling injuries were half again as great and other injuries five times| greater. This comparison clearly u-! lustrates that the problem of home | accidents is greater than that of | motor vehicle accidents, even though | less understood. | Agriculture is rated as the most| hazardous of all occupational pur- | suits, the Red Cross finds. It is esti- | mated that in 1934 there were 4,400 persons who met accidental death | while engaged in farming. This fig- | ure represents 27 per cent of the total | deaths resulting from all occupations. ‘This high rate is in large part due to the fact that farming is generally not | covered by compensation laws and| consequently the farm accident prob- lem has received less attention than it deserves. Farm accidents present & problem in large part as serious as that of home accidents. The Kansas Department of Health recently completed a study of deaths resulting from accidental falls and burns that occurred in the home over a four-year period and a similar one cavering fatal work accidents on the farm that occurred over a five-year period. Tt was found that 39 per cent of the falls within the home occurred in the bed room, 21 per cent in the liv- ing room, 16 per cent on the stairs or steps, 6 per cent in the dining room, 4 per cent in the bath room and 3 per cent in other places. The major causes of these accidents were slip- ping on floors, rugs, or stairs; getting in and cut of bed and sitting down in or getting up from a chair. For burns, 56 per cent of the fatal accidents took place in the kitchen, 19 per cent in the living room, 12 per cent in the bath room, 4 per cent in the dining room and 3 per cent in the basement. For fatal farm work accidents the study revealed that 29 per cent re- sulted from machinery accidents, of which tractors caused 31 per cent, animals accounted for 22 per cent, excessive heat 10 per cent, vehicle ac- cidents 9 per cent, falls 9 per cent d lightning 6 per cent. All other Ises were responsible for 15 per cent of the fatal farm accidents. According to the Red Cross survey, was the way he tapped fussily with his cane before trusting his weight to the loose rug at the head of the stairs. Youth has so little patience with infirmity. ROM time to time grandpa, who limped rather badly because of his rheumatism, complained about that loose rug at the head of the stairs. He was afraid of it. His son John humored him, said he would speak to Mary about it. Yes, it would be tacked down soon—or something, Mary agreed vaguely. She would fix it, well—tomorrow for sure! Right now she wanted to speak to the children about laughing at their grandfather. Something would have to be done about that. The rug is fixed now. The elderly gentleman doesn't worry about it any more. Queer, the way his neck had looked when they picked him up at the foot of the stairs; he seemed to be looking over his shoulder at the spot where the rug had been. Death’s last mute complaint. On this man’s tombstone there should have been in- scribed: “Killed by my son's careless- ness and my daughter-in-law’s pro- crastination.” In such fashion, says Mr. Bondy, will probably occur many of the 14,000 fatalities which are scheduled to re- sult frem falls in the home this year. All that 15 necessary is for history to repeat itself. It is interesting to note that folks 65 years of age or over will be numbered among two-thirds of the deaths occurring from this type of accident. It is more important to note that all types of falls can be prevented. Make small rugs secure; keep steps in repair, well lighted and guarded with railings; remove small objects left underfoot, for they can cause serious injury; equip bathtubs with hand grips and suction mats. Burns and scalds in the home claim almost as many lives as falls. They occur most frequently to children un- der 15 years. A common situation takes place something like this: Mother is extremely busy in the kitchen. Three-year-old Janice tags around after her, trying to measure step for step. Mother smiles at the child lovingly, but a little absently— there is a lot to be done this morning. Janice gets in the way occasionally. But at least she is right under mother’s eyes and can neither get into mischief nor hurt herself. But wait! How about that tea kettle singing so merrily on the stove? The handle projects a trifie over the pipe surrounding the jets. A rather dangerous situation, sure enough. Still, mother is nearby. From time to time she watches over the child. Noth- ing to worry about. But look! Janice is walking back- ward. She is getting nearer the stove. Nearer, nearer, nearer! Janice, stop! Mother, look up! There's still time. ‘c's that kettle, Don’t you see? Too late, now, mother. Janice will stop screaming in a moment. The screams are growing fainter already. No, never mind the doctor. He can’t | help you now. And stop that foolish running around in circles with your ‘hmd.s over your ears, mother. You | did it. If you had pushed the tea- | | kettle back just an inch or two this | couldn’t have happened. 'TRAGEDIE like this will be re-| enacted many times this year | unless something is done to eliminate | such home hazards, until people are ! | convinced that the home must be | | made safe. Other well-known causes for burns and scalds are: Match boxes left | within reach of children, cooking uten- | sils improperl, placed on the stove, the use of inflammable cleaning fluids in the house and uaprotected fire- places. N\ Accident statistics prove that 9 fires out of 10 in the home are Jdue to Yearly Toll of 101,000 Fatal Accidents, More Than Twice That of World War. Launches Drive by Red Cross to Reduce Nation’s Losses—Carelessness of Preventable Variety Behind Continuing Tragedy Involving Three Billion Dollar Loss Annually. * 1. Keep the youngsters away from open windows. Beware of long, pointed scissors. Suppose this was your boy? Whole houses have been destroyed by this carelessness. Death has resulted from this. The American Red Cross is “still the greatest mother.” 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. causes of home fires are the careless | employing the following commen- use of matches and cigarettes; defec- | sense habits, the Red Cross advise tive chimneys, flues, stoves and fur- | Teach every smoker in the house: naces; careless handling of refuse and | hold the importance of extinguishing hot ashes, defective gas and electrical | cigarettes, the danger of flicking ash appliances, the use of highly com- | indiscriminately about clothing, rugs, | bustible solvents for cleaning and | curtains and upholstered furniture, candles. the importance of emptying ash trays sheer carelessness. The most frequent Time Has Home fires may be prevented by into non-inflammable receptacles (not the trash basket) and the grave dan- gers of smoking in bed. for at least an annual in- spection of chimneys, flues, :toves and furnaces. Have all repairs made promptly. Keep chimneys and flues clean at all times. Use only standard gas and electrical appliances and have them installed by competént workmen. Give care- | ful consideration to the purpose of each piece of equipment and locate it with respect to its use. Learn the proper method of using each appli- ance. Replace worn parts, such as electrical cords, promptly. Keep oily rage, such as are used in dusting, in metal containers. Remove papers and other flammable rubbish Rowdyism of an Earlier ‘ Individualistic Day. HE transitional quality of twen- tieth century life and custom is discernible on all sides, af- fecting even the most incon- sequential matters. Hardly anything moderns do or say or think escapes change, even holiday customs. When Halloween rolls around next Thursday, Washington and most other parts of America will notice a contin- ued drift away from the old-time ribald and rowdy celebration of the holiday. Many jittery householders still will batten down gates, unhook the doorbell and resolve not to jump when the tick-tack on the window pane sends & shiver through a non- rolstering family. The wayfarer will not don a silk hat as he sallies forth that evening and he will likely wear oid clothes upon which & flour-loaded {Organized Frolics Displace | stocking can inflict no particular damage. Still, things will be different. There will be a lot of hoodlumism, of course, but recent experience shows a distinct trend toward more orderly celebration. ) Hallo_ween Festival, However, Retains Much of Its Ancient Symbolism. < strode into the picture and today in most communities anything bordering (on Halloween ruffianism is out. But realizing youth will be served, the custom changers knew something must be substituted for the banished old ways, and they have striven val- liantly to provide it—ergo parties, pa- rades and pageants. ‘There also is a growing observance und sane idea so successfully applied| ates and juvenile public enemies be- | stands as one of the holidays most gan putting rocks instead of flour in|anticipated by the world’s socking and by children -makers. quickly. Provide a non-flammable re- | ceptacle for ashes and matches. Keep supplies of flammable liquids (gaso- line, naphtha, benzine and kerosene) | stored outside the house. | Almost every week you will read of at least one case like this in your daily newspaper: Mr. Brown ran his car slowly up the incline of his driveway | and parked it neatly in his garage. | It was hot for October. He relaxed | comfortably, reached for his pipe and | filled it. Phew! that breeze felt good. Suddenly the breeze stopped. That was because it had blown the garage doors shut. But Mr. Brown didn't | know that. He reached for a match, | | struck it, lit his pipe. Then he started to shut off the motor. But the pipe had gone out. With some ex- | asperation, Mr. Brown struck another match—the motor could wait a mo- ment. | The motor waited quite a while. Until next morning, in fact. You| see, nobody knew that Mr. Brown was in the garage, that the car was still | running. Carbon monoxide gas is| odorless and tasteless—and so deadly. Coal gas and illumnating gas are | | just as harmful. Each year asphyxia- | tion claims an extravagant toll of lives, Reasonable care and the util- | ization of & little common sense are | all that are necessary to prevent| needless deaths from the absorption | of poisonous gases. Be sure to bear in mind these simple precautions: Keep garage doors or windows open when your car’s motor is running in order to allow escape of the poisonous carbon monoxide fumes produced by the motor, and be sure to place the sutomobile in the garage so that the exhaust pipe points toward the open door. IN YOUR home or apartment be sure to select standard types of gas applignces, installed by compe- tent workmen. Provide vents for gas heaters used in bath rooms and else- where. Give immediate attention to terial taken from bottles and boxes that they tend to sample the contents of any receptacles within reach. Many medicines which are entirely safe when taken in prescribed amounts and otherwise used according to di- rections are harmful in overdose. The wise parent will keep only a minimum supply of medicines or other poisonous material in the home; place all bottled goods well out of the chil- dren's reach, and label all contain- ers clearlr Of course, all medicines would be kept in a separate medicine chest. “The gun that isn't loaded” kills many children and adults each year. These deaths result from the thor- oughly bad practice of leaving shells in a gun which is temporarily not in use, from iailure to’ ascertain if the weapon is loaded immediately after picking it up, and from leaving it within the reach of children. Remove all shells from firearms immediately after completing their use. When picking up a gun, ascer- tain at once if it is loaded. Do not trust to memory or information given by a companion. Point firearms only at objects you desire to shoot. Une der no conditions should a gun be pointed at a human being. Learn a proper technique for carrying, clean- ing and’firing every type of weapon you use. Treat every firearm with respect for its potential deadliness. Cuts and scratches are suffered by countless people in the home every year. Children are most susceptible to this type oY injury. Some of these accidents cause only inconvenience, others require expensive treatment and result in permanent impairment of health, and deaths. Plercing by dull instruments causes many painful hurts. Injuries of this type to eyes and ears are usually rather cerious. He. are some safe rules to follow, Red Cross officials advise: Handle all tools and gnives carefully, store them properly and keep them out of the reach of your children. Provide special work tools for the | youngsters, made to their size and needs, and give each child careful | instruction in the proper way to use each tool or plaything he possesses. Power saws and lathes should be guarded and used with great care. 1In 1821, & 4,000-acre tract near Co- lumbus, Ky, was surveyed by the Government with s view to locating the National Capital there. Ey