25TH Thousand ■“.'5 i \F' I MUST KNOW FOR SAFETY 1 32 FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS Published by The Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County Otis Building:, Chicago, Ill. TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A Copy of this Book Should be Kept in Every Home. IN CASE OF ACCIDENT Turn to Pages 140-144 Also Illustrated Appendix Pages 171-178 for “First Aids to the Injured” RULES OF THE ROAD Page 168 Copyright, 1915 by the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County CHICAGO, ILL. Things You Must Know for Safety No man’s time is so valuable that he cannot profit by a study of the startling FACTS in this book READ IT! DIGEST IT ! THIRTY-TWO PAGES OF ILLUSTRA¬ TIONS, WITH THE “PUNCH” OF MOVING PICTURES Copyright, 1915, by The Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County Office: Olis Building, 10 South La Salle Street CHICAGO, ILLINOIS UJ CO X liJ i4 'Sa ^'‘ 0 *5 ^^44 Ci JW.5W: V.- <.•- i'^ ■•<;: ■«: <>' •v.. 1 _, ^ .. *.0.^ -j Driver should Slow Up where Children are Playing. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 57 t Table No. 7 ACCIDENTS OF THE STREET. In Chicago and Cook County. 1910 3,969 street railway accidents. 1,596 horse and horse vehicle accidents. 998 automobile accidents. 1911 3,664 street railway accidents. 1,561 horse and horse vehicle accidents. 1,153 automobile accidents. 1912 4,106 street railway accidents. 1,507 horse and horse vehicle accidents. 1,604 automobile accidents.. 1913 4,283 street railway accidents. 1,383 horse and horse vehicle accidents. 2,029 automobile accidents. of which 175 were fatal a U 67 a u U 52 M u u 161 ti a u u 75 a u u u 75 a M a u 209 u u u u 49 u M a a 98 u m u u 165 M u u u 44 m u u a 136 u u The following comparative tabulation is self-explanatory: Coroner’s Cases. 1910 1911 1912 1913 Horse vehicles. 67 75 49 44 Automobiles. 52 75 98 136 Accidents Reported to the Police Department. Horse vehicles. 1,695 1,561 1,507 1,383 Automobiles. 998 1,153 1,604 2,029 From these figures it is seen that the rapid increase in the number of automobiles in use during the past four years and the corresponding decrease in the number of horse vehicles is definitely shown, not only in the decrease of horse vehicle accidents and fatalities, but in the increase of automobile accidents, as the above comparison of four years clearly demonstrates. On February loth, 1914, the number of passenger and freight vehicle^ of all classes, licensed and unlicensed, on the streets of Chicago were as follows: Horse vehicles. 65,118 Power vehicles. 37,406 The average daily mileage of all the passenger and freight vehicles used on the streets of Chicago is as follows: Horse vehicles.12 miles Power vehicles.42 miles Total Daily Mileage in Chicago Horse vehicles.781,416 miles Power vehicles.1,571,052 miles Average Number of Accidents per Day for Four Years. Horse vehicles.4.15 Power vehicles.3.96 Number of Accidents to Each Five Million Miles. Horse vehicles.26.55 Power vehicles.12.6 It is clear that comparisons made as to the danger between horse vehicles and power vehicles must be estimated on efficiency, and as the number of miles traveled is the only rational basis on which to figure, this statement covering four years is as close as can be calculated at this time without securing the average number of vehicles in use throughout the entire period, a detail, by the way, which would make but little difference in the general results obtained. 58 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY A reference to numerical table No. 55, giving the principal causes of death in their order, will show that automobile accidents occupy tenth place in both 1912 and 1913, and this in connection with the fact that there are but 12.6 accidents to every 5,000,000 miles of travel as against 26.55 accidents to every 5,000,000 miles that horse vehicles travel, should aid the public in drawing their conclusions on a more accurate basis than has been the custom in the past. While improperly controlled and in the hands of incompetent, care¬ less or inebriated persons, the automobile is one of the most dangerous devices that human ingenuity has contrived, it is well to remember that under proper conditions it is one of the most useful inventions, one of the greatest mechanical servants ever contrived for the use of man, and it is for the people themselves through laws, regulation and education to so safeguard its use as to secure its highest benefits with the least possible expense to life and limb. In the campaigns of education that have been made in various fields to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities it is invariably found that the first requisite is to catalogue the several principal ways in which accidents take place, and it is in line with this general plan that we are giving below the figures in relation to the automobile fatalities in the city, in the country and in parks by passenger cars and trucks, and following will be found thirteen different ways in which automobile fatalities occurred in 1912 and sixteen in 1913, which will form most interesting reading for those who are either learning or teaching the avoidance of automobile accidents: Table No. 8 AUTOMOBILE FATALITIES FOR 1912 AND 1913. , 1912 1913 In the City. 95 113 In the Country. 2 18 In Parks. 1 5 # Total. 98 136 Passenger Car... 75 106 Truck. 23 30 Total. 98 136 Principal Kinds of Accidents: Struck and knocked down. 30 51 Struck and run over. 44 40 Struck and dragged. 1 1 Collision with auto or truck. 1 3 Collision with wagon. 4 2 Collision with train. 6 Collision with street car. 4 Collision with horse. 1 • • • Collision with buggy or cab. 3 ... Collision with motorcycle. 2 ... Collision with bicycle. 2 2 Collision with bridge post, etc. 4 Skidding. 2 3 Hitching. 4 Cranking car. 2 Auto turning over. ^ Auto running down embankment. 2 Auto running into river. 4 ... Fell from automobile. 2 4 Thrown from automobile. 2 4 Total. 98 ■ 136 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 59 Contributing Causes: Blame not fixed. Carelessness of driver. Inexperienced driver. Driver intoxicated. Speeding.. Carelessness in cranking. Misunderstanding signals. Carelessness of deceased. Crossing in middle of block. Deceased intoxicated. Confusion of deceased. Falling in front of auto. Jumped from wagon in front of auto Ran from behind car. Skating in street. Hitching to auto. Defective auto. Suicide... Surrounding conditions. 1912 42 21 1 G • • ■ 4 9 1 ‘ 2 2 1 10 1913 44 24 7 3 2 2 1 11 18 • • • 3 2 1 2 2 1 13 Total 98 136 Traffic, passenger and freight, must necessarily have its rights in the streets and highways and pedestrians must also have their rights, and the result of the great campaign of the Safety Commission in the Chicago public schools has proven that education in both mental and physical efficiency is the only remedy, both for the prevention of carelessness on the part of drivers of vehicles and of pedestrians who use the same streets. At the mercy of speed maniacs our highways of travel would become more perilous than a battle field, but when the people as a whole are aroused the situation which has prevailed for weeks, months and years will be care¬ fully considered and remedied, so that our county and city may have all the benefits of carrying passengers and freight through the streets with power vehicles, with the sacrifice of life and limb much less than formerly caused by horse vehicles alone. If those who merely take the round figures in connection with auto¬ mobile accidents, viz.: i6 deaths in 1907, 18 in 1908, 28 in 1909, 52 in 1910, 75 in 1911, 98 in 1912 and 136 in 1913, would also consider the vast mileage being made by these freight and passenger vehicles, together with the decrease in horse vehicles and the corresponding increase in the number of power vehicles, they would get a true idea of the real facts and relation¬ ships involved. To safeguard all concerned, the final solution of the automobile situ¬ ation in all cities must rest upon the competency and efficiency of the drivers, and this problem will no doubt be gradually worked out more cr less in some way as the problem relating to locomotive engineers, who after having been trained in the shops as firemen and proven themselves com¬ petent, are granted a license and given charge of an engine. At the present time in Chicago only hired chauffeurs are required to have licenses, whereas owners of automobiles, their sons, daughters and relatives are permitted to drive their cars at liberty through the streets without licenses, without training or examination as to competency, notwithstanding the fact that there are a. dozen automobile training schools in Chicago, certificates of graduation from which, including competency as to sight, hearing, nervous organization, etc., should be sufficient basis on which to grant a license, and lacking such certificate, should be a basis for denying or revoking a license. Not until the commonwealth takes control of this matter as to who are competent to drive power cars on the streets and highways, with full 60 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY A Wrong Signal—18 Killed, 32 Wounded. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 61 power to revoke licenses, will' automobile accidents and fatalities be reduced to the minimum. ELEVATOR ACCIDENTS At the time the quadrennial report for 1908-1911 was printed I felt that we were to be congratulated on the marked decrease in elevator fatal¬ ities. The record for 1912 and 1913 permits of no complacency in this matter. In 1912, forty-four fatal elevator accidents occurred and in 1913, forty lives were sacrificed. This record must impress upon every one the great necessity, not only for safety ordinances but for officials who will perform their duty rigidly and conscientiously in enforcing these ordin¬ ances. We must remember that against this official carelessness and negli¬ gence stands human life itself. Public opinion, in the face of the above facts, should bring such pressure upon every one involved that 1914 will show material improvement. RAILROAD ACCIDENTS During the past two years 686 persons were killed by steam railways, being an average of 343 per year. The number killec^per 100,000 in 1912 showed a decrease of .5 per cent from 1911. During 1911, 13.4 persons out of every 100,000 population were killed. In 1912 the number killed per 100,000 had decreased to 12.7. Nineteen hundred and thirteen, how¬ ever, shows a slight increase over 1911, the number per 100,000 being 13.8, or an increase of .29 per cent. With proper activities in the further aboli¬ tion of grade crossings and a willingness on the part of railroad officials to adopt the recommendations of this office for the prevention of similar accidents, such as erection of safety gates, the fencing of their right of way and the placing of flagmen and electric bells at highway crossings, together with proper safety regulations and appliances in shops and yards, we may reasonably hope that 1914 will show an appreciable decrease in human sacrifice. The fact remains, however, that the general public is not alive to the great danger of crossing railroad tracks at places other than at the highway crossings. Statistics of this office prove that in the past two years eighty-four per cent of those killed by steam railways met their death at places along the right of way other than at highway crossings. Inasmuch as forty-three per cent of those killed during the above period were pass¬ engers and employes, it is evident that the majority of the remaining fifty-seven per cent were trespassers on the railroad right of way, and came to grief owing to lack of care for their own safety. STREET CAR ACCIDENTS During the past two years 374 persons were killed by street railways, or an average of 187 per year. The number killed in 1912 was 209 as against 161 in 1911, and 165 in 1913. The record for 1912 therefore shows an in¬ crease over 1911 of 29.19 per cent; 1913 shows increase over 1911 of 2.48 per cent. Considering the earnest activities of the street railway companies in the line of public safety and the fact that their educational propaganda has certainly had an effect in lessening street car catastrophes, an explan¬ ation seems necessary, and it is this: That there were 25 per cent more street cars in use in 1913 than in 1911, w’hile the number of fares has in¬ creased 36 per cent. It is much to the credit of the street railway com¬ panies for having brought the record down from 209 in 1912 to 165 in 1913, in the face of the enormous increase in traffic. 62 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY A Thoughtless Moment on the Part of Motorman or Children may Result Fatally. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 63 Six and four-tenths persons in every 100,000 population were killed by street cars in 1911; in 1912 8.2 persons in every 100,000, and in 1913 6.3 out of every 100,000. While the street railway companies during the past two years have done much toward educating the people on their personal safety, and taken proper precaution for the prevention of accidents, still the fact remains that a large proportion of the fatal accidents belong to the order of pre¬ ventable casualties. They could and would have been avoided if the trac¬ tion companies had provided proper facilities for transportation; 7.49 per cent of the deaths during the last two years, due to falling off cars and 2.94 per cent killed in alighting or boarding cars are directly traceable to over-crowding. The accidents resulting from street cars hitting wagons forms 8 per cent of the biennial total as against 12 per cent of the quad¬ rennial total for the period ending November, 1911. Convincing evidence is often presented at inquests that motormen do not operate their cars skillfully. They start them too quickly or stop them too suddenly. But evidence equally convincing is furnished that the patrons of street cars often take great risks in boarding or leaving moving cars. Constant attention to safeguards by the management, by conductors and motormen and by passengers and pedestrians is the means by which the casualty list can be kept down. ELEVATED RAILWAY ACCIDENTS Seventeen in 1912, 18 in 1913. Considering the increased traffic of the elevated railways, the fact that the accident fatalities have been cut down to ah average of 17.5 per annum in 1912 and 1913, as compared with the average of 20 per annum for the four years previous, is great credit to the Safety First activities and educational campaign conducted by the elevated railroads in Chicago. As before, the majority of the accidents listed occurred at points where the trains left the elevated structure to run on the surface on the outskirts of the city. INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS The number of victims from industrial accidents during 1912 and 1913 was 251 and 238 respectively. During the course of my adminis¬ tration of the office of coroner, I have observed that a very large percentage of the families and dependents of decedents are left in a practically des¬ titute condition. Those killed in shops, factories, elevators and in other vocations are generally men of family who make up our industrial army. Statistics of the past two years show that fifty-two per cent of those killed in industry are between 20 and 40 years of age. A certain number of accidents are inseparable from industry. If all the cunning and sympathy of our race were exhausted in the attempt, the slaughter could not be entirely stopped. It can be greatly reduced, however, by safety appliances and by throwing a financial responsibility upon the proprietors. It is only elemental justice that those who are iinjured in the industrial battle should be cared for by the society which they serve, and that the families of those slain should be compensated for the loss of their breadwinners. Our state has recognized this duty by establishing a system of industrial insurance to compensate the victims for the loss of life and limb. Our civilization has gained the advantage of the toil of these men, and having done so, it is but just that we bear a part of the cost. BETTER BE vSAFE THAN vSORRY 64 Band Saw Safeguarded by Wire Netting STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 65 ASPHYXIATION Three hundred and ninety-four deaths occurred from accidental asphyxiation during the past two years, an average of 197 per year, which is an increase of 11.93 per cent over the average for the previous four years, ending November, 1911. This shows an alarming increase in the number of deaths from this cause, due to defective gas pipes and fixtures It is not yet the duty of any one in Cook County to inspect gas fixtures in private houses. I believe it advisable that our city government make provision for a sufficient number of inspectors who shall be attached to the city gas inspector’s office, to make regular examinations, or, failing this, place this duty upon the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company. DROWNING During the past two years there occurred 301 cases of drowning. This is an average of 150.5 per year. As the summer approaches, I trust the police authorities will take proper steps toward safeguarding the bathing beaches and enforcing the municipal code relating to the fencing of clay holes. TETANUS During the past two years verdicts of death of eighty persons from tetanus were returned by coroner’s juries, or an average of 40 per year. From time to time my attention has been called to deaths from tetanus or lockjaw, and the desirability of preventing the development of this disease by the use of anti-tetanus serum. In many instances this remedy has not been employed until the disease is well developed. As I am assured that the anti-tetanus serum is not only harmless but highly effi¬ cacious when given in time, I have urged upon physicians generally that this remedy be kept on hand and used as a preventive of lockjaw, to the end that the records of this office contain a lesser number of deaths from this preventable disease. SUICIDE Nineteen hundred and thirteen has broken all previous records for the number of suicides in Cook County, even as 1912 surpassed every record up to that year. Five hundred and seventy-two in 1913 is an in¬ crease of 13.19 per cent over 1911, and 554 in 1912 is an increase of 5.93 per cent over the previous year. It surely is high time that the subject of suicide is intelligently studied and a kind of education set in motion that will not only change the economic conditions under which self-des¬ truction is seen to increase, but that will implant a mental attitude from childhood up that will act as the highest form of prevention. No doubt the suicide committee of the Public Safety Commission will give this matter the most serious attention during the coming year. FIREARMS An examination of the statistics of suicides and homicides for 1912 and 1913 shows that an average of 28.95 cent of suicides and 62.74 pcr cent of homicides were caused by firearms, and the applause of the entire people is due to the humanitarian movements directed not only toward the enforcement of laws relative to carrying concealed weapons, but toward 66 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY the abolition of the manufacture and sale of these dangerous and useless implements of death. It is a false education to pretend that safety is found for those who carry or own firearms for protection, as our records show that deaths from burglars and outlaws have frequently occurred to those who have attempted to protect themselves with a gun. Though para¬ doxical, statistics bear out the assertion that the greatest safety is to those who go unarmed. Great public interest has been aroused and safety movements have sprung into existence largely on account of the increase in automobile fatalities. Sound thinking on any subject demands that it should be considered in its due order and proportion in relation to other matters. The following table is presented so that firearm and automobile fatalities may be compared at a glance: 1910 1911 1912 1913 Automobile fatalities. 52 75 98 136 Firearm fatalities. - . 267 290 339 328 The automobile is an instrument of utility and peace, whereas fire¬ arms are primarily instruments of destruction, and the large increase in fatalities of this class in 1912 and 1913 over the previous years is unwar¬ ranted and reprehensible in the extreme. The following table of firearm accidents, homicides and suicides for the past four years indicates the general divisions under which these fatal¬ ities occurred and the probable line of action through the means of educa¬ tion and legislation which must be employed to lower this rate. Does it not seem to indicate that a general all-around education is necessary in the schools, homes and through the press in the matter of thoughtfulness, carefulness and precision in the doing of things? Table No. 9 COMPARISON OF CLASSIFIED FIREARM FATALITIES FOR FOUR TEARS. Accidental Homicides Suicides Total 1910 . 14 128 . 125 267 1911 . 17 135 138 290 1912 . 22 155 162 339 1913 .T. 24 140 164 328 The table that follows has been devised to show a comparison of the firearm and automobile accidents and fatalities in Cook County during 1913, the first column being estimated, while the fatalities in the last column are exact figures taken from the records of my office: 240 accidentally shot by self or others.of which 24 were fatal 612 attempted homicide by shooting. “ “ 140 “ “ 285 attempted suicide by shooting. “ “ 164 “ “ 1,140 total firearm casualties. “ “ 328 “ “ vs. 2,346 automobile accidents. “ “ 136 “ “ The value of presenting the above table showing the near-fatalities as well as the fatalities under each heading is manifest; for instance, while but 24 were fatally shot by accident in 1913, 240, or ten times as many, were shot and escaped death by good luck, the bullet having merely hap¬ pened to have struck a part that wa^ not vital; but the student of preven¬ tion will prefer to take the 240 that might have been fatal, rather than the 24 that were, as his basis for procedure. Again, while the number of hom¬ icides was 140, it is seen that the number who attempted to kill and failed STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 67 were 612, and the same argument applies here. While the total number of suicides for 1913 was 572, of which those by shooting were 164, it is seen that almost twice this number, viz., 285, attempted suicide by shoot¬ ing and were unsuccessful, and again the above argument applies. Bearing in mind that the gun is primarily an instrument of destruc¬ tion and that the automobile is primarily an instrument of utility, it is not surprising that the former has a record of but 1,140 as against 2,346 total automobile accidents.in the year, and yet firearm fatalities stand 328 to 136 automobile, for the reason that the motive of destruction is not present in the latter. The above figures show that our rational citizens, while not decreas¬ ing one iota in their zeal to bring automobile fatalities below 136 per annum, should multiply their determination to stamp out the 328 firearm fatalities per annum in the ratio that these figures show to each other. Among the experts who have carefully studied firearm fatalities, including methods of prevention, is George P. Le Brun, author of the “Sullivan Pistol Law,” and for sixteen years connected with the Coroner’s office in New York City. Mr. Le Brun says that nearly all the firearm accidents and more than half the murders and suicides by shooting can be prevented by a stringent law prohibiting the sale and carrying of guns. He proves by statistics that suicides by shooting are very frequently sug¬ gested by the mere possession of a weapon, that many murders are due to the presence of a gun in the possession of the killer; that revolvers are of small value to citizens as protection against burglary, and that in most cases of murder by burglars the victims would have remained alive if they had been unarmed. The records for both homicides and - suicides by shooting indicate that the actual pulling of the trigger has been the result of a temporary nervousness and high state of excitement, and that as a rule‘they do not intend to kill the victim, but merely to scare him, the firing of the gun and the killing being frequently as unexpected to the slayer as to the one who is shot. The carrying of weapons is not a safeguard but a constant menace, as statistics plentifully show, a danger not onlv to the bad citizen but to the good one, and laws rigidly enforced that will prevent the sale and the carrying of weapons excepting by such officials as are especially trained and qualified to use them will, as shown in the state of New York, decrease fatalities from this cause at least fifty per cent. ♦ V.*- ELECTROCUTION Electrical work has contributed its share of coroner’s cases during the past two years, as the following tabulations will show. While as a rule men employed in this work are experienced in their profession and are fully aware of the conditions under which live wires are dangerous, it is seen that many of them grow careless and fail to adjust their safety belts when working in dangerous places, and will even leave off their rubber gloves and boots that are provided for the purpose. Formerly a large number of those who were electrocuted while at work were new employes who had not become conversant with the hazard of the electrical profes¬ sion, but it having been fully demonstrated that it is a form of criminal carelessness to set new men at work adjusting belts and climbing poles in the vicinity of live wires, fatality among inexperienced employes has greatly decreased. 68 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Lineman Working without Safety Feet, Contrary to Instructions STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 69 w . ■. 16 . 1 ^* ^ - I ^ - ' 9 *' t The Result 70 BETTER BE SAFE THAN vSORRY Table No. lo ELECTROCUTION FATALITIES. 1912 1913 Contact directly with live wire (employes). 6 18 Contact directly with live wire (children and others). 8 Handling chain, belt, wire, etc., that came in contact with live wire (employes). 10 4 Contact with third rail (employe). 2 Using electrical vibrator while taking bath. 1 Total. 16 33 STATISTICAL DEPARTMENT This department was installed during the first year of my adminis¬ tration, and has beeti improved annually ever since, until now it may be said that the records and tabulations of this office are unexcelled by any government department or bureau in the country. This is an age of statistics. The development of statistical science during the past few years has a deep meaning in relation to all the affairs of life and thought, and this meaning, expressed in concise terms, is the refusal of thinking people to continue their dependence upon tradition, estimates or guesswork when facts and figures are to be had which aie capable of being formulated into statistical tables that carry a world of information. A guess or an impression as a rule amounts to nothing more than the experience of the one person who so indulges himself, whereas statis¬ tical tables and classifications involve the experiences of thousands, uncol¬ ored by the personal equation; and the classifications of my office and the lessons taught involve all of the people in Cook County who have come to sudden and violent deaths, and the ways in which these deaths have oc¬ curred are so classified that they may be employed for guidance as an aid to avoiding similar catastrophes in the future. In the past statistical records of public departments or bureaus have been designed primarily as a convenience to the bureau itself; whatever tables or classifications have been made, instead of being arranged for the purpose of guidance to the general public, have been more as a convenience to the clerical force or a record of interest to the bureau or its administrator. A perusal of this report indicates a complete change from the bureaucratic motive, the entire stress of the within tables and classifications being to serve all the people as guidance in avoiding danger to life and limb. Table No. ii COMPARATIVE SUMMARY PER 100,000 POPULATION. Number of Coroner’s Cases per 100,000 Population. Number of Miscellaneous Accidents per 100,000 Population. Number of Suicides per 100,000 Population. Number of Homicides per 100,000 Population. Accidents of the Street: Number of Automobile Fatalities per 100,000 Population.. Number of Railroad Fatalities per 100,000 Population. Number of Street Railway Fatalities per 100,000 Population. Number Horse and Horse Vehicle Fatalities per 100,000 Population. Number Industrial Fatalities per 100,000 Popula¬ tion. 1911 1912 1913 2,490,195 2,554,516 2,622,100 219.0 206.4 215.41 46.62 43.77 50.49 21.0 21.5 21.8 8.8 9.3 8.9 3.0 3.8 5.3 13.4 12.7 13.8 6.4 8.2 6.3 4.5 3.1 3.1 11.12 9.82 9.0 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 71 DEPARTMENT OF ALPHABETICAL TABLES For purposes of brevity, the following tables will cover only the years 1912 and 1913, the lessons involved being emphasized by the maintenance of the same proportions shown by the figures of previous years. Table No. 12 INQUESTS BY MONTHS. 1912 1913 December, January.. February. March. . . April.... May. June. July. August. . . September October.. November 342 410 387 331 335 352 347 380 324 350 370 368 350 393 393 412 330 348 359 368 352 344 337 329 Total Inquests 4,226 4,385 Table No, 13 S0Z * Male. 3,175 3,436 Female. . 1,051 949 Total... 4,226 4,385 Table No. 14 Ages: Under 5 years. 236 5 to 10 years. 128 10 to 20 years. 257 20 to 30 years. 747 30 to 40 years. 838 40 to 50 years.. 744 50 to 60 years. 661 60 to 70 years. 360 70 to 80 years. 123 Over 80 years. 45 Not ascertained. 87 290 114 238 768 845 882 648 343 129 34 94 Total 4,226 4,385 Table No, 15 O/•A * White. 4,043 4,215 Colored. 175 157 Yellow. 8 11 Red. 2 Total. 4,226 4,385 Table No, 16 Civil Condition: Single.1,511 Married.1,929 Widowers. 286 Widows. 182 Divorced. 56 Not ascertained. . 262 1,599 2,028 272 166 84 236 4.226 4,835 Total 72 BETTER BE SAFE THAN wSORRY Table No. 17 CAUSES OF DEATHS Abortion: Accidental. Criminal. Spontaneous. Self-induced. Undetermined. Total Deaths from Abortion. Accidents: Automobile. Bicycle. Motorcycle. Elevator. Elevated Railawy. Railroad. Street Car. Wagon. Total. Industrial Accidents: Suffocated by Gases. Burned by Metals. Scalded by Hot Water. Killed in Elevator. Caught in Machinery. Building Collapse. Electrocution. Explosion. Struck by Falling Objects.'. Falling down Elevator Shaft. Falling off his own Wagon. Falling down Ladder. Falling in Culvert. .. Falling from Telephone Pole. Falling off Scaffold. Falling from Airship. Falling through Skyhght. Falling from Building. Falling from Roof.. Falling from R. R. Bridge. Falling out of Window. Smothered in Smokestack. Smothered in Glucose Car. Smothered in Bin. Kicked by Horse. Total Industrial Accidents. Miscellaneous Accidents: Alcoholism. Asphyxiation, Accidental. Asphyxiation, Undetermined. Amusement Park Device. Baseball. Burns and Scalds. Choking, Accidental. Choking, Undetermined. Crushed in Earth. Cutting, Accidental. Drowning, Accidental. Drowning, Undetermined. Diving onto Rock or Bottom. Electrocution. Electrocution, Trolley Wires. Electrocution, Light Wires. Exposure. Exposure and Neglect. Fading Objects. 1912 1913 9 8 13 12 6 5 24 33 22 42 74 100 98 136 • ♦ • 1 8 14 4 7 17 18 326 360 209 165 42 37 704 738 11 • « • 1 4 11 7 17 21 18 28 • • • 2 14 15 17 16 37 49 23 12 40 36 13 10 2 1 • • • 30 25 3 3 1 6 3 . 1 1 1 1 2 • • • 7 251 238 60 97 110 148 61 64 1 • • • 2 « • • 187 232 6 6 1 1 • • • 1 2 1 74 84 80 63 3 . • • 4 • • • 1 2 12 4 6 24 13 12 5 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 73 FaUs— Out of Chair. On Floor. Out of Window. Off Ladder. ^ . Down Stairs. On Street. From Horse.*. . . Into Hold of Boat. From Smoke Stack. In Showcase. From Telephone Pole. From Tree. From Porch. From Bridge. On Skates... Heat Prostration. Honucide. Hydrophobia. .. Poisoning, Accidental. Poisoning, Undetermined. Poisoning, Ptomaine. Shooting, Accidental. Shooting, Undetermined. Suffocated (Children). Suicide....•.. Septicaemia. Struck by Lightning. Tetanus. Revolver. Toy Pistol. Otherwise. Crushed under Wheels. Hanging, Accidental. Undetermined Violence. Under Anaesthetic.. Forms of Disease. Suffocated by Water Heaters. Kicked by Horse. Starvation. Total Inquests. Recapitulation: Abortion. Accidents. Industrial Accidents. Miscellaneous Accidents.. Total Inquests. Table No. i8. Nativity: 1912 1913 Americans. .2,088 2,003 Austrians. . 213 243 Africans. . 1 53 Belgians. . 11 5 Bohemians. . 90 91 Bulgarians. . 7 4 Canadians. . 68 71 Chinese. . 5 9 Danes. . 48 26 English. . 66 86 Finns. . 5 5 French. . 9 7 Germans. . 487 522 Greeks.. . 14 25 Hollanders.. . 21 14 Hungarians. . 51 74 Irish. . 263 242 Nativity: Italians. Japanese. Mexicans. Norwegians. Palestines. Polish. Roumanians. Russians. Scotch. Spaniards. Swedes. Swiss. Turks. Welsh.. Not Ascertained Total. 1912 1913 4 5 24 26 42 56 24 18 92 91 50 58 6 2 1 6 • • • 1 • • • 1 • • • 1 • • • 1 • • • 12 2 2 • • • 10 51 237 233 7 2 35 35 15 26 2 3 18 15 4 9 6 4 554 572 54 41 1 2 • • • 2 1 ■ • • 1 • • • 31 45 • . • 1 • . • 1 29 46 16 18 288 1,180 10 1 7 • « • 1 226 4,385 74 100 704 738 251 238 197 3,309 226 4,385 1912 1913 112 4 80 85 8 68 39 Hi 11 5 1 225 130 2 2 58 1 102 5 175 23 2 153 5 4 3 236 4,226 4,385 74 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Table No. 19. Occupations: 1912 1913 Actor. 5 12 Actress. 6 2 Advertiser. 1 2 Agent. 24 28 Architect.. 1 1 Artist. 3 1 Acrobat. 1 Aviator. 3 2 Baker. 14 13 Banker. 2 Barber. 27 20 Bartender.. . , 29 30 Baseball Player. 1 • • • Blacksmith. 23 31 Bookbinder. 5 1 Bookkeeper. 26 23 Bootblack. 1 Boxmaker. . 3 2 Brakeman. 14 9 Bricklayer. 20 26 Brickmaker. 6 Breweryman. 9 4 Broker. 13 6 Broommaker. 3 2 Butcher. 24 32 Buyer. 1 5 Bellhop. 1 Boilermaker. 2 5 Cabdriver. 6 1 Cabinetmaker. 9 14 Candymaker. 2 4 Car Cleaner. 3 • • • Car Inspector. 6 • « • Car Repairer. 8 16 Carpenter. 88 89 Chauffeur . 13 11 Chemist. 1 1 Cigarmaker. 10 12 City Firemen. 6 2 Civil Engineer. 1 1 Clerk. . 145 133 Coal Dealer. 3 4 Collector. 6 8 Conductor. 19 15 Chiropodist. 1 Contractor. 5 10 Cook. 35 37 Cooper. 8 5 Cornicemaker. 1 Custodian. • • « • 1 Craneman. • • • « 2 Dentist. 2 1 Designer. 2 2 Detective. 3 Domestic. 80 59 Draftsman. 3 4 Dressmaker. 13 11 Druggist. 2 3 Dyer. 5 2 Decorator. 4 Dredger. 1 Electrician. is 17 Elevator Conductor. 11 18 Engineer. 33 36 Engraver. 2 Factory Hand. 28 36 Farmer. 36 35 Fireman. 16 26 Fisherman. 2 3 Flagman. 7 5 Occupations: 1912 1913 Florist.. . 3 1 Foreman. . 15 19 Finisher. 1 Gardener. . 4 5 Gasfitter. . 2 1 Glassworker. . 4 3 Grocer. . 9 7 Guard. . 1 2 Glovemaker. 1 Harnessmaker. . 1 3 Hatter. . 1 1 Hodcarrier. . 8 5 Hostler. . 5 13 Housekeeper. . 90 70 Housewife. . 531 441 Hotel Man. 1 House Mover. . 3 Inspector. . 11 6 Insurance Adjuster.. . 5 1 Inventor. 2 Ironworker. . 20 28 Janitor. . 38 40 Janitress. 7 Jeweler. . 2 10 Junk Dealer. 3 Laborer. . 800 834 Lace Cleaner. . 1 1 Laundryman. 4 4 Laundress. . 11 14 Lawyer. . 6 6 Lineman. . 3 11 Lithographer. . 2 • • • Liveryman. . 1 3 Locksmith. . 1 1 Machinist. . 55 86 Mail Carrier. . 7 3 Manager. . 9 9 Manufacturer. . 14 11 Merchant. . 42 31 Messenger. . 8 13 Midwife. . 1 1 Milk Dealer. . 1 3 Miller. . 4 1 Milliner. . 1 2 Miner. 2 Minister. . 2 1 Molder. . 18 18 Motorcyclist. . 1 1 Motorman. . 9 16 Musician. . 13 8 Newsboy. 1 Newspaperman...... . 2 2 None. . 430 488 Nurse. . 15 4 Oiler. 5 Operator. . 8 2 Optician. 4 Painter. . 63 66 Paperhanger. . 5 3 Patternmaker. 3 Peddler. . 26 22 Photographer. 5 Physician. . 4 12 Pilot. 2 Plasterer. . 5 8 Plumber. . 10 8 Police Officer. . 12 20 Porter. . 56 62 Promoter. . 1 3 Printer. . 12 29 Prostitute. . 3 1 Publisher. . 3 1 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 75 Occupations 1912 1913 Packer. _ 4 9 Poster. .... 1 • • • Polisher. 5 Ragpicker. 1 R. R. Guard. .... 4 1 Real Estate Dealer.... .... 17 15 Restaurant Keeper.. . . . . . . 4 9 Roofer.. 5 8 Rodman. . . . . 1 Retired. . . . . 2 • • • Sailor. . . . . 11 12 Saleslady. 3 3 Salesman. .... 48 59 Saloonkeeper. .... 22 26 School Boy. .... 109 106 School Girl. .... 42 31 School Teacher. 5 10 Secretary. 3 1 Shoemaker. . 16 14 Shop Boy. 5 Shop Girl. 6 • • • Sign Writer. 1 Soldier. . . .. 1 • • • Solicitor. . . . . . . . 4 6 Speculator. . .. . 1 • • • Stagehand. . . .. 1 1 Steamfitter. . . . . 15 12 Stenographer. . . . . 5 5 Stonecutter. 7 6 Student. 3 5 Superintendent. . . . . 2 4 Switchman. . ... 43 67 Surveyor. . . .. 1 • • • Steeplejack. 2 Tender. .. . ■ 1 Tailor. . .. . 45 46 Tailoress. .. . . 5 8 Tanner. . . .. 8 2 Teamster. .. . . . . 141 156 Telegraph Operator. . . . . . . 3 10 Ticket Broker. . 3 Tinsmith. . . .. 9 3 Trackman. ... . 2 1 Traveling Salesman . . . 3 1 Towerman. . 5 Trimmer. 1 Undertaker. . . .. 1 2 Undetermined. .... 221 207 Upholsterer. . . . . 1 4 Valet. 1 Wagon Boy. 1 Wagonmaker. . . . . 2 1 Waiter. .... 23 24 Waitress. . ... 5 11 Watchman. . . .. 48 52 Window Washer. .. .. 1 6 Woodworker. .... 14 4 Wrapper. 1 W recker. 1 Yardmaster. . . . . 1 3 Total. 4,228 4,385 SXnCIDES BY MONTHS. Table No. 20. December. . 26 59 January. . 40 45 February. . 50 47 March. 43 1912 1913 April. . 54 56 May. . 51 42 June. . 46 54 July. . 57 41 August. . 43 51 September. . 51 42 October. .’ . . 37 56 November. . 43 36 Total. . 554 572 Table No. 21. Sex: Male. . 413 433 Female. . 141 139 Total. . 554 572 Table No. 22. Race: White. 545 564 Colored. 7 6 Yellow. 2 2 Total. , 554 572 Table No. 23. Civil Condition: Married. 304 316 Single. 158 165 Widower. 42 35 Widow. 12 22 Divorced. 6 14 Not ascertained. 32 20 Total. 554 572 Table No. 24. Ages: 5 to 10 years. 1 • • • 10 to 20 years. 47 24 20 to 30 years. 129 134 30 to 40 years. 134 120 40 to 50 years. 95 117 50 to 60 years. 87 107 60 to 70 years. 40 47 70 to 80 years. 12 11 Over 80 years. 4 6 Not ascertained. 5 6 Total. 554 572 Table No. 25. Nativity: Americans. 222 225 Austrians. 42 41 Africans. 7 5 Belgians. 2 1 Bohemians. 30 24 Bulgarians. 2 Canadians. 6 9 Chinese. 2 2 Danes. 13 8 English. 7 11 Finns. 2 3 French. 7 1 Germans. 88 109 Greeks. 2 Hollanders. 3 1 76 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Nativity: 1912 1913 Hungarians. 8 15 Irish. 12 9 Italians. 7 13 Japanese. 1 Norwegians. 7 10 Polish. 10 7 Roumanians. 1 ... Russians. 30 28 Scotch. 1 2 Swedes. 18 23 Swiss. 2 Not ascertained. 29 18 Total. 554 572 Table No. 26. Mode of Death: Asphyxiation. 153 163 Cutting. 22 33 Drowning. 20 22 Hanging. 57 57 Jumping from window. 5 9 Jumping from building. 3 2 Jumping under train. 2 6 Poisoning. 130 109 , Setting fire to clothes. 7 Shooting. 162 164 Total. 554 572 Table No. 27. Poisons Used: Arsenic.. 3 ... Carbolic acid. 74 60 Chloride of zinc. 3 4 Chloroform. 9 6 Corrosive sublimate. 3 2 Cyanide of potassium. 6 7 Morphine. 2 2 Muriatic acid. 1 2 Narcotic. 4 5 Opium. 2 1 Paris green. 6 3 Prussic acid. 1 Rough on rats. 4 5 Strychnine. 2 4 Not ascertained. 11 7 Total. 130 109 Table No. 28. Probable Cause: Despondency. 187 165 Insane... 26 25 Temporarily insane.. . 171 195 Not ascertained. 170 187 Total. 554 572 HOMICIDES. Table No. 29. Sex: Male. 180 211 Female. 57 22 Total. 237 233 Table No. 30. Race: 1912 1913 White. 199 195 Colored. 38 36 Yellow. 2 Total. 237 233 Table No. 31. Civil Conditions: Married. Ill 113 Single. Ill 102 Widower. 6 5 Widow....'. 4 Divorced. 3 2 Not ascertained. 6 7 Total. 237 233 Table No. 32. Ages: Under 5 years. 13 6 5 to 10 years. 4 3 10 to 20 years. 26 17 20 to 30 years. 78 85 30 to 40 years. 57 57 40 to 50 years. 35 28 50 to 60 years. 12 18 60 to 70 years. 4 5 70 to 80 years. 2 3 Over 80 years. 1 ... Not ascertained. 5 11 Total. 237 233 Table No. 33. Cause of Death: Asphyxiation. 9 3 Blow on head or body. 42 42 Cutting. 7 5 Drowning. 2 1 Explosion. 1 11 Neglect. 1 . .. Poison. 1 3 Shooting. 155 140 Stabbing... 14 25 Strangulation.... 3 3 Thrown out of window. 1 ... Thrown down stairs. 1 . . . Total. 237 233 Table No. 34. Disposition: Accidents. 27 27 Justifiable. 27 37 Murder. 168 162 Murder and suicide. 15 7 Total. 237 233 Table No. 35. Nativity: Americans. 129 112 Austrians. 14 7 Africans. 6 Belgians. 2 Bohemians. 2 1 Bulgarians. 4 Canadians.. 2 2 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 77 Nativity: 1912 1913 Danes. . 4 English. 2 French. 1 Germans. . 16 12 Greeks. . 3 2 Hungarians. . 4 7 Irish. . 7 14 Italians. . 26 35 Norwegians. . 2 3 Polish. . 4 7 Roumanians. . 2 3 Russians. . 7 11 Scotch. . 1 1 Swedes. . 1 2 Swiss. .. . 1 1 Not ascertained. . 6 4 Total. . 237 233 TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS. Table No. 36. Sex: Male. . 479 499 Female. . 75 44 Total. , 554 543 Table No. 37. Race: White. Colored. Yellow. . 547 . 7 529 13 1 Total. . 554 543 Table No. 38. Civil Condition: Married. 261 266 Single. 201 188 Widower. 31 - 33 Widow. 16 16 Divorced. 2 10 Not ascertained. 43 30 Total.. -. 554 543 Table No. 39. Ages: Under 5 years. 18 8 5 to 10 years. 25 15 10 to 20 years. 40 38 20 to 30 years. 116 109 30 to 40 years. 106 103 40 to 50 years. 92 108 50 to 60 years. 71 58 60 to 70 years. 46 51 70 to 80 years. 12 24 Over 80 years. 4 4 Not ascertained. , 24 25 Total. . 554 543 Table No. 40. Nativity: 1912 1913 Americans. 240 231 Austrians. 32 22 Africans. 5 Belgians. 4 Bohemians. 5 13 Bulgarians. 1 Canadians. 12 3 Chinese. 1 . . . Danes. 3 1 English. 6 5 French. 10 2 Germans. 45 69 Greeks. 5 9 Hollanders. 9 3 Hungarians. 6 12 Irish. 47 42 Italians. 25 19 Japanese. 1 Mexicans. 1 Norwegians. 6 6 Polish. 18 16 Roumanian. 2 1 Russian. 19 31 Scotch. 3 2 Swedes. 21 19 Turks. 2 1 Not ascertained. 32 29 Total. 554 543 RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Table No. 41. Cause of Death: Collision. 24 9 Crossing Tracks. 73 74 Crushed by Cars. 12 26 Falling off Train. 27 25 Jumping on or off. 13 17 Scalded by Steam. 4 1 Struck by Viaduct. 5 2 Walking on Track. 119 149 Hitching. 4 9 Coupling. 2 ... Leaning out of Car. 2 Wreck. 2 16 Run Down. 22 ... Not Ascertained. 19 * 30 Total. 326 360 Persons Killed, by Groups: Passenger. 19 9 Employe. 138 132 Otherwise. 169 219 Total. 326 360 Location: At crossing . 52 59 Not at crossing. 274 301 Total. 326 360 78 BETTER BE SAFE'THAN SORRY STREET RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Table No. 42 . Cause of Death: 1912 1913 Crossing Tracks at Crossing. 45 18 Crossing Tracks not at Cross¬ ing . 54 23 Crushed between Cars. 10 9 Collision. 14 9 Fall from Car. 16 12 Getting on or off. 8 3 Hitching. 2 Leaning out of Car. 3 ... ' Vehicle Struck by Car. 14 16 Walking on Track. 6 7 Run Down by Train. 37 60 Not Ascertained. 2 6 Total. 209 165 Location: At Street Crossing. 71 66 Not at Crossing. 138 99 Total. 209 165 Persons Killed, by Groups: Passenger. 28 14 Employe. 16 14 Otherwise. 165 137 Total. 209 165 ELEVATED RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Table No. 43 . Cause of Death: Electrocuted. 1 Fell off platform. 2 2 Crushed between car and platform. 1 1 Collision. 1 . . . Run down by train. 11 10 Walking on track. 2 1 Total. 17 18 Location: On elevation. 11 8 On ground. 6 0 Total. 17 18 Persons Killed, by Groups: Employe. 8 9 Otherwise. 9 9 Total. 17 18 INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS. Table No. 44 . Sex: Male. 243 231 Female. 8 7 238 Table No. 45 . Race: 1912 1913 White. . 247 236 Colored. . 4 2 Total. . 251 238 Table No. 46 . Civil Condition: Married. 158 129 Single. 81 94 Widower. 8 10 Widow.. 1 Divorced. 2 Not Ascertained. 3 3 Total. 251 238 Table No. 47 . Ages: Under 10 years. 3 7 10 to 20 years. 17 14 20 to 30 years. 63 61 30 to 40 years. 74 56 40 to 50 years. 38 40 50 to 60 years. 34 34 60 to 70 years. 10 9 70 to 80 years. 3 3 Not Ascertained. 9 14 Total. 251 238 Table No. 48 . Cause of Death: Suffocated by Gases. 11 . .. Burned by Metal. 1 4 Scalded by Hot Water. 11 7 Killed in Elevator. 17 21 Caught in Machinery. ^ 18 28 Building Collapse. 2 Electrocution. 14 15 Explosion. 17 16 Struck by Falling Objects.. . 37 49 Falling Down Elevator Shaft. 23 12 Off his own wagon. 40 36 Down ladder . 13 10 In culvert. 2 From airship. 3 3 From telephone pole. 1 ... Off scaffold. 30 25 Through skylight. 1 From building. 6 ... From roof. 3 ... From bridge. 1 ... Out of window. 1 ... Smothered in smokestack... 1 ... In glucose car. 1 ... In bin. 2 ... Kicked by horse. 7 Total 251 Total 251 238 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 79 Table No. 49 . Nativity: 1912 1913 Nativity: 1912 1913 Hungarians. T ri sh .. . 6 . 16 9 8 Americans. . 75 98 Italians. . 7 10 Austrians, . 23 16 Norwegians. . 11 2 Africans. . 1 Palestine. 1 Belgians. . . 2 • • • Polish. . 11 7 Bohemians . 12 3 Roumanians. 2 2 Bulgarians. 1 Russians. . 23 23 Canadians. . 1 5 Scotch. . 3 Danes.... . 3 1 Swedes. . 11 8 English. .. , . 2 4 Turks. . 1 French. . . . . 4 « • • Not Ascertained. . 6 3 Germans... . 27 34 Greeks. . . . . 3 2 Total. . 251 238 Hollanders. . 2 • • • PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. To get at a glance the true order and proportion of the hazard of occu¬ pations as related to each other, see numerical and percentage tables Nos. 53 and 54. Occupation Table No. 50. Census for Cook County No. Cases per Occupation Inquests per 1,000 Each Occupation Actor. . 2,000 1912 5 1913 12 1913 6.0 per M Actress. . 3,000 6 2 1.5 a Advertiser. . 4,200 1 2 .47 « Agent. . 26,000 24 28 1.08 Architect. . 750 1 1 1.33 tf Artist. . 1,400 3 1 .71 u Acrobat. . 180 1 5.55 u Aviator. . 150 3 2 13.33 u Baker. . 13,000 14 13 1.0 u Barber. . . . __ 9,600 27 20 2.07 u Bartender. . 12,000 29 30 2.5 a Baseball Player. . 1,200 1 .83 a Blacksmith.. . 6,500 23 31 4.71 u Bookbinder. . 10.000 5 1 .1 u Bookkeeper. . 25,000 26 23 .92 a Bootblack. . 2,500 1 .4 a Boxmaker. . 4,800 3 2 .41 a Brakeman. . 3,000 14 9 3.0 a Bricklayer. . 12,000 20 26 2.16 tt Brickmaker. .. . 4,500 6 1.33 u Breweryman. . 3,000 9 4 1.33 u Broker. . 6,000 13 6 1.0 u Broommaker. . 3,600 3 2 .55 tf Butcher. . 16,000 24 32 2.0 a Buyer. . 5,200 1 5 .96 u Bellhop. . 2,200 • • 1 .45 a Boilermaker. . 5,500 2 5 .9 a Cab Driver. . 1,800 6 1 •03 tf Cabinetmaker. . 6,600 9 14 2.12 a Candymaker. . 12,000 2 4 .33 H Car Cleaner. . 2,100 3 1.43 U Car Inspector. . 1,400 6 4.28 u Car Repairer. . 16,000 8 16 1.0 Carpenter.. . 24,000 88 89 3.7 a Chauffeur. . 4,600 13 11 2.6 tt Chemist. . 1,100 1 1 .9 tt Cigarmaker. . 12,000 10 12 1.0 tt City Fireman. . 1,852 6 2 1.11 m Civil Engineer. . 800 1 1 1.25 tt Clerk. . 96,000 145 133 1.37 tt Coal Dealer. . 3,400 3 4 1.17 tt Collector. . 5,2(X) 6 8 1.53 tt Conductor. . 14,000 19 15 1.07 tt Contractor. .• 2,800 5 10 3.57 M Cook. . 18,000 35 • 37 2.05 tt Cooper. . 9,000 8 5 .55 « 80 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY 1912 1913 1913 Cornicemaker. . 2,100 • • 1 .47 per M Custodian. . 820 • • 1 1.25 U Craneman. . 570 • • 2 3.62 U Dentist. . 3,200 2 1 .31 u Designer. . 1,400 2 2 1.42 u Detective. . 1,250 3 2.5 u Domestic. . 36,000 80 59 1.64 u Draftsman. . 2,200 3 4 1.82 u Dressmaker. . 18,000 13 11 .61 a Druggist. . 16,000 2 3 .18 u Dyer.. . 940 5 2 2.22 M Decorator. . 2,800 • • 4 1.43 U Dredger. . 600 • • 1 1.66 tf Electrician. . 8,000 15 17 2.12 u Elevator Conductor. . 5,900 11 18 3.05 u Engineer. . 16,000 33 36 2.25 Engraver. . 1,500 2 1.33 u Factory Hand. . 22,000 28 36 1.63 u Farmer. . 24,000 36 35 1.46 u Fireman. . 12,000 16 26 2.17 u Fisherman. . 2,200 2 3 1.36 u Flagman. . 2,100 7 5 2.38 u Florist. . 1,600 3 1 .63 a Foreman. . 3,200 15 19 5.94 u Finisher. . 2,600 • • 1 .38 u Gardener. . 8,000 4 5 .63 a Gasfitter. . 2,100 2 1 .48 a Glassworker. . 2,100 4 3 1.43 a Grocer. . 18,000 9 7 .39 a Guard. . 1,800 1 2 1.11 a Glovemaker. . 1,600 • • 1 .62 u Harnessmaker. . 1,900 1 3 1.53 a Hatter. . 2,000 1 1 .5 a Hodcarrier. . 4,200 8 5 ^ 1.19 a Hostler. . 2,600 5 13 5.0 u Housekeeper. . 36,000 90 70 1.95 u Housewife. .420,000 531 441 1.05 u Hotel Man. . 3,200 1 .31 a Inspector. . 2,600 ii 6 2.4 u Insurance Adjuster. . 420 5 1 2.5 u Inventor. . 800 2 2.5 tt Ironworker. . 21,000 20 28 1.33 a Janitor. . 14,000 38 40 2.85 a Jani tress. . 2,500 7 2.8 a Jeweler. . 7,200 2 10 1.3 u Junk Dealer. . 2,300 3 1.5 u Laborer. .180,000 800 834 4.63 u Laundryman. . 12,000 4 4 .33 u Laundress. . 8,200 11 14 1.8 u Lawyer. . 7,800 6 6 .77 u Lineman. . 3,600 3 11 3.05 a Lithographer. . 1,250 2 1.6 u Liveryman. . 1,600, 1 3 1.87 u Locksmith. . 850 1 1 1.25 u Machinist. . 28,000 55 86 3.07 u Mail Carrier. . 2,069 7 3 1.5 u Manager. . 4,200 8 9 2.14 a Manufacturer. . 4,200 14 11 2.62 u Merchant. . 34,000 42 31 .91 u Messenger. . 5,200 8 13 2.5 u Midwife. . 1,250 1 1 .83 u Milk Dealer. . 1,800 1 3 1.67 u Miller. . 1,900 4 1 .53 u Milliner. . 3,200 1 2 .62 a Minister. . 1,700 2 1 .58 a Molder. . 8,400 18 18 2.14 a Motorman. . 9,600 9 16 1.66 tt Musician. . 3,000 13 8 2.66 tt Motorcyclist. . 1,400 1 1 .42 tt Miner. . 400 2 5.0 tt Newsboy. . 1,500 1 .66 tt Newspaperman. . 2,400 2 2 .83 tt Infants. . 65,000 • • 473 7.27 tt STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 81 Nurse. . 4,200 1912 15 1913 4 1913 .95 per ' Oiler. . 800 • • 5 6.25 U Operator. . 9,200 8 2 .22 tt Optician. . 2,000 4 2.0 u Painter. . 15,000 63 66 4.4 u m Paperhanger. . 2,500 5 3 1.2 u Patternmaker. . 800 3 3.75 u Peddler. . 5,000 26 22 4.4 a Photographer. . 3,200 5 1.56 tt Physician. . 8,000 4 12 1.5 tt Plasterer. . 2,600 5 8 3.07 tt Plumber. . 6,400 10 8 1.25 tt Police Officer. . 3,920 12 20 5.13 tt Porter. . 6,200 56 62 10.0 tf Promoter. . 1,200 - 1 3 2.5 tt Printer. . 15,000 12 29 1.93 tt Prostitute.-. . 950 3 1 1.05 tt Publisher. . 1,200 3 1 .83 tt Packer. . 9,000 4 9 1.0 tt Poster. . 2,000 1 ., .5 M Polisher. . 2,100 • • 5 2.38 tt Pilot. . 300 • • 2 6.66 tt Ragpicker. . 800 1 1.25 tt R. Guard. . 430 4 1 2.5 tf Real Estate Dealer.. . . , . 4,200 17 15 3.57 tt Restaurant Keeper... . 5,500 4 9 2.57 tt Roofer.. . , . 1,200 5 8 6.66 tt Rodman. . 800 1 • • 1.25 tt Sailor. . 2,100 11 12 5.71 tt Saleslady. . 14,000 3 3 .21 tt Salesman. . 74,000 48 59 .79 tt Saloonkeeper. . 8,200 22 26 3.17 tt Schoolboy. .160,000 109 106 .66 tt Schoolgirl. .170,000 42 31 .18 tt School Teacher.. .. . 8,100 5 10 1.23 tt Secretary.. . 2,600 3 1 .38 tt Shoemaker. . 14,000 16 14 1.0 tt Shop Girl. . 14,000 6 • • .43 tt Shop Boy. . 11,000 • • 5 .45 tt Signwriter.. . 1,100 • • 1 .9 tt Soldier. . 2,400 1 • • .41 tt Solicitor. . 6,500 4 6 .92 tt Stagehand. . 950 1 1 .95 tt Steamfitter. . 6,800 15 12 1.76 tt Stenographer. . 17,000 5 5 .29 tf Stonecutter. . 2,600 7 6 2.5 tf Student. . 16,000 3 5 .31 tt Superintendent. . 2,800 2 4 1.42 tf Switchman. . 4,200 43 67 15.93 tf Steeplejack. . 100 • • 2 20.0 tf Tender. . 1,200 • • 1 8.33 tt Tailor. . 23,000 45 46 2.0 tt Tailoress.. . 12,000 5 8 .66 tt Tanner. . 9,500 8 2 .22 tf Teamster. . 19,500 141 156 8.0 tt Telegraph Operator. . 5,500 3 10 1.82 tf Ticket Broker. . 1,100 . 3 ' 2.72 tf Tinsmith. . 2,100 9 3 1.42 M Trackman. . 1,850 2 1 .55 tf Traveling Salesman. . 8,600 3 1 .12 tf Towerman. . 1,200 • • 5 4.16 tf Trimmer. . 650 • • 1 1.66 M Undertaker. .. . 2,400 1 2 .83 tf Upholsterer. . 2,400 1 4 1.66 tf Valet. . 1,250 • • 1 .83 tf Wagon Boy. . 600 • • 1 1.66 tf Wagonmaker. . 6,300 2 1 .16 tf Waiter. . 8,000 23 24 3.0 tf Waitress. . 3,000 5 11 3.66 tt Watchman. . 4,200 48 52 12.35 tf Window Washer. . 900 1 6 6.66 tf Woodworker. . 2,700 14 4 1.48 • Wrecker. . 1,450 1 .71 • Y ardmaster. . 410 i 3 7.6 « 82 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY ^ .JEW * ■■?'. -■' ?V. %sy>'. .V>X “Stop. Look and Listen.” STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 83 V Department of Numerical Tables ▼ T Classified in Order of Number and Percentage The introduction of a general department of numerical tables into he report of Coroner’s cases is for the especial purpose of showing at a glance the order and relationship which the number of sudden and violent deaths from every cause bear toward each other, for to profit by this report it is first essential that each item and division should be thought of in its true order and proportion. The following arrangements showing the number of deaths in numer¬ ical order as to methods, as to ages at which deaths occur, as to the occu¬ pations, the causes of death, nationality, individual or social responsi¬ bility, etc., is for the purpose of showing at a glance to legislators, students, social workers, teachers, parents and pupils just what the order of hazard is from every point of view, which, together with the classification of cause, supplies the key for remedy and prevention. In the following tables the claim for strict accuracy in each case can¬ not be made, this being impossible the first year. However, the figures as they are, serve to point out the general truths involved, and they form a basis upon which to build in the future, so that with improved facilities, more complete reports and a general outline established, our tables should become thoroughly dep.endable in from three to five years. Table No. 51 . INQUESTS IN NUMERICAL ORDER BY MONTHS. 1912 1913 1. July. . 393 1. July. . 412 2. January. . 387 2. December. . 410 3. May. . 370 3. June. . 393 4. September. . 359 4. March. . 380 5. October. . 352 5. May. . 368 6. June. . 350 6. September. . 366 7. March. . 347 7. February. . 350 8. December. . 342 8. April. . 350 9. November. . 337 9. August. . 348 10. February. . 335 10. October. . 347 11. August. . 330 11. January. . 321 12. April. . 324 12. November. . 329 Total. .4,226 Total. .4,385 A tabulated numerical record of the number of inquests per month for the past ten years does not seem to show that sudden and violent deaths are any more liable to occur one month than another, excepting the one general fact that Coroner’s cases increase largely during extremely hot and extremely cold weather. A cold December will place that month ahead on the list, whereas a cold January or February will do the same for those months. On the other hand, a very warm July or August will place those months at the head of the list. From the above table it is seen that July was in the lead in both 1912 and 1913. January took second place in 1912 and December second place in 1913, and an inquiry into the weather conditions will show that these were the extreme months of the year, the 84 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY warm January of 1913 having dropped that month to the bottom of the column, showing most conclusively that it is not the arbitrary divisions of the months, but the character of the weather, the temperature, etc., that has to do with the monthly fluctuations of Coroner’s cases. Table No. 52 . INQUESTS IN NUMERICAL ORDER BY AGES. 1912 1. 30 to 40 years. 838 2. 20 to 30 years. 747 3. 40 to 50 years... 744 4. 50 to 60 years. 661 5. Under 10 years. 364 6. 60 to 70 years. 360 7. 10 to 20 years. 257 8. 70 to 80 years. 123 9. Over 80 years. 45 10. Not ascertained. 87 Total.4,226 1913 1. 40 to 50 years. 882 2. 30 to 40 years. 845 3. 20 to 30 years. 768 4. 50 to 60 years. 648 5. Under 10 years. 404 6. 60 to 70 years. 343 7. 10 to 20 years. 238 8. 70 to 80 years. 129 9. Over 80 years. 34 10, Not ascertained. 94 Total..4,385 The above tabulation in numerical order on the basis of age exhibits a degree of uniformity, the greatest loss of life being at the bread-winning ages between 20 and 50. In both 1912 and 1913, those under 10 years of age are fifth in the list, the remainder of the tables following the same same order for both years. While those in the decade between 40 and 50 occupy first place in 1913, they are third in 1912, and whereas the 30 to 40 group come second in 1913 they are first in 1912, and the records of former years seem to bear out the conclusion that the greatest losses from sudden and violent deaths, accidental and otherwise, occur in the most active period of life between 30 and 40, and the far greater proportion of men over women shown in the accompanying table is clearly the result of the greater risk to men on account of their out-of-door and industrial activity as compared with the in-door life of women. In both 1912 and 1913 the epoch from 50 to 60 years occupies fourth place, which is practi¬ cally its uniform position in past years. Table No. 53 . THE HAZARD OF OCCUPATION IN NUMERICAL ORDER FOR 1913 ONLY. Census for Inquests Inquests per Occupation Cook per 1,000 of Each County Occupation Occupation 1. Laborer.. .180,000 834 4.63 per M. 2. Infants.. . 65,000 473 7.27 U 3. Housewife. .420,000 441 1.05 u 4. Teamster. . 19,500 156 8.0 u 5. Clerk. . 96,000 133 1.37 a 6. Schoolboy. .160,000 106 .66 u 7. Carpenter. . 24,000 89 3.7 a 8. Machinist. . 28,000 86 3.07 u 9. Housekeeper. . 36,000 70 1.95 a 10. Switchman. . 4,200 67 15.93 u 11. Painter. . 15,000 66 4.4 u 12. Porter. . 6,200 62 10.0 tt 13. Domestic. . 36,000 59 1.64 a 14. Salesman. . 74,000 59 .79 u 15. Watchman. . 4,200 52 12.35 u 16. Tailor. . 23,000 46 2.0 u 17. Janitor. . 14,000 40 2.85 m 18. Factory Hand...... . 22,000 36 1.63 a STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 85 Census for Inquests Inquests per Occupation Cook per 1,000 of Each County Occupation Occupation. 19. Engineer. . 16,000 36 2.25 per M 20. Farmer. . 24,000 35 1.46 U 21. Butcher.. . 16,000 32 2.0 u 22. Blacksmith. . 6,500 31 4.71 m 23. Merchant. . 34,000 31 .91 a 24. Schoolgirl. .170,000 31 .18 m 25. Bartender. . 12,000 30 2.5 « 26. Printer. . 15,000 29 1.93 « 27. Agent. . 26,000 28 1.08 a 28. Bricklayer. . 12,000 26 2.16 a 29. Saloonkeeper. . 8,200 26 3.17 u 30. Waiter. . 8,000 24 3.0 H 31. Bookkeeper. . 25,000 23 .92 U 32. Peddler. . 5,000 22 4.4 u 33. Barber. .- . . 9,600 20 , 2.07 a 34. Police Officer. . 3,920 20 5.13 u 35. Foreman. . 3,200 19 5.94 u 36. Elevator Conductor. . 5,900 18 3.05 « 37. Holder... . 8,400 18 2.14 u 38. Electrician. . 8,000 17 2.12 m 39. Car Repairer. . 16,000 16 1.0 u 40. Motorman. . 9,600 16 1.66 u 41. Conductor. . 14,000 15 1.07 u 42. Real Estate Dealer. . 4,200 15 3.57 a 43. Cabinetmaker. . 6,600 14 2.12 u 44. Laundress. . 8,200 14 1.8 . a 45. Shoemaker. . 14,000 14 1.0 u 46. Baker. . 13,000 - 13 1.0 m 47. Hostler. . 2,600 13 5.0 m 48. Messenger. . 5,200 13 2.5 a 49. Actor. . 2,000 12 6.0 50. Cigarmaker. . 12,000 12 1. « 51. Physician. . 8,000 12 1.5 52. Sailor. . 2,100 12 5.71 u 53. Steamfitter. . 6,800 12 1.76 m 54. Chauffeur . . 4,600 11 2.6 a 55. Dressmaker. .-18,000 11 .61 u 56. Lineman. . 3,600 11 3.05 u 57. Manufacturer. . 4,200 11 2.62 u 58. Waitress. t. . 3,000 11 3.66 a 59. Contractor. . 2,800 10 3.57 u 60. School Teacher. . 8,100 10 1.23 H 61. Telegraph Operator. . 5,500 10 1.82 U 62. Brakeman. . 3,000 9 3. « 63. Manager. . 4,200 9 2.14 U 64. Packer. . 9,000 ' 9 1. u 65. Restaurant Keeper. . 5,500 9 2.57 u 66. Collector. . 5,200 8 1.53 u 67. Musician. . 3,000 8 2.66 « 68. Plasterer. . 2,600 8 3.07 u 69. Plumber. . 6,400 8 1.25 « 70. Roofer. . 1,200 8 6.66 u 71. Tailoress. . 12,000 8 .66 u 72. Grocer. . 18,000 7 .39 tf 73. Janitress. . 2,500 7 2.8 u 74. Broker. . 6,000 6 1. tf 75. Inspector. . 2,600 6 2.4 41 76. Lawyer. . 7,800 6 .77 <4 77. Solicitor. . 6,500 6 .92 u 78. Stonecutter. . 2,600 6 2.5 u 79. Window Washer. . 900 6 6.66 44 80. Buyer. . 5,200 5 .96 44 81. Boilermaker. . 5,500 5 .9 « 82. Cooper. . 9,000 5 .55 44 83. Flagman. . 2,100 5 2.38 44 84. Gardener. . 8,000 5 .63 44 85. Hodcarrier. . 4,200 5 1.19 44 83. Oiler. . 800 5 6.25 41 87. Photographer. . 3,200 5 1.56 a 88, Polisher....... 5 2.38 a 86 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Occupation Census for Inquests Inquests per Cook per 1,000 of each County Occupation Occupation 89. Shop Boy. 5 .45 per M 90. Stenographer. . 17,000 5 .29 a 91. Student. . 16,000 5 .31 a 92. Towerman. . 1,200 5 4.16 a 93. Breweryman. . 3,000 4 1.33 u 94. Candymaker. . 12,000 4 .33 u 95. Coal Dealer. . 3,400 4 1.17 u 96. Draftsman. . 2,200 4 1.82 u 97. Decorator. . 2,800 4 1.43 u 98. Laundryman. . 12,000 4 .33 u 99. Nurse... . 4,200 4 .95 u 100. Optician. . 2,000 4 2. u 101. Superintendent. . 2,800 4 1.42 u 102. Upholsterer. . 2,400 4 1.66 u 103. Woodworker. . 2,700 4 1.48 u 104. Detective. . 1,250 3 2.5 u 105. Druggist. . 16,000 3 .18 a 106. Fisherman. . 2,200 3 1.36 u 107. Glassworker. . 2,100 3 1.43 u 108. Harnessmaker. . 1,900 3 1.58 u 109. Junk Dealer. . 2,300 3 1.5 u no. Liveryman. . 1,600 3 1.87 u 111. Mail Carrier. . 2,069 3 1.5 a 112. Milk Dealer. . 1,800 3 1.67 a 113. Paperhanger.-. . 2,500 3 1.2 u 114. Patternmaker. . 800 3 3.75 u 115. Promoter. . 1,200 3 2.5 u 116. Saleslady. . 14,000 3 .21 u 117. Ticket Broker. . 1,100 3 2.72 u 118. Tinsmith. . 2,100 3 1.42 u 119. Yardmaster. . 410 3 7.5 u 120. Actress. . 3,000 2 1.5 a 121. Advertiser. . 4,200 2 . .47 « 122. Aviator.. . 150 2 13.33 a 123. Boxmaker. . 4,800 2 .41 H 124. Broom Maker. . 3,600 2 .55 U 125. City Fireman. . 1,852 2 1.11 u 126. Craneman. . 570 2 3.62 a 127. Designer. . 1,400 2 1.42 a 128. Dyer. . 940 2 2.22 u 129. Engraver. . 1,500 2 1.33 u 130. Guard. . 1,800 2 1.11 u 131. Inventor. . 800 2 2.5 u 132. Milhner. . 3,200 . 2 .62 u 133. Miner. . 400 2 5. u 134. Newspaperman. . 2,400 2 .83 u 135. Operator. . 9,200 2 .22 a 136. Pilot. . 300 2 6.66 u 137. Steeplejack. . 100 2 20. u 138. Tanner. .. . 9,500 2 .22 a 139. Undertaker. . 2,400 2 .83 a 140. Architect. . 750 1 1.33 u 141. Artist. . 1,400 1 .71 a 142. Acrobat. . 180 1 5.55 u 143. Bookbinder. . 10,000 1 .1 u 144. Bootblack. .. 2,500 1 .4 « 145. Bellhop. . 2,200 1 .45 u 146. Cab Driver. . 1,800 1 .55 u 147. Chemist. . 1,100 1 .9 u 148. Civil Engineer. . 800 1 1.25 a 149. Cornicemaker. . 2,100 1 .47 u 150. Custodian. . 820 1 1.25 u 151. Dentist. . 3,200 1 .31 u 152. Dredger. . 600 1 1.66 a 153. Florist. . 1,600 1 .63 « 154. Finisher. . 2,600 • 1 .38 u 155. Gasfitter. . 2,100 1 .48 u 156. Glovemaker. . 1,600 1 .62 u 157. Hatter. . 2,000 1 .5 u 158. Hotel Man. . 3,200 1 .21 « STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 87 Census for Inquests Inquests per OccuDation Cook per 1,000 of Each County Occupation Occupation 159. Insurance Adjuster. . 420 1 2.5 per M, 160. Locksmith. . 850 1 1.25 II 161. Midwife. . 1,250 1 .83 m 162. Miller. . 1,900 1 .53 u 163. Minister. .. 1,700 1 .58 u 164. Motorcyclist. . 2,400 1 .42 a 165. Newsboy. .. 1,500 1 .66 u 166. Prostitute. . 950 1 1.05 u 167. Phiblisher .. . 1,200 1 .83 u 168. Ragpicker. . 800 1 1.25 tt 169. R. R. Guard. . 430 1 2.5 u 170. Secretary. . 2,600 1 .38 u 171. Signwriter. . 1,100 1 .9 u 172. Stagehand.. . 950 1 .95 u 173. Tender. . 1,200 1 8.33 u 174. Trackman. . 1,850 1 .55 u 175. Traveling Salesman. . 8,600 1 .12 a 176. Trimmer. . 650 1 1.66 a 177. Valet. . 1,250 1 .83 u 178. Wagon Boy. . 600 1 1.66 u 179. Wagonmaker.. . 6,300 1 .16 u 180. Wrecker. . 1,450 1 .71 u THE HAZARD OF OCCUPATIONS. The above table shows at a glance the number of Coroner’s cases in numerical order for 1913 only, and it is worthy of note that the three occupying first place, 834 laborers, 473 infants and 441 housewives, are the three most helpless divisions, the ones that are the least responsible for their surrounding conditions of any of the 180 in the entire list. But a glance at this table indicates to what extent social responsibility has become an enormous factor in city life, and that not only economic con¬ ditions must be remedied for the protection of laborers, infants and house¬ wives, but it is seen that it is largely through education in schools, homes and the press that this great loss of life must be stemmed. The occupation of teamster in fourth place, that of machinist eighth and switchman tenth in the list point to these as extra hazardous occu¬ pations in relation to which employers should be stimulated to safeguard the employes to the highest degree. The fact that school boys are sixth in the list should arouse our entire educational system to co-operate with the Public Safety Commission; and while many may be surprised that clerks occupy fifth place in the list of Coroner’s cases, a careful study into the causes whereby clerks become despondent, stupefied and unfit mentally and physically to protect themselves against the forms of violence which land them finally in the Coroner’s hands, is a study worthy of the closest attention of publicists and students of social psychology. The fact that there were 70 housekeepers, 46 tailors, 35 farmers and 31 school girls in the list of Coroner’s cases for 1913 does not necessarily show that these occupations are very much more hazardous than those of acrobat, bootblack, cab driver, newsboy and traveling salesman, these being represented by merely one each in the year’s record. Our percentage table No. 54 gives the exact relative standing of these in accordance with the population of each occupation. 88 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Table No. 54 . THE PERCENTAGE HAZARD OF OCCUPATIONS. Inquests per 1,000 in numerical order, based 1913 only. Occupation upon the census of each occupation, for Census for Inquests Inquest per Cook per 1,000 of each County Occupation Occupation 1. Steeplejack. . 100 2 20.0 per M 2. Switchmen. . 4,200 67 15.73 U 3. Aviator. • . 150 2 13.33 u 4. Watchmen. . 4,200 52 12.35 u 5. Porter. . 6,200 62 10.0 tt 6. Tender. . 1,200 1 8.33 u 7. Teamster. . 19,500 156 8.0 a 8. Y ardmaster. . ■. . . . 410 3 7.5 tt 9. Infants. . 65,000 473 7.27 tt 10. Pilot.. . 300 2 6.66 tt 11. Roofer. . 1,200 8 6.66 tt 12. Window Washer . . 900 6 6.66 tt 13. Oiler. . 800 5 6.25 tt 14. Actor. . 2,000 12 6.0 tt 15. Foreman. . 3,200 19 5.94 a 16. Sailor... 12 5.71 a 17. Acrobat. . 180 1 5.55 u 18. Police Officer. . 3,920 20 5.13 u 19. Hostler. . 2,600 13 5.0 tt 20. Miner. . 400 2 5.0 tt 21. Blacksmith. 31 4.71 tt 22. Laborer. .180,000 834 4.63 tt 23. Car Inspector. . 1,400 6 4.28 tt 24. Towerman. . 1,200 5 4.16 tt 25. Painter. . 15,000 66 4.4 tt 26. Peddler. . 5,000 22 4.4 tt 27. Patternmaker. . 800 3 3.75 tt 28. Waitress. . 3,000 11 3.66 tt 29. Cranemen. . 570 2 3.62 tt 30. Contractor. . 2,800 10 3.57 tt 31. Real Estate Dealer. . 4,200 15 3.57 M 32. Saloonkeeper. . 8,200 26 3.17 tt 33. Carpenter. . 24,000 89 3.7 tt 34. Machinist. . 28,000 86 3.07 tt 35. Plasterer. • . 2,600 8 3.07 tt 36. Elevator Conductor.... . 5,900 18 3.05 tt 37. Lineman. . 3,600 11 3.05 tt 38. Brakeman. . 3,000 9 3.0 tt 39. Waiter. . 8,000 24 3.0 tt 40. Janitor. . 14,000 40 2.85 tt 41. Jani tress. . 2,500 7 2.8 tt 42. Ticket Broker. . 1,100 3 2.72 tt 43. Musician. . 3,000 8 2.66 tt 44. Manufacturer. . 4,200 11 2.62 tt 45. Chauffeur. . 4,600 11 2.6 tt 46. Restaurant Keeper. . 5,500 9 2.57 tt 47. Bartender. . 12,000 30 2.5 tt 48. R. R. Guard. . 430 1 2.5 U 49. Detective. . 1,250 3 2.5 tt 50. Stonecutter. . 2,600 6 2.5 tt 51. Insurance Adjuster. . 420 1 2.5 tt 52. Inventor. . 800 2 2.5 tt 53. Messenger. . 5,200 13 2.5 tt 54. Promoter. . 1,200 3 2.5 tt 55. Inspector. . 2,600 6 2.4 tt 56. Flagman. . 2,100 5 2.38 tt 57. Polisher. . 2,100 5 2.38 tt 58. Engineer. . 16,000 36 2.25 a 59. Dyer. . 940 2 2.22 • 60. Fireman. . 12,000 26 2.17 * 61. Bricklayer. . 12,000 26 2.16 62. Molder.. . . 8,400 18 2.14 • 63. Manager. - . 4,200 9 2.14 m 64. Electrician. . 8,000 17 2.12 m STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 89 Census for Inquests Inquests per Occupation Cook per 1,000 of each County Occupation Occupation 65. Cabinetmaker. . 6,600 14 2.12 per M 66. Barber. . 9,600 20 2.07 U 67. Cook. . 18,000 37 2.05 m 68. Butcher. . 16,000 32 2.0 m 69. Tailor. . 23,000 46 2. a 70. Optician. . 2,000 4 2. u 71. Housekeeper. . 36,000 70 1.95 u 72. Printer. . 15,000 29 1.93 u 73. Liveryman. . 1,600 3 1.87 u 74. Draftsman. . 2,200 4 1.82 u 75. Telegraph Operator. . 5,500 10 1.82 u 76. Laundress. . 8,200 14 1.8 u 77. Steamfitter. . 6,800 12 1.76 u 78. Milk Dealer. . 1,800 3 1.67 u 79. Dredger. . 600 1 1.66 a 80. Motorman. . 9,600 16 1.66 a 81. Trimmer. . 650 1 1.66 u 82. Wagon Boy. . 600 1 1.66 u 83. Upholsterer. . 2,400 4 1.66 u 84. Domestic. . 36,000 59 1.64 a 85. Factory Hand. . 22,000 36 1.63 « 86. Lithographer. . 1,250 2 1.6 tt 87. Harnessmaker. . 1,900 3 1.58 tt 88. Photographer. . 3,200 5 1.56 u 89. Collector. . 5,200 8 1.53 u 90. Physician. . 8,000 12 1.5 (4 91. Actress.. . 3,000 2 1.5 tt 92. Junk Dealer. . 2,300 3 1.5 tt 93. Mail Carrier. . 2,069 3 1.5 « 94. Woodworker. . 2,700 4 1.48 tt 95. Farmer. . 24,000 35 1.46 tt 96. Car Cleaner. . 2,100 3 1.43 tt 97. Glassworker. . 2,100 3 1.43 tt 98. Decorator. . 2,800 4 1.43 . “ 99. Designer. . 1,400 2 1.42 tf 100. Superintendent. . 2,800 4 1.42 tt 101. Tinsmith. . 2,100 3 1.42 M 102. Clerk. . 96,000 133 1.37 tt 103. Fisherman. .• . . . 2,200 3 1.36 tt 104. Brickmaker. . 4,500 6 1.33 tt 105. Ironworker. . 21,000 28 1.33 tt 106. Architect. . 750 1 1.33 tt 107. Breweryman. . 3,000 4 1.33 tt 108. Engraver. . 1,500 2 1.33 tt 109. Jeweler. . 7,200 10 1.3 tt 110. Custodian. . 820 1 1.25 tt 111. Civil Engineer. . 800 1 1.25 tt 112. Locksmith. . 850 1 1.25 « 113. Plumber. . 6,400 8 1.25 tt 114. Ragpicker. . 800 1 1.25 tt 115. Rodman. . 800 1 1 25 tt 116. School Teacher. . 8,100 10 1.23 tt 117. Paperhanger. . 2,500 3 1.2 tt 118. Hodcarrier. . 4,200 5 1.19 tt 119. Coal Dealer. . 3,400 4 1.17 tt 120. City Fireman. . 1,852 2 1.11 tt 121. Guard. . 1,800 2 1.11 tt 122. Agent. . 26,000 28 1.08 tt 123. Conductor. .. 14,000 15 1.07 tt 124. Housewife. .420,000 441 1.05 M 125. Prostitute. . 950 1 1.05 tt 126. Car Repairer. . 16,000 16 1. tt 127. Baker. . 13,000 13 1. tt 128. Broker. . 6,000 6 1. tt 129. Cigarmaker. . :. . 12,000 12 1. tt 130. Packer. . 9,000 9 1. tt 131. Shoemaker. .. 14,000 14 1. tt 132. Buyer. . 5,200 5 .96 tt 133. Stagehand. . 950 1 .95 tt 134. Nurse. 4 .95 « 90 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN SORRY 135. Occupation Solicitor. Census for Cook County . 6,500 Inquests per Occupation 6 Inquests per 1,000 of each Occupation .92 per M 136. Bookkeeper. . 25,000 23 .92 a 137. Merchant. . 34,000 31 .91 u 138. Boilermaker. . 5,500 5 .9 u 139. Chemist. . 1,100 1 .9 u 140. Sign writer. . 1,100 1 .9 u 141. Midwife.. . 1,250 1 .83 u 142. Baseball Player. . 1,200 1 .83 u 143. Publisher. , . . . . 1,200 1 .83 u 144. Undertaker. 2,400 2 .83 u 145. V alet. . 1,250 1 .83 u 146. Salesman. . 74,000 59 .79 u 147. Lawyer. . 7,800 6 .77 u 148. Wrecker. . 1,450 1 .71 u 149. Artist. * . 1,400 1 .71 u 150. Schoolboy. .160,000 106 .66 u 151. Tailoress. . 12,000 8 .66 u 152. Florist. . 1,600 1 .63 u 153. Gardener... _ 8,000 5 .63 a 154. Glovemaker. _ 1,600 1 .62 a 155. Milliner. _ 3,200 2 .62 a 156. Dressmaker. .... 18,000 11 .61 tt 157. Minister. . 1,700 1 .58 u 158. Trackman. _ 1,850 1 .55 u 159. Cab Driver. _ 1,800 1 .55 tf 160. Broom Maker. _ 3,600 2 .55 u 161. Cooper. _ • 9,000 5 .55 u 162. Miller. .... 1,900 . 1 .53 u 163. Hatter. _ 2,000 1 .5 u 164. Poster. .... 2,000 1 .5 a 165. Gasfitter. . . 2,100 1 .48 u 166. Cornicemaker. .... 2,100 1 .47 u 167. Advertiser. _ 4,200 2 .47 u 168. Bellhop. _ 2,200 1- .45 u 169. Shop Boy. _ 11,000 5 .45 u 170. Shop Girl. .... 14,000 6 .43 a 171. Motorcyclist. .... 2,400 1 .42 u 172. Boxmaker. .... 4,800 ■ 2 .41 u 173. Soldier. § .... 2,400 1 .41 u 174. Bootblack. _ 2,500 1 .4 H 175. Grocer. _ 18,000 7 .39 u 176. Finisher. .... 2,600 1 .38 u 177. Candymaker. .... 12,000 4 .33,, u 178. Laundryman. .... 12,000 4 .33 a 179. Dentist. .... 3,200 1 .31 u 180. Hotel Man. .... 3,200 1 .31 a 181. Student. _ 16,000 5 .31 u 182. Stenographer. _ 17,000 5 .29 u 183. Operator. .... 9,200 2 .22 u 184. Tanner. _ 9,500 2 .22 u 185. Saleslady. _ 14,000 3 .21 u 186. Schoolgirl. .... 170,000 31 .18 u 187. Druggist. _ 16,000 3 .18 u 188. W agonmaker. _ 6,300 1 .16 a 189. Traveling Salesman. .... 8,000 1 .12 a 190. Bookbinder. _ 10,000 1 .1 u THE PERCENTAGE HAZARD OF OCCUPATIONS. The census of may of the 190 occupations listed in this table is not from actual count, though most of them were checked against two to four sources of information. Those that have been estimated are as nearly correct as the most exhaustive inquiry can make them, though it is fully realized that it will take careful annual revision for the next four or five years to bring these figures to a completely dependable basis. While it is quite beyond the power of statisticians to compile strictly accurate STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 91 occupation tables at this time, the general information presented here is not only fairly accurate but will be serviceable to publicists, humanitarians and civil workers as a basis of information upon which tobuild in the future. Facts and figures have a great leveling effect, especially on minds accustomed to rely upon imagination and guesswork in lieu of data. Frequently guesswork is more pleasing, as it is more likely to conform to preconceived ideas and theories, hence this table will furnish surprises for some and disappointments to others. The fact that in their order as hazardous professions those of actor, musician and clerk are 14, 43 and 102 respectively, and that peddlers, detec¬ tives, ball players and cab drivers have numbers 26, 49, 142 and 159, is not without adequate cause. Actors live and work under great strain, travel much and have irregular habits. Musicians are so centered on their art that they become bad calculators and are frequently thoughtless in tak¬ ing care of themselves, whereas the confinement to which clerks are accus¬ tomed not only induces hypochondria, but renders them physically ineffi¬ cient in avoiding the accidents of homes, streets and shops. On the other hand, the life of the peddler is one of peculiar hazard, both internal and external, the profession of detective, while in itself danger ous, usually gives the advantage of choice as to time, place and circum¬ stances to the operator; outside its sporting environment, baseball is an excellent exercise and keeps the body alert to avoid dangers; cab drivers have decreased so greatly during the last three years in both number and percentage, owing to the increased use of taxicabs and automobiles, that the 1913 record is hardly sufficient upon which to base a conclusion. There is no doubt as to the dangers of the professions of steeplejack and aviator, which occupy first and third places, and the continued high record of casualties year after year among switchmen, watchmen, porters, teamsters, etc., will keep them permanently close to the top of the table of hazardous occupations. • Table No. 55 . CAUSES 07 DEATHS. (Numerical Order.) 1912 1913 1. Forma of Disease. . 1,288 1. Forms of Disease. . . . 1,180 2. Suicide. 554 2. Suicide. 572 3. Falla. 263 3. Falls. 366 Down stairs. . 92 Down stairs. . . . 91 On street. . 50 On street. . . . 58 Out of window. . , . . 43 Out of window. . . . 56 Off own wagon. . . . . 40 Off own wagon. . . . 36 Off ladder. . 37 Off ladder. . . . 28 Off scaffold. . 30 On floor. . . . 26 On floor. . 24 Off scaffold. . . . 25 Elevator shaft. . . . . 23 Elevator shaft. . . . 12 From building. . . . . 6 Off porch. . . . 12 From horse. .>... 6 Into hold of boat. . . . 6 Out of chair. . 4 Out of chair. 5 From roof. . 3 Into culvert. 2 Telephone pole,.. . . 1 Off bridge. 2 From bridge. . 1 Off horse. 2 Into hold of boat. . . 1 Telegraph pole. 1 On skates. . 2 Through skylight... . 1 4. Railroad. 326 Smokestack. 1 5. Homicide. 237 Into showcase. 1 6. Street car. 209 From tree. 1 7. Burns and scalds. . 199 4. Railroad. 360 Miscellaneous. . 187 5. Burns and scalds.... 243 By hot water. _•. 11 Miscellaneous. . . . 232 By metal. .. 1 By hot water. 7 By metal. 4 92 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY 1912 1913 8 . Asphyxiation. 171 6 . Homicide. 233 Accidental. 110 7. Asphyxiation. 212 Undetermined. 61 Accidental. 148 9. Drowning. 154 Undetermined. 64 Undetermined. 80 8 . Street car. 165 Accidental. 74 9. Drowning. 147 10. Automobile. 98 Accidental. 84 11. Abortion. ’ . 74 Undetermined. 13 Self-induced. 24 10 . Automobile. 136 Undeternoined. 22 11. Abortion. 100 * Criminal. 13 Undetermined. 42 Accidental. 9 Self-induced. 33 Spontaneous. 6 Criminal. 12 12. Alcoholism. 60 Accidental. 8 13. Septicaemia. 54 Spontaneous. 5 14. Poisoning. 62 12. Alcoholism. 97 Accidental. 35 13. Poisoning. 64 Undetermined. 15 Accidental. 35 Ptomaine. 2 Undetermined. 26 15. Falling obj ecta. 49 Ptomaine. 3 16. Wagon. 42 14. Falling objects. 54 17. Tetanus. 33 15. Heat prostration. 51 Miscellaneous. 31 16. Tetanus. 47 Revolver. 1 17. Undetermined violence. . 46 Toy pistol. .. 1 18. Septicaemia. 41 18. Undetermined violence.. 29 19. Wagon. 37 19. Suffocation. 27 20. Electrocution. 32 By gases. 11 Miscellaneous. 19 By water heater. 10 Light wires. 12 Children. 6 Trolley wire. 1 20. Exposure and neglect. . . 24 21 . Elevator. 28 21 . Shooting. 22 22 . Caught in machinery... 28 Accidental. 18 23. Shooting. 24 Undetermined. 4 Accidental. 15 22. Elevator. 21 Undetermined. 9 23. Caught in machinery... . 18 24. Elevated railway. 18 24. Elevated railway. 17 25. Under anesthetic. 18 25. Explosion. 17 26. Explosion. 16 26. Under anesthetic. 16 27. Motorcycle. 14 27. Electrocution. 16 28. Exposure and neglect. . . 13 Miscellaneous. 14 29. Kicked by horse. 7 Light wires. 2 30. Choking. 7 28. Heat prostration. 10 Accidental. 6 29. Motorcycle.. 8 Undetermined. 1 30. Hydrophobia. 7 31. Exposure. 6 31. Kicked by horse. 7 32. Suffocated. 6 32. Choking.... 7 Children. 4 Accidental. 6 Water heater. 1 Undetermined. 1 33. Aviation. 3 33. Exposure. 4 34. Diving onto rock or 34. Smothered. 4 bottom. 3 In bin. 2 35. Hydrophobia. 2 In smokestack. 1 36. Struck by lightning. 2 In glucose car. 1 37. Building collapse. 2 35. Aviation. 3 38. Crushed. 2 36. Baseball. 2 In earth. 1 37. Cutting, accidental...... 2 Under wheels. 1 38. Amusement park device. 1 39. Bicycle. 1 39. Struck by lightning. 1 40. Cutting, accidental. 1 41. Hanging, accidental. 1 Total. 4,226 42. Starvation. 1 Total. 4,385 A volume could be written in explanation of the above table of causes. It may be interesting to point out that the term “natural causes,” formerly employed, has been changed to the term “forrhs of disease,” for as a matter of fact, “old age” is the only natural cause of death. In this Biennial STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 93 Report it has been impossible to make a complete classification of the forms of disease, such as will be done in the Annual Report for 1914, for it is found to be just as needful to classify diseases according to cause when possible as to classify the different kinds of falls, railroad accidents, automobile accidents, etc.; this in order that the entire report of cases may stand as a record of human experience not only as to how to avoid premature death from falls, industrial accidents, etc., but how to avoid contracting the forms of disease that heretofore have been listed as “naturalcauses," and thereby failing to open the door to the remedy involved. In this table it is seen that suicides increased from 523 in 1911 to 554 in 1912 and 572 in 1913, a remarkably rapid increase, far in excess of the increase in population; and it being a special doctrine of sociologists that the number of suicides in any community is a reliable gauge by which to measure the community’s efficiency in the line of social justice, this increase should become the subject of thoughtful inquiry on the part of educators, moralists and social workers. The tabulated .list of deaths by falls, amounting to 363 in 1912 and 366 in 1913, shows remarkable uniformity, the number falling down stairs, on street, out of windows, off wagons, etc., occupying the same position in the list for the two years, indicating clearly that there is an inscrutable law that determines the proportion who under given conditions of civil¬ ization will meet death and accidents in certain fixed ratios and propor¬ tions—a subject that will be considered more fully elsewhere. The proportion of 237 homicides in 1912 as against 233 in 1913 is so close as to be almost weird in its uniformity, when one considers all the varied economic, social and educational factors that are a part of the motive of each one of these murders. And again, the constant relation¬ ship year after year that is seen between those who destroy the lives of others and those who take their own lives is a subject of unparalleled human interest to those who are equipped to make a sufficiently detailed inquiry into the matter. The increase of automobile accidents from 98 in 1912 to 136 in 1913 and a decrease in horse vehicle accidents from 42 in 1912 to 37 in 1913 marks the increase of the number of power vehicles coming into use and the decrease of horse drawn vehicles with a considerable degree of accuracy. The one great lesson to be drawn from this table of causes is the evi¬ dent lack of preparedness on the part of a large proportion of the people in our community, in the way of care and foresight necessary to live safely in this age of machinery and countless dangers. The character of the ac¬ cidents here listed indicates a general lack of mental and physical efficiency, and perhaps the remedy lies in the adoption of educational methods in schools and homes that will bring efficiency up to the highest point. NATIVITY TABLES. The following numerical table, arranged according to nativity, is so self-evident as showing the comparative relationship of fatalities among those of different nationalities that but slight additional comment is nec¬ essary. In both 1912 and 1913 it is a close competition between the Aus¬ trians and the Irish for third place, the latter winning in 1912, the former in 1913, and the same condition prevails as between the Italians and Swedes for sixth place, the latter winning in 1913, the former in 1912. In a general sense, the regularity with which each nationality has furnished its quota of fatalities durning the last ten years again indicates the startling correspondence which has been previously referred to as the 94 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN SORRY "Law of Momentum and which is illustrated by nearly all of these nu¬ merical lists of accidents. The present-day civilization in our cities, with its dangers and its consequent need of thoughtfulness and foresight, re¬ sponds year after year in perfect proportion with the population of each nationality. Table No. 56 . NATIVITY—NUMERICAL ORDER. 1912 1913 1. Americans.2,088 2 . Germans. 487 3. Irish. 263 4. Austrians. 213 5. Swedes. 141 6 . Italians. 112 7. Bohemians. 90 8 . Polish. 85 9. Norwegians. 80 10. Canadians. 68 11. Russians... 68 12. English. 66 13. Hungarians. 51 14. Danes. 48 15. Scotch. 39 16. Hollanders. 21 17. Greeks. 14 18. Belgians. 11 19. Swiss. 11 20. French. 9 21. Roumanians. 8 22. Bulgarians. 7 23. Chinese. 5 24. Finns. 5 25. Turks. '5 26. Mexicans.. . . •.. 4 27. Africans.. 1 28. Welsh. 1 29. Not ascertained. 225 Total. 4,223 ’ 1 . Americans.2,003 2. Germans. 522 3. Austrians. 243 4. Irish . .. 242 5. Russians. 175 6 . Swedes. 153 7. Italians. 130 8 . Polish. 102 9. Bohemians. 91 10. English. 86 11. Hungarians. 74 12 . Canadians. 71 13. Norwegians. 58 14. ^ Africans. 53 15. Danes. 26 16. Greeks. 25 17. Scotch. 23 18. Hollanders. 14 19. Chinese. 9 20. French. 7 21 . Belgians. 5 22 . Finns. 5 23. Roumanians. 5 24. Swiss. 5 25. Bulgarians. 4 26. Turks. 4 27. Welsh. 3 28. Japanese. 2 29. Mexicans. 2 30. Spaniards. 2 31. Palestines. 1 32. Not ascertained. 236 Total.4,385 SOCIAL AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCIDENTS. The following table of deaths for 1912 and 1913 has been carefully arranged in order to show which occupations are dangerous in themselves and in which the personal responsibility of the one injured is at fault. It is not to be supposed that this table is strictly accurate, but it is a fairly close estimate on which to erect more accurate and satisfactory calculation in the future. It is also believed that the earnest effort to estimate the causes of the fatalities shown will not fail to be appreciated. Table No. 57 . OCCUPATIONS. Social Responsibility. Individual Responsibility. Actor. 1912 . 5 1913 12 Acrobat. 1912 1913 1 Actress. . 6 2 Advertiser. . 1 2 Baker. . 14 13 Agent. . 24 28 Blacksmith. . 23 31 Architect. . 1 1 Bookbinder. . 5 1 Artist. . 3 1 Bo.x maker. . 3 2 Auctioneer. . 3 Brakeman. . 14 9 Aviator. . 3 2 Bricklayer. . 20 26 Banker. ^ . . . . 2 Brickmaker........ 6 Barber. . 27 20 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN 95 More than 150 Victims a Year from Scalds 96 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Social Responsibility Individual Responsibility 1912 1913 1912 1913 Breweryman. 9 4 Bartender. 29 30 Broom Maker. 3 2 Baseball Player. 1 Butcher. . . . 24 32 Bookkeeper. 26 23 Boilermaker. 2 5 Bootblack. 1 Cab Driver. Q- 1 Broker. is 6 Cabinet Maker. 9 14 Buyer. 1 5 Candymaker. 2 4 Bellhop. 1 Car Cleaner.. 3 Chemist.. i 1 Car Inspector. 6 Chiropodist. • a 1 Car Repairer. 8 16 Civil Engineer. 1 1 Carpenter. . . . 88 89 Coal Dealer. 3 4 Chauffeur. . . . 13 11 Collector.. 6 8 Cigarmaker. . . . 10 12 Contractor. 5 10 City Fireman. 6 2 Custodian. a a 1 Clerk. . . . 145 133 Dentist. 2 1 Conductor. . . . 19 15 Designer. 2 2 Cook. . . . 35 37 Draftsman. 3 4 Cooper. 8 5 Dressmaker. 13 11 Cornicemaker. 1 1 Druggist. 2 3 Craneman.. 2 Engraver.. . . 2 Decorator. 4 Farmer. 36 35 Detective. 3 Florist. 3 1 Domestic. . . . 80 59 Gardener. 4 5 Dredger. 1 Gasfitter. 2 1 Dyer. 5 2 Grocer. 9 7 Electrician. . . . 15 17 Glovemaker. 1 Elevated Conductor. . . . 11 18 Harnessmaker. i 3 Engineer. . . . 33 36 Hatter. 1 1 Factory Hand. . . . 28 36 Hostler. 5 13 Fireman. . . . 16 26 Housekeeper... 90 70 Fisherman. 2 3 Housewife. 531 441 Flagman.. .. . 7 5 Hotel Man. 1 Foreman. , . . 15 19 Inspector. 11 6 Finisher.•. 1 Insurance Adjuster. 5 1 Glassworker. 4 3 Inventor. a a 2 Guard. 1 2 Jeweler. 2 10 Hod Carrier. 8 5 Junk Dealer. a a 3 Ironworker. . . 20 28 Lace Cleaner. 1 1 Janitor. . . . 38 40 Lawyer. 6 6 Laborer. ,.. 803 834 Lithographer . 2 • • No Occupation . , .. 430 488 Liveryman . 1 3 Undetermined . . . 221 207 Locksmith. 1 1 Janitress. 7 Mailcarrier. 7 3 Laundryman. 4 4 Manager . 9 9 Laundress .. . . 11 14 Merchant . ' . 42 31 Lineman . 3 11 Messenger . 8 13 Machinist . . . 55 86 Midwife . 1 1 Manufacturer . . . 14 11 Milkdealer . 1 3 Molder . . . 18 18 Miller . 4 1 Motorman . 9 16 Milliner . 1 2 Miner . 2 Minister . 2 1 Oiler . . 5 Musician . 13 8 Operator . 8 2 Motorcyclist . 1 1 Painter . . . 63 66 Newsboy . a a 1 Paperhanger . .. 5 3 Newspaper Man . 2 2 Packer . 4 9 Nurse . 15 4 Pilot .. 1 i 1 2 Optician . • • 4 Plasterer . 5 8 Patternmaker . • • 3 Plumber . . . 10 8 Peddler . 26 22 Police Officer . . . 12 20 Photographer . a a 5 Prostitute . . . 3 1 Physician . 4 12 R. R. Guard . 4 1 Porter . 56 62 Roofer . 5 8 Promoter . 1 3 Sailor . . . 11 12 Printer . 12 29 Saleslady . 3 3 Publisher . 3 1 Salesman. . . 48 59 Poster. 1 a a School Boy. . . 109 106 Polisher. a a 5 School Girl. . . 42 31 Ragpicker. a a 1 School Teacher. 5 10 Real Estate Dealer. 17 15 Shoemaker. , . . 16 14 Restaurant Keeper. 4 9 Shopgirl. . . 6 • • Rodman. 1 a a STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 97 Social Responsibility 1912 1913 Shopboy. 5 Signwriter. 1 Steamfitter. 15 12 Steeplejack. 2 Switchman. 43 67 Tailor. 45 46 Tailoress. 5 8 Tanner. 8 2 Teamster. 141 156 Telegraph Operator. 3 10 Tinsmith. 9 3 Trackman. 2 1 Trimmer. 1 Tender. 1 Towerman. 5 Wagon Boy. 1 Wagonmaker. 2 1 Window Washer. 1 6 Watchman. 48 52 W recker. 1 Waiter. 23 24 Waitress. 5 11 Woodworker. 14 4 Wrapper. 1 Y ardmaster. 1 3 Individual Responsibility 1912 1913 Retired. 2 Saloonkeeper. 22 26 Secretary. 3 1 Soldier.. 1 Solicitor. 4 6 Speculator. 1 Stagehand. 1 Stenographer. 5 Stonecutter. 7 Student. 3 Superintendent. 2 Surveyor. 1 Ticket Broker. Traveling Salesman. 3 Undertaker. 1 Upholsterer. 1 V alet. SUICIDES IN ORDER OF MONTHS. The following numerical table of suicides by months, while showing April in third place in both years and February in sixth place, fails to in¬ dicate that the time of year or the temperature have anything to do with the increase or decrease of suicides, July occupying first place in 1912 and December in 1913. The increase in suicides which astrologers are ac customed to attribute to certain signs in the heavens are shown by this comparative table to be directly connected with seasonal variations, con¬ ditions of heat and cold, possibly also of moisture. When considering all the social, educational and economic forces which combined are the cause of suicide, the uniformity with which these catastrophes occurred in 1912 and 1913 is surely startling and indicates how perfectly the law of cause and effect, acting through our present-day civilization, turns our its grist year after year of those upon whom the con¬ ditions of life press too heavily to be endured. Table No. 58 . SUICIDES IN ORDER OF MONTHS. 1912 1. July. 57 2. March. 56 3. April. 54 4. May. 51 5. September. 51 6. February. 50 _ 7. June. 46 8. August. 43 9. November. 43 10. January. 40 11. October. 37 12. December. 26 Total. 554 1913 1. December. 59 2. October. 56 3. April. 56 4. June. 54 5. August. 51 6. February. 47 7. January. 45 8. March. 43 9. May. 42 10. September. 42 11. July. 41 12. November. 36 Total. 572 1-1 m <£) M (N—I 98 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY SUICIDES IN THE ORDER OF AGE. There are 134 suicides between the ages of 20 and 30 in first place in 1913* with 129 in second place between the same ages in 1912; with the exception of this change of position, the remainder of the table is practi¬ cally uniform for the two years, and when this uniformity of age is con¬ trasted with uniformity as to cause, nativity, month, etc., it forces the conclusion that human affairs, like the affairs of all life and nature, parti¬ cipate in the great law of momentum seen throughout nature in the change of seasons, the rotation of the earth on its axis and the budding of animal and vegetable life, season after season. It is seen that 7.19 per cent of suicides were under 20 years of age; 23-35 cent between 20 and 30; 22.55 pcr cent between 30 and 40; 18.82 per cent between 40 and 50; 47.7 were over 40 years of age. Table No. 59. SUICIDES IN ORDER OF AGE. 1912 1913 1. 30 to 40 years. . 134 1. 20 to 30 years. . 134 2. 20 to 30 years. . 129 2. 30 to 40 years. . 120 3. 40 to 50 years. . 95 3. 40 to 50 years. . 117 4. 50 to 60 years. . 87 4. 50 to 60 years. . 107 5. 10 to 20 years. . 47 5. 60 to 70 years. . 47 6. 60 to 70 years. . 40 6 10 to 20 years. . 24 7. 70 to 80 years. . 12 7. 70 to 80 years. . 11 8. Over 80 years. . 4 8'. Over 80 years.. . . 6 9. Under 10 years. . 1 9. Under 10 years. . 0 10. Not ascertained. . 5 10. Not ascertained. . 6 Total. .**. . . 554 Total. . 572 SUICIDES IN THE ORDER OF NATIVITY. It is quite usual among people discussing suicides and the nationali¬ ties given to self-destruction, to imply that those of certain races are more addicted than others to this division of crime, basing their conclusions upon guesswork instead of statistics. A study of the following compara¬ tive tables for 1912 and 1913 shows an almost perfect uniformity for the different years, and a comparison with the population of each nationality in Cook County will show that almost the same average percentage of each race commits suicide every year, the general increase being in some degree affected by economic conditions, extreme heat or extreme cold and by the natural increase of population, and taking a ten-year average, so closely does the number of suicides run in relation to the population of each nationality that it actually forms a reliable basis upon which to com¬ pute the census. The value of these numerical tables consists in helping those who study them to see these great truths in their true proportion. Table No. 60. SUICIDES IN ORDER OF NATIVITY. 1912 1913 1 . Americans. . 222 1. Americans. . 225 2. Germans. . 88 2. Germans. . 109 3. Austrians. . 42 3. Austrians. . 41 4. Russians. . 30 4. Russians. . 28 5. Bohemians. . 30 5. Bohemians. . 24 6. Swedes. . 18 6. Swedes. . 23 7 . Danes. . 13 7. Hungarians. . 15 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 99 1912 8. Irish. 12 9. Polish. 10 10. Hungarians. 8 11. Africans. 7 12. English. 7 13. French. 7 14. Italians. 7 15. Norwegians. 7 16. Canadians. 6 17. Hollanders. 3 18. Belgians. 2 19. Chinese. 2 20. Finns. 2 21. Roumanians. 1 22. Scotch. 1 23. Not ascertained. 29 Total. 554 1913 8. Italians. 13 9. English. 11 10. Norwegians. 10 11. Canadians. 9 12. Irish. 9 13. Danes. 8 14. Polish. 7 15. Africans. 5 16. Finns. 3 17. Bulgarians. 2 18. Chinese. 2 19 Greeks. 2 20. Scotch. 2 21. Swiss. 2 22. Belgians. 1 23. French. 1 24. Hollanders. 1 25. Japanese. 1 26. Not ascertained. 18 Total. 572 METHODS OF SUICIDE IN THEIR ORDER A study of the following table as to the mode of committing suicide, when compared with the table showing the different kinds of deaths by falling, and compared again with the different ways of meeting death from automobile accidents, street car accidents, etc., emphasizes beyond ques¬ tion the law of sociologial and psychological momentum that has been referred to elsewhere in this report. In 1912 the number of suicides was 21.5 per 100,000 and in 1913, 21.8, showing how closely increase of suicides keeps step with the increase in population. Some may ask: “How does it happen that 162 in Cook County chose shooting as a mode of death in 1912, and 164 in 1913; and that 153 chose asphyxiation in 1912, and 163 in 1913; that exactly 57 chose hanging in 1912 and 57 in 1913; that 20 chose drowning in 1912 and 22 in 1913?“ The uniformity of these figures year after year is startling and indicates a subconscious dissatisfaction with self permeating all races and all society within the boundary of Cook County. The 554 in 1912 and the 572 in 1913 who accomplished self-destruction had mostly been contemplating it for some time, many of them for years, to the extent that a careful estimate has been made that there are some 12,000 persons in Cook County at this moment contemplating suicide. Some of them will carry out their intent in some month during the year, others will do it next year, a less number the year after, and so on probably for ten or fifteen years to come, before all those now contemplating it carry out their intent or decide to abandon it. It is clear that educational con¬ ditions in home, school and church have a powerful influence in forming or avoiding the mental attitude that will result in self-destruction, and it is to be hoped that our psychologists and educators will ultimately reach an understanding so complete of the phenomena of suicide as to finally implant a viewpoint toward life, especially in the relationship of the indi¬ vidual toward society, that will largely divert from suicidal intent even a majority of those who may inherit tendencies in this direction. It is for government and society to so organize their educational and economic forces as to place their members under conditions that will make as little strain as possible upon the mind in living this life of ours; in fact, there is no question but that the percentage of suicides will be largely de¬ creased when this world is made a happier, saner and safer place to live in. 100 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY The trained statistician finds strange truths hidden back of the fact that year after year the method of self-destruction maintains exactly the same order, viz., the largest number select shooting, then asphyxiation, poisoning, hanging, cutting, drowning, jumping from windows, etc. What is there in the surrounding conditions of life, in the relationships of war, peace, punishment, the drug business, the use of gas for lighting and heat¬ ing, the use of water for boating, swimming and navigation, together with the influences of government, school, church, wealth, poverty, etc., that should continue this uniformity of selection year after year, unless it is a part of a law of momentum, inherent in the nature of things? Of the total suicides for 1912 and 1913, 28.15 cent employed asphyxiation; 28.95 pcr cent used firearms; 21.23 pcr cent used poisons; 31.26 per cent were despondent and 31.5 temporarily insane; 55.59 per cent were married; 28.59 pcr cent were single. There is of course, always a certain number of whom it is unknown whether they are married or single. Table No. 61. METHODS OF SUICIDE IN THEIR ORDER. 1912 1913 1 . Shooting. . 162 1. Shooting. . 164 2. Asphyxiation. . 153 2. Asphyxiation. . 163 3. Poisoning. . 130 3. Poisoning. . 109 4. Hanging. . 57 4. Hanging. . 57 5. Cutting. . 22 5. Cutting. . 33 6. Drowning. . 20 6. Drowning. . 22 7. Jumping from Mundow. . 5 7. Jumping from window. . 9 8. Jumping from building. . 3 8. Setting fire to self. . 7 9. Jumping under train. . 2 9. Jumping under train. . 6 10. Jumping from building. . 2 Total. _ 554 Total. . 572 POISONS USED FOR SUICIDE IN THEIR ORDER. The following numerical table showing the poisons used for suicide in 1912 and 1913 carries into this detail the same pronounced uniformity that is shown year after year, and is referred to in connection with the previous tables. Why carbolic acid, an exceedingly disagreeable and pain¬ ful mode of death, should be the most popular mode of poisoning year after year seems beyond comprehension except that through the medium of suggestion the newspaper reports of these deaths, giving this method forms a momentum or a fashion of self-destruction entirely independent of common sense; and many believe that no one with real good sense would commit suicide at all, hence good judgment can hardly be expected from those who wish to prematurely put an end to their lives. While chloro¬ form occupied second place in 1912, it dropped to third place in 1913, and cyanide of potassium, which stood third in 1912, arose to second place in 1913, all the result of causes beyond the ken of saints or seers. So closely have these relationships been maintained for the past ten years that if the present system of reporting poisons used, by the newspapars, continues in the future as in the past, we may feel assured that there will be no impor¬ tant change in the selection of poisons during the coming years. Taking the two years together, it is seen that carbolic acid has been the method of death selected by 54.39 per cent of all those who have sought self-de¬ struction through the poison route. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 101 Table No. 62. POISONS USED FOR SUICIDE IN THEIR ORDER. 1912 1. Carbolic acid. 74 2. Chloroform.. 9 3. Cyanide of Potassium. 6 4. Paris Green. 6 5. Narcotic. 4 6. Rough-on-rats. 4 7. Chloride of Zinc. 3 8. Arsenic. 3 9. Corrosive. 3 10. Morphine. 2 11. Opium. 2 12. Strychnine.. 2 13. Muriatic acid. 1 14. Not ascertained.^_n Total. 130 1913 1 . Carbolic acid. 60 2 . Cyanide of Potassium. 7 3 . Chloroform. 6 4 . Narcotic. 5 5 . Rough-on-rats. 5 6. Chloride of Zinc. 4 7 . Strychnine. 4 8. Paris Green. 3 9. Corrosive. 2 10. Morphine. 2 11. Muriatic Acid. 2 12. Opium. 1 13. Prussic Acid. 1 14. Not ascertained. 7 Total. 109 HOMICIDES IN THE ORDER OF AGE. It has been the object of these tables as far as is possible to make the classifications in a manner to show the cause of the casualty or disaster with which each table deals, to present a lesson whereby further continuance of the same cause of disaster may be averted. Our homicide tables in this report are purely a record of the age, nativity, occupation, mode of death, etc., of the persons killed, and unfortunately our records for this report are lacking in information that would enable us to provide an account of the slayer, in relation to which cause might be considered. It is but fair to state that the 1914 records will also include a record of the slayer from which to extract tables based on cause, with the hope of lessening homicides in the coming years. In the following table of age of those who lost their lives by homicide in 1912 and 1913, the same uniformity is observed as has been pointed out in previous tables, and this is here mentioned for the reason that it is by a study of this uniformity that the remedies of the future must be determined. Table No. 63. HOMICIDES IN THE ORDER OF AGE. 1912 < 1913 1 . 20 to 30 years. . 78 1. 20 to 30 years.. . 85 2. 30 to 40 years. . 57 2. 30 to 40 years. . 57 3. 40 to 50 years. . 35 3. 40 to 50 years. . 28 4. 10 to 20 years. . 26 4. 50 to 60 years.. . 18 5. Under 10 years. . 17 5. 10 to 20 years. . 17 6. 50 to 60 years. .12 6. Under 10 years. . 9 7. 60 to 70 years. . 4 7. 60 to 70 years.. .*.. . 5 8. 70 to 80 years. . 2 8. 70 to 80 years. . 3 9. Over 80 years. . 1 9. Over 80 years. . 0 10. Not ascertained. . 5 10. Not ascertained. . 11 Total. . 237 Total'.. . 233 MODES OF HOMICIDE IN THEIR ORDER While the number killed in 1913 is slightly less than in 1912, notwith¬ standing the increase in population, the general uniformity of method, shooting first, blow on head second, stabbing third, etc., is seen as in pre¬ vious tables, even to extent that exactly the same number in each of the two years covered by this report were killed by blow on the head or body, 42. While the tendency to homicide, like other tendencies of the times, must naturally be regarded as a phase of our present-day civilization, there is no other explanation of the uniformity of method employed year after year except by means of the suggestion of the newspapers in detail¬ ing the methods of death in their news items. These suggestions from day, to day become fixed in the minds of those who contemplate homicide, 102 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY thus repeating the same records and proportions year after year in accord¬ ance with the extent that the minds of those contemplating murder are impressed. Table No. 64. MODES OF HOMICIDE IN THEIR ORDER. 1912 1913 1. Shooting. .155 1. Shooting. .140 2. Blow on head or body. . 42 2. Blow on head or body. . 42 3. Stabbing. . 14 3. Stabbing. . 25 4. Asphyxiation. . 9 4. Explosion. .V 11 5. Cutting. . 7 5. Cutting. . 5 6. Strangulation. . 3 6. Asphyxiation. . 3 7. Drowning. . 2 7. Poison. . 3 8. Explosion. . 1 8. Strangulation. . 3 9. Neglect. . 1 9. Drowning. . 1 10. Poison. . 1 11. Thrown out of window. _. 1 Total. .233 12. Thrown down stairs. . 1 Total. HOMICIDES IN ORDER OF NATIVITY. A comparison between the relative standing of nationalities of the following homicide table with the suicide table No. 77 and the nativity inquest table No. 76, exhibits unmistakable tendencies that cannot fail to be of the greatest value to social psychologists and criminologists. While the Italian population of Chicago is 85,000 and occupies seventh place, it will be observed that it takes second place, following Americans, in both 1912, showing 26 murders, and 1913, with 35 murders, whereas under suicides Italians were fourteenth in 1912 and eighth in 1913. Ger¬ mans, with the largest population in Chicago next to Americans, are third in homicides in 1912 and fourth in 1913, whereas they occupy second place in the suicide table as well as in the numerical table of total inquests. The Irish, keeping third place in 1913 and sixth place in 1912 in the list of homi¬ cides, are twelfth in suicides in 1913 and eighth in 1912, whereas they are fourth and third respectively in the table of total inquests. The contin¬ uation of this system of comparison in the rest of the tables will be a good index of the tendencies of different nationalities to depart from their natural order of population in the number of inquests, suicides and homi¬ cides respectively. Table No. 65. HOMICIDES IN ORDER OF NATIVITY. Nativity. 1912 Nativity. 1913 1. Americans. .129 1. Americans. .112 2. Italians. . 26 2. Italians. . 35 3. Germans. . 16 3. Irish. . 14 4. Austrians. . 14 4. German. . 12 5. Russians. . 7 5. Russians.. . 11 6. Irish. . 7 6. Austrians.. . 7 7. Hungarians. . 4 7. Hungarians. . 7 8. Polish. . 4 8. Polish. . 7 9. Bulganans. . 4 9. Africans. . 6 10. Danes. . 4 10. Norwegians. . 3 11. Greeks. . 3 11. Roumanians. . 3 12. Belgians. . 2 12. Canadians. . 2 13. Bohemians. . 2 13. English. . 2 14. Canadians. . 2 14. Greeks. . 2 15. Norwegians. . 2 15. Swedes. . 2 16. Roumanians. . 2 16. Bohemians. . 1 17. Scotch . . 1 17. French. . 1 18. Swedes. . 1 18. Scotch . . 1 19. Swiss. . 1 19. Swiss. . 1 20. Not ascertained. . 6 20. Not ascertained. . 4 Total . . 237 Total . . 233 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 103 TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS IN NUMERICAL ORDER. > The following tables of transportation accidents are made of the cas¬ ualties of the railway, street car and elevated railway companies, complete explanation in connection with which will be found elswhere under these separate headings: Table No. 66. TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS—NUMERICAL ORDER AS TO AOE. Ages 1912 1. 20 to 30 years.116 2. 30 to 40 years.106 3. 40 to 50 years. 92 4. 50 to 60 years. 71 5. 60 to 70 years.46 6. Under 10 years. 43 7. 10 to 20 years. 40 8. 70 to 80 years. 12 9. Over 80 years. 4 10. Not ascertained. 24 Total., 5.54 Ages 1913 1. 20 to 30 years.109 2. 40 to 50 years.108 3. 30 to 40 years.103 4. 50 to 60 years. 58 5. 60 to 70 years. 5i 6. 10 to 20 years. 38 7. 70 to 80 years. 24 8. Under 10 years. 23 0. Ov'er 80 years.. 4 10. Not a.scertained. 25 Total.543 104 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Table No. 67. TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS IN ORDER OF NATIVITY. Nativity 1912 Nativity 1913 1. Americans. .240 1 . Americans. .231 2. Irish. . 47 2 . Germans. . 69 3. Germans. . 45 3 . Irish. . 42 4. Austrians. . 32 4 . Russians.. . 31 5. Italians. . 25 5 . Austrians. . 22 6. Swedes. . 21 6. Swedes. . 19 7. Russians. . 19 7. Italians. . 19 8. Polish. . 18 8. Polish. . 16 9. Canadians. . 12 9. Bohemians. . 13 10. French. . 10 10. Hungarians. . 12 11. Hollanders. . 9 11. Greeks. . 9 12. Norwegians. . 6 12. Norwegians. . 6 13. Hungarians. . 6 13. Africans. . 5 14. English. . 6 14. English. . 5 15. Bohemians.^. . 5 15. Canadians. . 3 16. Greeks. . 5 16. Hollanders. . 3 17. Belgians. . 4 17. French. . 2 18. Scotch . . 3 18. Scotch . . 2 19. Danes. . 3 19. Danes. . 1 20. Roumanians. . 2 20. Japanese.. . . 1 21. Turks. . 2 21. Mexicans. . 1 22. Bulgarians. . 1 22. Roumanians. . 1 23. Chinese. . 1 23. Turks. . 1 24. Not ascertained. . 32 24. Not ascertained. . 29 Total. .554 Total. .543 Table No. < 68. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS—NUMERICAL ORDER AS TO MODE. • 1912 1913 1 . Walking on Track. .119 1 . Walking on Track. .149 2. Crossing Track. . 73 2 . Crossing Tracks. . 74 3. Falling off Train. . 27 3. Crushed by Cars. . 26 4. Collision. . 24 4. Falling off Train. . 25 5. Run Down. . 22 5. Jumping on or off. . 17 6. Jumping on or off. . 13 6. Wreck. . 16 7. Crushed. . 12 7. Collision. . 9 8. Struck by Viaduct. . 5 8. Hitching. . 9 9. Hitching. . 4 9. Struck by Viaduct. . 2 10. Scalded by Steam. . 4 10. Leaning out ot Cab. . 2 11. Coupling. . 2 11. Scalded by Steam. . 1 12. Wreck. . 2 12. Not ascertained. . 30 13. Not ascertained. . 19 Total. .360 Total.. .326 Table No. 69. STREET RAILWAY ACCIDENTS—NUMERICAL ORDER AS TO MODE. 1912 1913 1. Crossing tracks not at crossing. .. 54 1. Run down by train. 6(^ 2. Crossing track at crossing. .. 45 2. Crossing track not at crossing.. , , . 23 3. Run dowm by train. . . 37 3. Crossing tracks at crossing. , . 18 4. Fall from car. . . 16 4. Vehicle struck by car. . . 16 5. Collision. . . 14 5. Fall from car. .. 12 6. Vehicle struck by car. . . 14 6. Crushed betw’eeii cars. . . 9 7. Crushed between cars. . . 10 7. Collision. , . 9 8. Getting on or off. . . 8 8. Walking on track. , . 7 9. Walking on track. . . 6 9. Getting on or off. . 3 10. Leaning out of car. . . 3 10. Hitching. . 2 11. Not ascertained. . . 2 11. Not ascertained. . 6 Total 209 Total 165 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 105 Table No. 70. ELEVATED RAILWAY ACCIDENTS—NUMERICAL ORDER AS TO MODE. 1912 1. Run down by train. 11 2. Fell off platform. 2 3. Walking on track. 2 4. Crushed between car and platform 1 5. Collision. 1 Total. 17 1913 1. Run down by train. JO 2. Walking on track. 4 3. Fell off platform. 2 4. Electrocuted. 1 5. Crushed between car and plat¬ form. 1 Total. 18 Table No. 71. INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS—NUMERICAL ORDER. Ages 1912 1. 30 to 40 years. 74 2. 20 to 30 years. 63 3. 40 to 50 years. 38 4. 50 to 60 years. 34 5. 10 to 20 years. 17 6. 60 to 70 years. 10 7. 70 to 80 years. 3 8. Under 10 years. 3 9. Not ascertained. 9 Ages 1913 1. 20 to 30 years. . 61 2. 30 to 40 years. . 56 3. 40 to 50 years. . 40 4. 50 to 60 years. . 34 5. 10 to 20 years. .14 6. 60 to 70 years. . 9 7. Under 10 years. . 7 8. 70 to 80 years. . 3 9. Not ascertained. . 14 Total 251 Total 238 Table No. 72. CAUSES OF DEATH. 1912 1. Falling off his own w'agon. 40 2. Falling objects. 37 3. Falling off scaffold. 30 4. Falling down elevator shaft. 23 5. Caught in machinery. 18 6. Killed in elevator. 17 7. Explosion. 17 8. Electrocution. 14 9. Falling down ladder. 13 10. Suffocated by gases. 11 11. Scalded by hot water. 11 12. Falling from building. 6 13. Falling from roof. 3 14. Falling from airship. 3 15. Smothered in bin. 2 16. Burned by metal. 1 17. Falling from telephone pole. 1 18. Falling from bridge. 1 19. Falling out of window. 1 20. Smothered in smokestack. 1 21. Smothered in glucose car. 1 1913 1. Falling objects. 49 2. Falling off own wagon. 36 3. Caught in machinery. 28 4. Falling off scaffold. 25 5. Killed in elevator. 21 6. Explosion .. 16 7. Electrocution. 15 8. Falling down elevator shaft. 12 9. Falling down ladder. 10 10. Scalded by hot w^ater. 7 11. Kicked by horse.-. 7 12. Burned by metal. 4 13. Falling from biplane. 3 14. Building collapse. 2 15. Falling in culvert. 2 16. Falling off bridge.•. 2 17. Falling through skylight. 1 18. Falling from smokestack. 1 Total. 238 251 Total 106 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Table INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS 1912 1. Americans. 75 2. Germans. 27 S. Russians. 23 4. Austrians. 23 5. Irish. 16 6. Bohemians. 12 7. Norwegians. 11 8. Polish. 11 9. Swedes. 11 10. Italians. 7 11. Hungarians. 6 12. French. 4 13. Greeks. 3 14. Danes. 3 15. Scotch. 3 16. Belgians. 2 17. English. 2 18. Hollanders. 2 19. Roumanians. 2 20. Canadians. 1 21. Turks. 1 22. Not ascertained. 6 Total. 251 No. 73. IN ORDER OF NATIVITY. 1913 1. Americans. 98 2. Germans. 34 3. Russians. 23 4. Austrians. 16 5. Italians. 10 6. Hungarians. 9 7. Irish. 8 8. Swedes. 8 9. Polish. 7 10. Canadians. 5 11. English. 4 12. Bohemians. 3 13. Greeks. 2 14. Norwegians. 2 15. Roumanians. 2 16. Africans. 1 17. Bulgarians.. 1 18. Danes. 1 19. Palestine. 1 20. Not ascertained. 3 Total. 238 Table No. 74. INQUESTS PER NATIONALITY IN ORDER OF POPULATION FOR 1913. Nativity Population Inquest 1. Americans. 967,455 2,003 2. Germans. 300,000 522 3. Bohemians. 250,000 91 4. Russians. 215,000 175 5. Polish. 115,000 102 6. English. 105,000 86 7. Italians. 85,000 130 8. Africans. 85,000 53 9. Austrians. 83,201 243 10. Norwegians. 75,000 58 11. Irish. 65,922 242 12. Swedes. 63,035 153 13. Canadians. 30,865 71 . 14. Hungarians. 27,496 74 15. Danes. 25,000 26 16. Scotch. 10,303 23 17. Welsh. 10,000 . 3 18. Hollanders. 9,632 14 19. Greeks. 6,601 25 20. Swiss. 3,493 5 21. Roumanians. 3,344 5 22. Bulgarians. 3,315 4 23. French. 3,030 7 24. Spanish. 3,000 2 25. Belgians. 2,526 5 26. Finns.•. 2,382 5 27. Turks. 1.885 4 28. Mexicans. 1,790 2 29. Palestines. 1,000 1 This table, giving the inquests for 1913, shows at a glance the order of the various nationalities according to the population of each in Cook County. It will be seen that Americans stand first, the Germans second, Bohemians third, and so on through the list. In the third column is given the number of inquests per nationality, in order that the reader may have STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 107 before him the data from which to make comparisons. By comparing this with the tables following, it will be seen at once that the nationalities having the largest population do not necessarily have the highest percen¬ tage of inquests. For example, Germans stand second in order of popu¬ lation and thirteenth-in the order of percentage of inquests, a record which seems to show that the Germans are a comparatively careful, cautious race. Table No. 75. INQUESTS PER NATIONALITY IN ORDER OF PERCENTAGE FOR 1913. Per ct. per Nativity Population No. of Inquests Nativity 1 . Greeks. . 6,601 25 .38 p>er ct. 2. Irish. . 65,922 242 .37 U 3. Austrians. . 83,201 243 .29 U 4. Hungarians. . 27,496 74 .27 u 5. Swedes. . 63,035 153 .24 a 6. Canadians. . 30,865 71 .23 a 7. French. . 3,030 7 .23 u 8. Scotch. . 10,303 23 .22 a 9. Turks. . 1,885 4 .21 u 10. Finns. . 2,382 0 .21 a 11. Americans. . 967,455 2,003 .21 u 12. ’ Belgians. . 2,526 5 .2 a 13. Germans. . 300,000 522 .17 u 14. Hollanders. . 9,632 14 .15 u 15. Italians. . 85,000 130 .15 u 16. Roumanians. . 3,344 5 .15 u 17. Bulgarians. . 3,315 4 .12 u 18. Mexicans. . 1,790 2 .11 u 19. Swiss. . 3,493 5 .14 u 20. Danes. . 25,000 26 .1 u 21. Palestines. . 1,000 1 .1 m 22. Poles. . 115,000 102 .09 u 23. English. . 105,000 86 .08 4« 24. Norwegians. . 75,000 58 .08 U 25. Russians. . 215,000 175 .08 u 26. Spanish. . 3,000 2 .07 u 27. Africans. . 85,000 53 .06 tf 28. Bohemians. . 250,000 91 .04 tf 29. Welsh. . 10,000 3 .03 a This table gives the population of the nationalities that supplied cases to the Coroner’s office during 1913. The second column shows the population of each; the third column gives the number of inquests of each nationalit}’^; the last column indicates the per cent of inquests according to the population. That is, taking the first nationality in the list as an illustration, the estimated population of Greeks in Cook County is 6,601; the inquests held upon Greeks were 25, which is .38 per cent of the local Greek population. This table is also arranged to show at a glance how the various nation¬ alities rank according to the per cent of inquests to population. It will be seen that the Greeks come first, the Irish second, and the remainder in order as indicated. The figures here presented in relation to the popula¬ tion of each nationality are as accurate as could be obtained from all au¬ thorities at hand. Their value in this instance lies chiefly in supplying a foundation upon which to build a more accurate structure in future re¬ ports. 108 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY PRINCIPAL NATIONALITIES IN THEIR ORDER PER 10,000 POPULATION Nationalities represented by very few inquests are here omitted for the sake of brevity. In the following three tables is shown in connection with the total inquests, total suicides and homicides, respectively, the number in each 10,000 population of each nationality that became Coroner’s cases. In order that the reader may have the complete data before him we have given in the second column the population of each nationality, in the third column the number of inquests per each nationality, and in the fourth col¬ umn the number per io,ooo that became Coroner’s cases. These tables are arranged numerically in the order of the number per io,ooo. Table No. 76. 1. 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7. 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13. 14. 15. 16. Nativity Greeks. French. 5 PER 10,000 POPULATION. ts. No. of Cases Population Inquests per 10,000 Population 6,601 25 37.9 65,922 242 36.7 83,201 243 29.2 27,496 74 26.9 63,035 153 24.3 3,030 7 ■ 23.3 30,865 71 23.0 967,455 2,003 20.7 300,000 522 17.4 85,000 130 15.3 115,000 102 8.8 105,000 83 8.2 215,000 175 8.1 75,000 58 7.7 85,000 53 6.2 250,000 91 3.6 Table No. 77. Nativity 1 . 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6 . 7. 8 . 9. 10 . 11 . 12 . 13. 14. 15. 16. French. Canadii Greeks. ! PER 10,000 es. POPULATION. No. of Suicides Population Suicides per 10,000 Population 27,496 15 5.5 83,201 41 4.9 63,035 23 3.4 , 300,000 109 3.6 3,030 1 3.3 , 30,865 9 2.9 6,601 2 3.0 , 967,455 225 2.3 , 85,000 13 1.5 , 65,922 9 1.3 215,000 28 1.3 75,000 10 1.3 250,000 24 1.0 105,000 11 1.0 115,000 7 .6 85,000 5 .6 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 109 Table No. 78. NATIVITY RECORD FOR 1913 PER 10,000 POPULATION. Homicides. No. of Murders Nativity Population Homicides per 10,000 Population 1. Italians. . 85,000 35 4.1 2. French. . 3,030 1 3.3 3. Greeks. . 6,601 2 3.0 4. Hungarians. . 27,496 7 2.6 5. Irish. . 65,922 14 ■ 2.1 6. Americans. . 967,455 112 1.2 7. Austrians. . 83,201 7 .8 8. Africans. . 85,000 6 .7 9. Polish. . 115,000 7 .6 10. Canadians. . 30,865 2 .6 11. Russians. . 215,000 11 .5 12. Germans. . 300,000 12 .4 13. Norwegians. . 75,000 3 .4 14. Swedes. . 63,035 2 ' .3 15. English. . 105,000 2 .2 16. Bohemians. . 250,000 1 .4 INQUESTS, SUICIDES AND HOMICIDES. NATIVITY PERCENTAGE TABLES. The three following tables show what per cent of the total number of in¬ quests, suicides and homicides respectively are credited to each nationality. Each is arranged numerically in order of percentages. The second column shows the number supplied by each nationality, and the third column what per cent this number is of the total number of cases under each class. To illustrate, in 1913 there was a total of 4,385 inquests; the Russians fur¬ nished 175 of these, this being 3.99 per cent of the total number of inquests. Following the record of the Russians through the next two tables, we see that the total number of suicides was 572. Of these 28 were Russians, which is 4.89 per cent of the total number of suicides; the total number of homicides was 233, of which ii were Russians, this being 4.72 per cent of the total number of homicides. It will be noted that these tables do not take into account the population of each nationality, being given in order to show how the various nationalities rank in comparison with each other in each class of Coroner’s cases considered here. These tables include only the principal nationalities represented in our records. Table No. 79. COMPARISON IN PERCENTAGE OF EACH NATIONALITY WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INQUESTS. 1913 Nativity 1. Americans. 2. Germans. . 3. Austrians.. 4. Irish. 5. Russians... 6. Swedes. 7. Italians.... 8. Polish..... 9. Bohemians. 10. English.... 11. Hungarians 12. Canadians. 13. Norwegians 14. Africans... 15. Greeks. . .. 16. French. . . . Total Number of Inquests for 1913, 4,385. Inquests Per Cent of Total 2,003 Inquests 45.68 per ct 522 11.9 243 5.54 242 5.52 175 3.99 153 3.49 130 2.96 102 2.33 91 2.08 86 1.96 74 1.69 71 1.62 58 •1.32 53 1.2 25 .57 7 .16 110 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN vSORRY Table No. 8o. 1 . 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6 . 7. 8 . 9. 10 . 11 . 12 . 13. 14. 15. 16. COMPARISON IN PERCENTAGE OF EACH NATIONALITY WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUICIDES IN 1913. Nativity Total Number of Suicides, 672. Suicides Per Cent Total Suicides Americans. Germans. . Austrians. . Russians... Bohemians. Swedes.... Hungarians Italians.... English.... Norwegians Canadians. Irish. Polish. Africans. . . Greeks.... French.... 225 39.34 per ct. 109 19.05 M 41 7.17 U 28 4.89 U 24 4.19 u 23 4.02 u 15 2.62 u 13 2.27 M 11 1.92 M 10 1.75 U 9 1.57 U 9 1.57 m 7 1.22 u 5 .87 u 2 .35 u 1 .17 u Table No. 8i. COMPARISON IN PERCENTAGE OF EACH NATIONALITY WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMICIDES IN 1913. Total Number of Homicides in 1913, 233. N ati vity 1. Americans. 2. Italians_ 3. Irish. 4. Germans. . 5. Russians... 6. Austrians. . 7. Hungarians 8. Polish. 9. Africans. . . 10. Norwegians 11. Swedes. . . . 12. English... . 13. Canadians. 14. Greeks. . . . 15. Bohemians. 16. French. . . . Homicides ... 112 . . . 35 . . . 14 . .. 12 . . . 11 7 7 7 6 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 Per Cent of Total Homicides 48.07 per ct. 15.02 6.01 5.15 4.72 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.58 1.29 .86 .86 .86 “ .86 .43 .43 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! Ill The Coroner's Office ▼▼ By DAVID R. JONES, Chief Deputy. The duty of the Chief Deputy Coioner corresponds to that of office manager, the Chief Deputy having supervision of the daily routine of busi¬ ness, with all the powers of the Coroner himself during his absence. The records of this office date back to the time of the great fire in 1871, the vault now containing files of some 71,000 cases, 41,692 of which belong to the period since Coroner Hoffman took his office, December 6, 1904. The employes of this office coming directly under the charge of the Chief Deputy are as follows: 10 Deputy Coroners. 4 Office Clerks. 7 Court Reporters. 4 Coroner’s Physicians. 2 Chemists. I Statistician. 3 At Morgue. Among the improvements, reforms and changes which have been in¬ troduced into this office by Coroner Hoffman during the past nine years are: 1. A complete change in the system of handling reports of deaths as they come to the office by phone or otherwise, their systematic enrollment upon a blotter as the first “original entry,” including a rotation system of assigning these cases to the various deputies. 2. Mr. Hoffman’s order book system and his method of issuing certified copies of verdicts to friends and relatives of the deceased, fre¬ quently of great value to the families of poor workingmen in obtaining justice in the event of court procedure. 3. The introduction of a special cash book showing daily balances, copies of which are sent to the County Comptroller each day, a systematic method never employed in this office under prior administrations. 4. The origin of the most complete statistical records and tables especially designed to suggest remedies to lessen loss of life and increase public safety must be attributed to this office under the present adminis¬ tration. . 5. The introduction of time sheets turned in by each deputy, sup¬ plying a record daily, weekly and monthly of how each deputy has oc¬ cupied his time and what duties he has performed. 6. The taking and recording of testimony verbatim in shorthand and transcribing same as apart of the record of each case, is a plan which went into effect in January, 1908, and is a system which in numberless cases has enabled the families of the deceased to ol)tain justice through the courts. 7. The arrangement to have Coroner’s juries make recommendations looking toward the prevention of similar accidents is unique in the history of Coroners’offices in this country. This system was introduced by Cor¬ oner Hoffman in 1907, and it has not only reduced deaths in Cook County 112 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY The “Estates” of Those who Meet Sudden and Violent Deaths. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 113 from certain kinds of accidents fully one hundred per year, but it has been the means of bringing the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County into existence, with the general crusade for public safety which has followed. 8 The institution of a night service up to 11 :oo o’clock for receiving reports has added greatly to the efficiency of the service. 9. A valuable improvement in public service has developed from the Coroner’s plan to keep the office open 365 days in the year from 7:30 A. M. to II :oo P. M. on week days, and on Sundays from 8:00 A. M. to 10:00 P. M., the clerks and deputies rotating so as to properly divide the respon¬ sibility and reduce the extra work to a minimum for all. 10 The introduction of a card index system giving immediate access to all the details of each case, and the record of cases wherein physicians issue death’certificates without holding inquests, has greatly facilitated the work of this office. 11. Our investigation blank, now used when Coroner’s physicians are sent out to investigate deaths from any form of disease, has been of great aid in furthering co-operation with other departments. In these cases the Coroner’s physician issues death certificates in duplicate, one copy going to the Health Department, the other being kept on file in this office, thus insuring complete records for both. 12. Another of the new features in the Coroner’s office is the keeping of the record book; the history of every case is typewritten in this book by the use of a special machine made to operate on the plane surface of the page, this record being so clear and accurate as to make important facts in connection with every case accessible at a moment’s notice. 13. There has also been established in connection with the Coroner’s office a Bureau of Identification. Here are kept photographs enabling relatives and friends to identify the unknowm dead wffiose disappearance might otherwise always remain an unsolved mystery. This Bureau is of benefit both in its legal aspect and in affording comfort and assurance to the bereaved. The photographs for the Bureau are supplied by the County Photographer, who is notified in each case of sudden and violent death of unidentified persons. The illustrations in this book of children and others that were scalded and burned through carelessness are also made from photographs supplied by the County Photographer. 14. The assistance given this office by the Chief of Police and a num¬ ber of his subordinates is a great aid to the Coroner service, and due acknowledgment is hereby made to that department of the city govern¬ ment, which desreves much credit for thus materially increasing efficiency in the public’s behalf. 15. The establishment of a chemical laboratory in the month of June, 1913, in charge of competent chemists has added materially to the efficiency of the office, for it not only enables prompt and reliable analyses to be made in cases of suspected poisoning, but frequently makes it pos¬ sible to place reliable data before Coroner’s juries in relation to industrial and other classes of accidents, that is of inestimable value in rendering just verdicts. RECORD OF “ESTATES’^ AND LOCKER. One of the most beneficent and humanitarian innovations inaugurated in the administration of this office is the complete record of the small estates of the large number of unfortunates who meet sudden or violent deaths, the personal property of more than half of whom remains forever uncalled for. The vault in which this personal property is kept has gained 114 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY some fame through the press and otherwise under the title of “Davy Jones’ Locker,” and while the per capita value is small, averaging only $1.35 each at the last sale in January, 1912, the record is as carefully kept as though it involved countless thousands. When these estates are called for by rel¬ atives they are always turned over to them on proper identification, their receipt being* taken therefor. Since January, 1912, 417 out of a total of 782 estates left with the Chief Deputy Coroner still remain uncalled for, and after a time when the accumulation becomes too great, a public sale will be advertised and the proceeds turned over to the County Treasurer, though even after this, relatives up to a period of five years may still obtain the proceeds of the sale. w It is safe to say that no institution or department of modern times has been subjected to closer scrutiny in the line of making improvements or has adopted more progressive changes than are found in this office, these changes involving increased efficiency in the system of reporting cases or filing permanent records, facilitating examination by the most up-to-date card index systems, all records now showing the name of the deceased, residence, age, cause and place of death, person reporting, person receiving report, notification of police and of corporation if one is inter¬ ested, name of deputy, the physician assigned, time of holding inquest and if continued, to what date, etc. The order book originated by the Coroner for taking and keeping a record of certified copies and testimony for in¬ surance and legal purposes now shows a record of death certificates num¬ bered from I up to 14,774, and is a most complete and simple method for facilitating the business of the office Considering the strenuous and continuous character of the work of this office, I beg to report that our efficiency has been seriously handicapped by the reduction of the office force, which is thus inadequate to keep up the clerical work, making it necessary to overwork the deputies in securing the services of one or more of them to keep up the work of the office. The same may be said of our court reporters, the number being insufficient to make assignments, except for the most important cases, and many con¬ tinuations are made necessary for lack of court reporters to cover assign¬ ments, causing much inconvenience to all concerned and a considerable additional expense to the county. As the reporters are obliged to trans¬ cribe their shorthand notes in each case, so that they may become a part of the records of this office, they are obliged to work exceptionally long hours and be constantly kept from two to three weeks behind in transcribing, which is a great detriment to public service. Not only is the number of reporters allowed this office too few, even with the long hours they are obliged to work, but the salaries paid are inadequate for the services rendered. One of the most important positions in this office is that of statistician, and it is necessary to have a high grade man not only capable of properly recording and classifying fatalities under their many headings and keeping the records up to date in relation to all the cases as they come in, besides compiling the Annual Report, but it is a science in itself to formulate and compile these records in a manner that will make “figures TALK” and thereby teach the lessons of the Coroner’s office in a way that will make them of the highest service in saving lives in the future. The renumera¬ tion for statistician is so low that it will be impossible to secure the kind of service required for another year at the present appropriation. As to our deputy coroners, the number assigned is not only an in¬ justice to the men on account of the labor involved, but is it impossible to give the best service when cases are running from twenty to thirty per day. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 115 The position of deputy coroner is an important one and requires men not only of judicial mind, executive ability and kindly temperament, all re¬ quisite in the selection of jurors, the questioning of witnesses and the con¬ duct of cases, but honesty, courtesy and sympathy are the marked re¬ quisites in those who conduct inquests, as well as natural breadth of mind, a knowledge of human nature and of local conditions. The appeal to the sympathies in much of the duties involved in the work of the deputies, their concentration of mind in the interest of all con¬ cerned, the distances traveled at their own expense, the frequent long, tedious inquests, all serve to inflict a wear and tear on both mind and body that should be fully considered in determining the number of deputies to be employed and the appropriation for their service. The fact that four deputies in succession have given out prematurely under the nervous strain proves the necessity for careful consideration in the matter of fixing their number and adjusting their salaries. In the Coroner’s general report is given a statement showing the great increase in the number of cases where certificates are issued without in¬ quest. This class of cases has now increased to the point wLere the Coro¬ ner’s physicians are crowded night and day to keep up with the work, and this increase will shortly necessitate an addition to the corps of Coroner’s physicians. In conclusion, I am pleased to testify to the uniform co-operation of the employes and officials, not only within the Coroner’s office, but those connected with other city and county departments with whom I am brought in contact in carrying on the business of this office; and considering the strenuous character of our labors, am pleased to state that our system is so well organized that the work is turned out with the smallest amount of fric¬ tion possible. 116 BETTER BE SAFE THAN vSORRY Department of Statistics ▼▼ By PARKER H. SERCOMBE, Siatistician. It is a law of life and nature, thoroughly established among birds and animals and well borne out in the life of man, that each generation profits by the experiences of those preceding, each epoch adopting improvements based upon knowledge derived from the experience of those gone before. The musk ox of the north and the bison of the temperate zone have as a result of generations of battles with wolves and panthers, learned by ex¬ perience to form a circle with their young in the center, which as long as it can be kept unbroken makes an impossible barrier against the attack of enemies. It is thus seen that even animals make a study of conservation, and from generation to generation apply the knowledge that they acquire by the experiences, mistakes, failures and suffering of those who fell through ignorance, lack of organization, recklessness or heedlessness. It is but natural, then, that the Coroner’s office, the department tak¬ ing charge of those who go to sudden and violent deaths largely the result of carelessness, thoughtlessness and a lack of foresight, should become the “storm center” for a great crusade in the interest of public safety; and this being the particular epoch in which there is a world wide awakening to the tremendous loss of life and limb, it is therefore timely that the Coroner’s office of Cook County should load its heaviest guns, which, like those of Winchester, shall speak in tones that will be “heard ’round the world.” It is with a sense of tremendous responsibility, realizing that hu¬ manity, like all other creatures, learns its lessons through costly experiences, that these records are being carefully and accurately kept, the experiences involved in a total of 41,692 Coroner’s cases in nine years being sufficient to awaken all from their lethargy to at least become as alert as beasts and birds, which organize for self-protection. The suffering through loss of life and limb which humanity annually brings upon itself through its own carelessness—and this especially in large cities, supposed to be the very centers of civilization—has become so serious that this book is being sent out as an appeal to check the mad race in which we are engaged. Read the records in this book and then decide what shall be done through the coming years to lessen the awful catastrophes herein recorded. To repeat, this book is intended as a shock to humanity, as a class book in the hands of every teacher, a slogan to be sounded from every pulpit, a war cry to go out through the columns of the daily papers, urging an unre¬ mitting crusade for public safety; demanding that every child, adult and corporation in the land shall hereafter “stop, look and listen” before carry¬ ing themselves and others headlong into danger. The time was when a large percentage of our race were annually lost by storms, famines, the ravages of wild beasts and marauding tribes, and while modern research, invention and appliances have almost entirely done away with the old dangers, by a strange mockery of fate these very inventions and machines that have come to safeguard us seem to be de¬ stroying a larger percentage than were ever lost under more primitive condi¬ tions. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 117 In the wars of history, the number of maimed and wounded has always been far in excess of those killed, and it is surely a blot on our civilization as we contemplate the dead and wounded of our industrial army in time of peace in the United States to find that 35,000 are killed and 2,000,000 maimed annually in industrial accidents alone. In Chicago twenty thous¬ and accidents a year are recorded by the Police Department, and as less than two-thirds are reported, the real total is fully thirty thousand, while .more than five thousand sudden and violent deaths per annum come to the Coroner’s office for inquest. It is simply plain common sense to state that a community of careless, thoughtless persons will have a large number of accidents and casualties, whereas a community of careful, thoughtful people who teach foresight and precision to their offspring from childhood up, will have a smaller percentage of accidents, and it is natural that this kind of education must be carried on in the home as well as in the school. There are some 10,000 fires per annum in Chicago, which is but another phase of general carelessness and thoughtlessness, and any system of edu¬ cation that will help us to be thoughtful and careful in the home, on the street, in factories and in our recreations, will naturally lessen fires and accidents of all kinds. The household casualties alone in Chicago during 1912 is an appalling exhibit to lay at the door of the department charged with implanting habits of carefulness, thoughtfulness and thoroughness in our next genera¬ tion, and a comparison of the following tables shows a total of more fatali¬ ties in the homes than on the streets during 1912. These figures are from the records of the Coroner’s office and the Police Department. Table No. 82. ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES IN THE HOMES. 1912. 209 accidental asph'yxiations... 34 accidental cuttings.. 59 accidental and undetermined poison. .* ■.. T. - 430 bitten by dogs... 399 burns and scalds. 310 falling down stairs. 84 falling out of windows. 56 falling from ladder. 28 falling from chair.. 47 firearm accidents. 27 ptomaine poisoning.. 132 suffocated and smothering. 208 unclassified. 243 exposure and neglect. 561 attempted and fatal suicides. 1,392 personal violence and homicides. of which 102 were fatal % M a 2 a a M ^ u 50 a u a u 2 u u u u 187 a u u u 92 a a u u 42 a a u a 24 u a u u 4 u u u u 9 a u u a 2 a u u a 16 a u u a 9 u u u u 9 tt a a u 162 u u u u 78 u u 805 Table No. 83. ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES OF THE STREETS. 1912. . 3,664 street railway accidents. 2,947 automobile and vehicle accidents. 2,510 falls on the street from scaffold, building, etc 855 bitten by dogs. 1,044 miscellaneous injuries. 556 overcome by heat,..‘. 350 injured while at w’orlc. 109 accidentally shot by self or others. 184 cause of violence undetermined. 79 attempted and fatal suicides. 1,642 personal violence and homicides. 52 struck by falling objects. 63 exposure. of which 209 were fatal tf “ 201 44 U u “ 54 44 tt a “ 5 41 44 u - 42 41 tt u “ 10 U tt tf - 21 m tt tf “ 13 <4 tt 41 “ 20 44 « a “ 23 a m a “ 118 44 tt a “ 12 44 u a “ 4 if m 7.'^2 118 BETTER BE SAFE THAN vSORRY THE STOCK YARDS FIRE, DECEMBER 23, 1910. Searching for Chief Horan and 22 Bodies of Firemen Lost under the Falling Walls. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 119 The conditions illustrated by tho foregoing exhibit, as well as by the records that follow, are no credit to modern civilization. The array of blundering accidents exhibited in the foregoing, as well as in the following tables, might be expected of a primitive race, uncultivated in the refine¬ ments of life, yet “modern education,” with these figures calling loudly for corrective measures, continues teaching almost exclusively from books, while so large a percentage of the population is slowed down by lack of proper training and by wrong living that they fall under car wheels and out of windows by the thousands annually, like dolls stuffed with sawdust, maiming and killing each other year after year as stupidly and with as little profit as if we had no educational institutions. Table No. 84. ONE YEAR IN CHICAGO. 3,664 street railway accidents.. 2,947 automobile and vehicle accidents 2,899 falls from windows, ladders, etc.. 1,285 bitten by dogs. . .. 829 steam railway accidents. 1,694 miscellaneous accidents. of which 209 were fatal u u 201 a u u u 149 u u a u 7 u u u a 326 u u a u 42 u u On every count the remedy lies in a remodeled system of education for the rising generation that will implant habits of carefulness and thor¬ oughness adaptable to whatever calling each may be devoted in adult life. We know that in 1914 approximately 1,000 people in Cook County will attempt suicide, that of these about 583 will succeed, and that there are about 12,000 people contemplating suicide all the time, a percentage of whom with the constant accretions will form the suicide rolls of the coming years. So uniform is the operation of the natural law which con¬ trols the fate of mankind that we know under present conditions that in 1914 and until new educational systems have a chance to take effect, about 150 will suicide by poisoning, of whom 90 will use carbolic acid, 15 corro¬ sive sublimate, 7 cyanide of potassium, 6 arsenic, etc. While it is impos¬ sible to name the unfortunates, we know too that with the present popu¬ lation and until our social, economic and educational systems undergo fundamental change, each year approximately 140 will suicide by shooting, 120 by asphyxiation, 60 by hanging, 24 by stabbing, 20 by drowning and 14 by jumping out of windows. Sociologists agree that, barring hereditary tendencies, suicide is practically preventable by a system of education designed to implant a proper, democratic, wholesome viewpoint from childhood up. Suicide and homicide are directly attributable to our faulty social, economic and educational systems, and will yield to treatment just to the extent that we substitute modern wholesome democratic ideals in educa¬ tion for the traditional methods and viewpoints that have held over a cen¬ tury too long. Those who have not the vision to see that suicides, murders and accidents are the natural outcroppings of wrongs being perpetrated by those “higher up” cannot perhaps be made to understand how educa¬ tion can be employed to do away with both the causes and the effects in¬ volved. The following total of accidents by falling is of particular interest in view of the fact that this proportion has been maintained in Chicago for the past ten years, relatively is the same this year, and will continue in the same ratio and proportion in 1914, 1915 and 1916 unless prompt measures are employed to change the educational systems in schools and homes: 120 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Table No. 85. 131 falling TOTAL ACCIDENTS from scaffolds. BY FALLING IN 1912. .of which 30 were fatal 125 U from ladder. U a 37 a a 369 u down stairs. u a 92 u u 135 a out of windows. a u 43 u u 33 u from roof or skylight. u u 3 u u 94 u in new building. a u 6 a u 1,376 u on street or sidewalk. u a 50 u u 57 a down elevator shaft. u u 23 u u 562 u from wagon. u u 40 u u 38 u from horse. a u 6 u u 782 a from other causes. a u 33 u a 3,702 total accidents from falling. <( u 363 u u It be^ng conceded that all human casualties as well as all our successes are forms of “rriomentum,” though in opposite directions, one set of move¬ ments tending toward progress and the other toward destruction, true reform and prevention of evil of all kinds, the prerogative of our educational system, must be so geared and adjusted as to actually implant constructive momentum in the line of physical, mental and social efficiency to stem the tide of destruction which we seem now to be preparing as a bequest to future generations. Could an educational system so modified be set into operation among the half million teachers and pupils of Cook County, it is safe to say that the records of crime, graft, accidents, premature deaths, etc., might be decreased fifty per cent within an incredibly short time. The figures and tables on which such a system of education would be based is the theme of this report, for as all progress involving thoughtfulness, accuracy and precision in the doing of things must rest upon education plus regulation, it is apparent that it is through higher standards of mental and physical efficiency, coupled with the enforcing of needful laws and ordinances, that the goal of public safety and the con¬ servation of human life may be reached. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 121 The Chemical Laboratory ▼T By WILLIAM DUNCAN McNALLY, Coroner s Chemist. The chemical laboratory annexed to this office by Coroner Hoffman in June, 1913, is an innovation that will no doubt eventually be adopted by Coroners in all other populous counties in the country. Mr Hoffman’s long experience as Coroner convinced him of the value of having a special laboratory for making investigations, especially into all cases of sudden and suspicious deaths, and determining by chemical analysis whether there were indications of poisons accidentally taken or administered with homici¬ dal or suicidal intent. The matter of procuring expert chemical analyses from private labora¬ tories for each individual case was formerly almost prohibitive because of the cost, and there were so many cases in which the evidence pointed so feebly to willful or malicious poisoning that under the old system a large number of cases which should have been investigated were passed over. With our present well equipped laboratory all doubts are promptly cleared, leaving no stone unturned in the search for the true cause of death, and this greater efficiency is at an expense infinitely lower than under the former system, when the services of private laboratories were enlisted in a few marked cases only. Our experience in the work already shows clearly that the percentage of cases that would have been entirely passed over under the old system is almost equally important from the standpoint of results obtained, as the pronounced cases in connection with which investigations were invari¬ ably made, and the variety of work now accomplished in this laboratory is of so wide a scope, many questions being solved and statistical records compiled which could be obtained in no other way, as to fully justify the Coroner in adding this department. A case in point is the death of Mr. B., who after a night’s debauch had taken morphine, a habit to which he was addicted, in a quantity which for him would have been safe except for the fact that with the morphine he took a dose of acetanilid, the latter drug so increasing the toxic effect of the former as to cause death On autopsy, both drugs were found in the body, though not a sufficient amount of either one to cause death if administered without the presence of the other. The Coroner’s laboratory has rendered valuable service to the police department and to the office of the State’s Attorney in the examination of knives, wearing apparel, earth and stones, to discover the presence of human blood, which can be readily differentiated from other blood when sufficient material is submitted; and an alphabetically arranged index is maintained of all cases, with the findings in each. In all cases where the material submitted permits, portions of organs, clothing stained with blood or seminal fluid, are preserved and held as evidence. ' Recently a sudden death occurred from cerebral hemorrhage, and our pathologist could find no condition to warrant the hemorrhage, and so 122 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN vSORRY The Coroner’s Chemical Laboratory STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 123 suspected gas poisoning. A sample of blood was sent to our laboratory, and examination justified the suspicion, carbon monoxide being found. The most common source of carbon monoxide is its production in ordinary coal stoves, grates, furnaces and illuminating gas. It is the pro¬ duct* of the incomplete combustion of carbon, due to insufficient supply of air. Carbon monoxide when pure is colorless, tasteless and practically odorless, this latter physical property making it especially dangerous as a source of poisoning. Our usual source of asphyxiation is through the medium of illuminat¬ ing gas, which has the odor of the hydrocarbons which accompany carbon monoxide, but this does not prevent many accidental poisonings, as the odor may not be perceived by those in deep sleep or by persons with a defective sense of smell. The number of accidental and suicidal poisonings in large cities from carbon monoxide now exceeds that of poisoning by any other agency. In Cook County alone our records show a steady increase in death by such asphyxiation: Table No. 86. 1910 1911 1912 1913 Accidental. 127 103 110 148 Undetermined. 65 66 61 64 Suicidal. 116 115 153 163 By water heaters. 4 7 10 1 Total. 312 291 334 376 The proportion of carbon monoxide varies greatly, from four to ten per cent in coal gas to thirty-five per cent in water gas. Almost all illumi¬ nating gas contains a large proportion of water gas, so that when this gas is discharged into inhabited space it becomes exceedingly dangerous. An atmosphere containing two-tenths per cent of carbon monoxide is cap¬ able of destroying life. The delicacy of this poison is shown by the case of two workmen who were overcome by the fumes arising from a pile of burning cinders, beside which they sat to eat their lunch in the open air. Sufficient of the fumes, even so diluted, was inhaled to cause the death of one of them, and the other was resuscitated with difficulty. From this it is clear how great care should be observed to prevent gas poisoning in homes through the medium of incomplete combustion or leaks from stoves or gas pipes. Carbon monoxide combines chemically with the haemo-globin of the blood to form a stable compound. The blood corpuscles thus lose their power to carry oxygen, and produce a condition similar to internal asphyxia, the nutriment of all the tissues being impaired. In cases of poisoning from gas the patient should immediately be removed to a pure atmosphere and given inhalations of pure oxygen. Everyone should adopt the Safety First idea and insist that all gas stoves and plates be connected by metal instead of rubber tubing, that a pipe should lead from the gas stove to the flue, so that in case of a leak or “dropping back” of a burner the poisonous gases may be carried out. Not only fires, but many lives can be saved by careful attention to these points. The numerous cases of accidental and suicidal poisonings with bichlo¬ ride of mercury make it imperative that there should be a more stringent enforcement of the law regarding the sale of poisons. The Coroner’s recommendation of a law that all poisons be placed only in bottles of pe¬ culiar shape, with porcupine or serrated edges, so as to be felt in handling in the dark as well as in the light, will go far toward eliminating the present 124 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY record of accidental poisoning. In Cook County during the past year there were six deaths from bichloride of mercury poisoning, besides numer¬ ous other accidental poisonings, that could have been entirely avoided by the use of SAFETY bottles with serrated edge. The great similarity in appearance of bichloride of mercury tablets, as to shape, color and size, to those of aspirin, lithia and alkaline antiseptic tablets, makes it imperative that all mercury and other poisonous tablets should be made up with coloring matter and be shaped by some irregular pattern, to constantly impress the individual, nurse or clerk with the reali¬ zation that he is handling a poisonous drug. This suggestion, coupled with that of having Safety Containers, would eliminate most of the acci¬ dental poisonings. Table No. 87. SPECIMENS ANALYZED IN THE CORONER’S LABORATORY FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER 30, 1913. Abortifacients. 9 Acetanilid. 1 Alcohol. 3 Arsenic. 2 Benzine. 1 Bichloride of mercury. 1 Blood, examination of, for carbon monoxide. 6 Blood, examination for human. 22 Bone, identification of. 1 Creosote. 1 Cyanide. 1 Disinfectant, complete analysis. 1 Drugs, complete for all poisons. 39 Morphine. 1 Poisons, complete analysis of organs. 15 Semen from a rape case. 1 Strychnine. 2 Water, complete analysis for all poisons. 2 Roach powder. 1 Stomach contents. 3 Food, for poisons. 4 Urine. 4 Powder marks. 2 Total. 123 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 125 The Court Reporting Department ▼ T By SIGMUND S. TARSKI, Chief Court Reporter. This valuable adjunct of the Coroner’s office was organized in the early part of 1908 by the addition of one court reporter to the Coroner’s staff, and has been gradually increased until the nimber at the present time is seven. Previous to 1908 all the evidence in the Coroner’s office was taken in longhand, but in that year the Coroner was instrumental in having a law passed dispensing with signatures of the witnesses to the testimony, only requiring the testimony to be certified to by a competent shorthand reporter. The Coroner recognized that it is most important in civil suits that those interested in the facts surrounding the death should have a full tran¬ script of the testimony, accessible not only to the defendant but also to the heirs at law and next of kin, who heretofore had been obliged to rely upon meager statements and in a large measure suffer loss of much legal evidence. In a great many cases the relatives of the poor unfortunates who met death were financially embarrassed and could not afford to pay for a court reporter or even a lawyer at the time of the inquest. After they recovered from the shock and secured counsel, if the cases were not taken in shorthand they would suffer the loss of much evidence. In homicide cases this shorthand testimony is most essential to the State’s Attorney in working up his cases for trial. Carbon copies are made of every transcript, and are accessible, free of charge, to anyone interested in the case. The following is a report of the work done by this department for the years 1912 and 1913: Table No. 88. Number of cases, 1912.1,298 Number of pages, 1912.33,393 Number of cases, 1913.1,634 Number of pages, 1913.. .44,885 126 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY A Day in the Coroner's Office Below is given what may be considered a typical day in the Coroner’s office. The telephone calls begin at about 7 .-30 in the morning, reporting cases, and continue until eleven at night, although the calls do not end here, as the Coroner himself is invariably called up at his home after the office closes, having been aroused as many as fifteen times in a single night to receive these reports, and it is a common matter for him to be called from the table two or three times during a meal. The person receiving these messages of sudden and violent deaths gets as complete data of the case as is possible from the one reporting over the telephone. In accordance with the system of assigning the deputy coroners to cases, as described elsewhere in this report, a deputy is assigned to each case, by far the larger part of the cases reported being taken care of on the same day as reported. If the nature of the case requires it, one of the staff of court reporters accompanies the deputy coroner in order to take the testimony which becomes part of the record of the case kept on file in the office. It is the duty of the deputy coroner to collect his jury and to take the evidence on the case and make record of it for the permanent files of the office, the verdict of the jury being rendered after the evidence has been presented. The time necessary to devote to a case varies from possibly an hour to half a day or even longer,with the necessity on occasional cases for a continuance in order to secure more evidence or go more fully into some phase of the matter. Cases are frequently continued to a later date in order that there may be a court reporter to take the evidence, one not being available at the time of the first hearing. The average time for con¬ ducting an inquest would perhaps fall between two and three hours. The following cases are taken fron the actual resords, and are typical of those reported and taken care of by the Coroner’s office day after day, the year through: Baby, age 10 days, smothered in bed clothing. Mary C., 16 years, telephone operator, knocked down and run over by automobile. Charles S., 22 years, railroad fireman, run over by engine. Clara D., 49 years, housewife, fell down stairs. William O., 36 years, machinist, suicide by inhaling illuminating gas while temporarily insane. James H. S., 46 years, accidental asphyxiation. Martha K., 23 years, housewife, septicaemia, due to an abortion. Clara E. P. 54 years, suicide by shooting. Ethel W., 3 years, scalds, due to pulling pan of hot water off table. Emma S., 25 years, seamstress, suicide by inhaling illuminating gas on account of being despondent. Giuseppe D., 45 years, street cleaner, struck and run over by auto¬ mobile truck. Otto J., 46 years, porter (saloon), delirium tremens. James D., 55 years, operator, organic heart disease and chronic Bright’s disease, alcoholic. Elizabeth H., 35 years, housewife, homicide by incised wound of the neck. Albert C., 19 years, machinist, caught and crushed in machinery. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 127 The Need of Public Safety Instruction in the Schools. 128 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY After the Crib Disaster. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 129 George S., 46 years, driver’s helper, accidental fall from wagon. Hanna O., 32 years, housewife, septicaemia following abortion. George W. S., 38 years, laborer, accidentally fell into elevator shaft. James H. C., 39 years, laborer, run over by street car. Katherine M., 32 years, homicide by shooting. James F., 34 years, hodcarrier, delirium tremens. John R., 28 years, teamster, suicide by shooting. Lusan B., 24 years, car worker, struck by railway engine. Edward T., 17 years, railroad laborer, run over by freight car. Frank O., 22 years, laborer, exposure due to the extreme cold. Andrew K., 24 years, laborer, septic infection following gunshot wounds. Carl T., 20 years, janitor, fell down elevator shaft. Jesse J. C., 69 years, mail clerk, hit by automobile while crossing street from behind street car from which he had alighted. Stanislaus S., 44 years, woodworker, fell over iron railing, distance of ten feet, to pavement. Barbara S., 26 years, housewife, septicaemia following abortion due to strain from heavy lifting. Harry B., 2 years, scalds from falling into bucket of hot suds sitting on floor. Nellie K., 5 years, bums due to playing with matches. John W., 10 years, struck and run over by street car while crossing in middle of block. 130 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Some Typical Coroner's Cases The deputy coroners have no need to read the mysteries of fiction nor witness problem plays on the stage, for in the routine of their regular duties from day to day they are confronted with more of the “problem” element of life, more that is strange, weird and mysterious than the wildest imagination could picture. In addition to these elements they must also face the fact over and over again that tragedy and death might have been averted if only just a little carefulness, a little foresight had been exercised. The following brief stories have been supplied by the deputies from their actual experiences, and are thoroughly typical of the continuous stream of cases that flow through this office from one year’s end to the other: The Crib Disaster— * All Chicago remembers how by the explosion of a thousand pounds of dynamite in the hands of an inexperienced and uninstructed workman, seventy-nine lives were lost in midwinter to the intake crib. The photo¬ graph on the opposite page shows a portion of the debris and some of the officers called to the scene at the time. It will be remembered that these seventy-nine were buried together in South Chicago in one great L-shaped grave, it being impossible for .friends or relatives to identify any of their own, though they knew they were there. To obviate deaths from a similar cause, the Coroner recommended an ordinance, which was passed, making it compulsory that all those who handle high explosives, giant powder, dynamite, etc., must first secure a permit and demonstrate their knowl¬ edge and qualifications for this dangerous and responsible work. The crib disaster is one of the most costly lessons the people of Chicago have ever received. The Folly of Making a Clothes Horse of a Gas Fixture— Mrs. A., returning to her home tired and worn out from a forenoon’s shopping trip, placed her wrap upon a wall gas bracket in her bedroom, and lay down for a quiet rest. A large Newfoundland dog, companion and guardian, also lay down upon a rug at the side of the bed. Several hours later the husband coming home found both wife and dog lying dead. In¬ vestigation disclosed that the collar of the lady’s wrap had partially opened the valve of the fixture allowing gas to escape, causing asphyxiation. A similar case was that of a locomotive engineer arriving home about noon, tired out from a long run. After lunch with his wife he retired to an upper bedroom for a nap. He was found thirty minutes later, asphyx¬ iated by gas and dead. It was discovered that the deceased had taken off his collar and tie, throwing them over the arm of the gas fixture suspended from the ceiling, accidentally opening the gas valve. The Treachery of Old Lake Michigan— There is always danger of cramps to the hardiest and most experienced swimmer. A young Norwegian of strong fibre and a good swimmer planned a trip to Norway to see the old folks. All arrangements were made, steamer ticket purchased and the day fixed for his departure. The evening before, a farewell party was held in his honor at a home near the STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 131 lake shore. About 2:00 A. M., in a spirit of adventure a challenge was made by one of the party for a swim in the lake. The challenge was ac¬ cepted and a run to the water was made by the young men. The hardy Norseman, unafraid, disrobed and sprang head foremost into the icy water. His life paid the penalty. Burns to Cause Death Need Not Cover Large Area— Mrs. B. cooked some starch, hardly a pint, for her small wash, placing it in a pan outside the door on the walk to cool. She did not think of the danger any more than did her baby daughter, who, toddling along the walk, upset the starch and fell into it, sustaining iDurns which caused her death. Nor was the danger under somewhat similar circumstances appreciated by another mother who placed a vessel containing a small quantity of scalding hot water in the kitchen sink, within reach of the youngest of the household, a child of two years, who reached up her chubby hands and pulled the vessel over, so that the contents spilled down on her shoulders and trunk, causing untold suffering and eventual death. Danger in Anything Inflammable— A little three-year-old got hold of a “Christmas sparkler,” supposed to be absolutely safe, and held it while it sparkled. The metal holder became red hot and the little one placed it against the dress of her big sister, who stood at the table ironing. It ignited her clothing and she burned to death. In an open space back of a big manufacturing plant the company was accustomed to burning old wagons, etc., in order to get rid of the wood and sell the iron. The man employed to do this work was supposed always to make sure that the fire was out before leaving it. Children some¬ times came there to play and to pick up kindling. He was careless. One day the fire had burned down and seeming to be only a mass of dead ashes, the caretaker left without precautions to insure that it was entirely out. A little girl came to pick up wood. The wind blew a live coal against her dress, setting it on fire and she was burned to death. Three Errors—One Death— A north-bound car had stopped on the wrong side of the street. Mrs. G. crossed at the rear of the car in the middle of the block. A south-bound automobile instead of passing the car on the west, crossed and passed on the other side. As Mrs G. came from behind the car she was struck by the automobile and died from her injuries. There were three distinct errors—the woman crossing in the middle of the block, the street car stop¬ ping on the far side, and the automobile running on the wrong side of the street. A Mental Lapse— ‘ A street car on its last trip at 11:30 P. M. on South Western avenue telescoped a lighted car standing at the end of the line near 71st street, the motorman being killed in the collision. He had stopped the car prop¬ erly to let passengers off at 69th street, a little more than one block from the end of the line, but speeded up to about fifteen miles an hour, a fact that caused witnesses to remark that he was going too fast to make the stop in the necessary distance. When about six feet from the empty car at the end of the line, he suddenly threw the lever and put on the brakes, but it 132 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN SORRY was too late and his life was forfeited. Inquiry developed the facts that he was a man of good habits, that he did not drink, that he had not been working overtime, that he had operated on this same line for three years, and that the mechanism of the car was not defective. The only possible explanations were that either this was a case of gas pressure in the stomach causing auto-intoxication from a wrong combination of foods, or a sudden case of absent-mindedness while reflecting on some personal problems. The motorman’s rugged physical condition was a bar to his being classed as a neurasthenic, and no evidence was deduced to indicate epilepsy or any other form of inhibiting spasms. An Avoidable Accident—• The death of Charles L., a young fireman only twenty-one years of age, in one of the railway yards, resulted from a switching accident in which a locomotive was backing on a lead track when a box car by signal was ‘‘kicked” down upon the same track, signals being reversed, but not in time to avert the collision. In this case the Coroner’s jury recommended the passage of a law making it illegal for cars to be switched onto a lead track already in use, for notwithstanding watchfulness and signals, ac¬ cidents of this kind will frequently occur unless this practice is done away with entirely. Wood Alcohol Claims Five— A post mortem on the body of a man brought to the morgue developed the fact that he had died from wood alcohol poisoning. While the inquest was being held a second man was brought in from the same place, he too having died from the same cause. The Deputy conducting the case was unable to get any information from the two witnesses, although he was convinced that they had knowledge of the matter, and in fact told them that they appeared to be suffering from the same poison and that the truth from them might make it possible to s^ve their lives. They would, how¬ ever, tell him nothing, and he finally had them locked up pending the time when they were willing to tell what they knew. In the meantime a third man who had been one of the party, and who had taken a train out of the city, died on the train from the effects of w^ood alchhol. Within twenty- four hours the two witnesses also died, one of them making a statement just before death to the effect that the five of them had broken into a store and secured among other things a quantity of what they supposed was grain alcohol, but which proved to be wood alcohol, and of which they all drank. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning— An inquest was being held on the body of Mrs. M., in the kicchen of her own home, she having been found dead on the floor of her bath room, supposedly from heart disease, there being no odor of gas to indicate as¬ phyxiation. The deputy coroner conducting the case having had expe¬ rience in such matters and observing a cat rubbing against the leg of the table, without comment put the cat in the bathroom and closed the door and went on with the case. After questioning several witnesses whose testi¬ mony would indicate their belief in the theory of heart disease, the deputy opened the bathroom door, and there before the eyes of the jury lay the cat dead on the floor, demonstrating that here was one of those cases of carbon monoxide poisoning frequently resulting in Chicago from imperfect com¬ bustion of instantaneous water heaters which were formerly placed in bath- STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 133 Burned by Tipping over Kettle of Scalding Water—Died Three Days Later 134 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY rooms without a vent pipe leading out of doors. Hence the jury returned a verdict to this effect. No Vent Pipe from Water Heater— Mr. B., a thrifty young man of twenty-five, proprietor of a restaurant in the town of Cicero, slept in a bedroom in the rear of the establishment in order that he might supervise the place both night and day. Connected with the bedroom was a bathroom equipped with an instantaneous water heater, which if located in the city of Chicago would by law have been equipped with a vent pipe to carry its fumes to the open air. After closing up on this evening, Mr. B. prepared to take a bath. The water and gas were turned on, and sitting on a low stool when he had barely finished un¬ dressing, he was overcome by the carbon monoxide gas and was there found the next morning by his employes. This life could have been saved, had the authorities of Cicero followed the recommendations of this office and passed a law making it compulsory to fit water heaters with vent pipes. Boiled in a Bath— A middle-aged traveling man stopping at a prominent downtown hotel, prepared to take a bath before retiring. Evidence showed that he apparently lay down in the tub and turned on the hot water, and be¬ came unconscious from some cause. The tub filled with the boiling water to the level of the overflow pipe, and the door of his room being locked on the inside, was not forced open until two days later, when the remains were found with the flesh scarcely adhering to the bones. Unwarranted Recklessness— Lewis B., a youth of nineteen, became intoxicated, and his friend, George K., also somewhat exhilarated, took his revolver from him as a matter of precaution. Entering a saloon where both had previously been drinking, he joked with the bartender about his chum’s condition and showed him the loaded pistol. A porter engaged in sweeping the floor bantered him about his marksmanship, and, placing an inverted brass cuspidor on his own head, dared the young fellow to hit it. After some chaffing the shot was fired. It struck the convex surface of the cuspidor, and glancing downward crashed through the brain of the porter, killing him instantly. It was clearly shown at the inquest that the shooting was a piece of gross recklessness. A Careless Mother— Mrs. J., having finished her washing, emptied part of a boiler of hot suds in a dishpan, preparatory to scrubbing the floor. Baby Blanche, two years old, was playing near her. The mother was called to the front door. She returned in less than three minutes, to find that the little one had toddled from the corner where she had been playing and fallen headlong into the boiling suds, her death from scalding and drowning being almost instantaneous. Nearly 1,500 fatalities of more or less this character have occurred to minors under sixteen years of age in the nine years of my ad¬ ministration of the Coroner’s office. Hopes Blasted by Industrial Accident— Joseph K., a Polish laborer, had left his wife and three children in the mother country and come to America, where he hoped to save enough STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 135 The Violation of an Ordinance 136 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY from his wages to send for them soon. Through an employment agency he secured a job immediately on his arrival, in a Chicago foundry, at $1.75 a day, and was assigned with several others as helper to place car wheels and other heavy iron pieces under an immense drop hammer, and to then shovel out the crushed metal after it had been broken into sizes fit for use. After placing wheels, etc., in the pit.ready for the hammer, the helpers would step behind a plank partition to protect themselves from the deadly flying fragments. Less than a week after Joseph had secured this job, and before he had even learned enough of our language to properly under¬ stand the instructions and warnings from his superiors as to the danger of his position, he went to his work one morning with a zeal and deter¬ mination to do his best, having just written his wife that in four months he would be able to save enough from his wages to send for her. Fai from “soldiering” on his job, he went to his work with a will, and while adjusting a heavy wheel in the center of the pit where the hammer would strike it squarely, the defective catch opened, the hammer fell with tremend¬ ous force, mutilating every portion of his body until no part retained any semblance of form, and scattering the remains to all points of the apart¬ ment in which the pit was located. Tens of thousands of accidents due to hazards of occupation have been occurring annually for years in this country. Is it any wonder that the Safety Movement has become a determined, fierce demand that an end shall be made to committing this class of avoidable accidents? Death of Inexperienced Workman— A. D. R., a young man of twenty, left his home in Wisconsin, where he had been living on a mortgaged farm with his mother and sister, and came to Chicago to earn money to help his family out of their financial straits. He secured a job in a machine shop at $10.75 week and had held this position only a few days when under the direction of a foreman he was sent aloft on a ladder to adjust a belt on a pulley directly over a machine that was not protected nor safeguarded in any way. In his effort to do his best for his employer he leaned far out, made a false move, was caught in the machine and torn limb from limb. On being interviewed by a reporter the following day, the proprietor of the shop said he had given order to safeguard this machine so that a similar accident could not happen in the future; but a courageous young life on whom the family on the farm had pinned their hope and faith, had been snuffed out, yet the whistle blew the following morning with the same note, and the machinery hummed on the next day and the next—and still stultified people wonder why the Safety Commission has come into existence! The above accident occurred because the factory inspector had neglected his duty, the proprietor had neglected his, and the foreman was guilty of criminal negligence by placing a new and uninstructed hand at dangerous work. Infection from Kissing a Dog— \ Nellie C., a rosy-cheeked girl of eleven, came home from school at noon with a high fever. The parents, not easily alarmed and scarcely able to employ a physician, put her to bed, thinking she would be well by the next morning. The father went to his work early and the mother, hav¬ ing a large washing and finding that the little girl refused breakfast, left her in the room upstairs during the* forenoon, but her condition was so serious at one o’clock that a physician was called and she died an hour later, the physician being unable to determine the exact nature of her STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 137 malady. A Coroner’s jnquest was necessary, at which a neighbor tes¬ tified to having seen the little girl kissing the mouth of her spaniel dog the day before. As it is well known that dogs are insensible-to some germs that are deadly to human beings, this surely should be a warning against affectionate demonstration to animals on the part of both old and young. Death Through Lack of Foresight— L. W. H., a young yard man of good habits and exceptional promise, stood on the footboard of a switch engine as it was rounding a curve to pick up a freight car. Instead of the couplers coming together as expected, they slipped past each other on account of the curve, and he was crushed between the engine and the car. The alarm was given, the engine halted, and as four of his associates extricated him and laid him between the tracks he said, “Boys, I am going—fast. Kiss me for my wife,’’ and one of the crew, a sturdy, manly man, kneeled down and kissed him on the lips, and conveyed the details as they occurred to his young wife, to whom he had been married only four months, and who was to become a mother. This story was told at the inquest, the tragedy and tender pathos of it breaking down every person present, so that there was not a dry eye in the room. The story is told here to illustrate some of the heartrending details with which the Coroner and his deputies are brought into daily contact. The two foregoing illustrations especially emphasize the need of breadwinners with families dependent upon them, to make proper pro¬ vision by insuring their lives, so as not to leave poverty and destitution behind them in the event of sudden or violent death; 41,692 having taken place in Cook County in nine years during my administration of the office of Coroner. In the year 1913, $53,210,436 were paid out to beneficiaries by the Accident Insurance Companies of the United States, more than half of this large sum going to the-families of breadwinners who otherwise would have been left without means of support; and in addition to the above, $208,700,977 were paid in 1913 in death losses by the regular Life Insur¬ ance Companies, and $99,464,361 in the same year by Fraternal Organ¬ izations, the majority of the latter going directly to the support of families left without incomes, thus helping to eliminate a principal source of bad citizenship; for those who meet sudden and premature deaths are usually in the prime of life, with families to support, and our records show that criminals are largely recruited from those who are obliged to grow up on the street without home influence. The time has come when our-“soldiers of industry’’ should provide as good care for their families as our Pension Bureau is designed to do for the families of our soldiers of war, so that the surviving widows and orphans may not be left destitute. It is a crime for which both heads of families and society are responsible to permit children to grow up in the streets without proper care, food and education, with merely a choice between secret poverty and public alms, for the latter always humili¬ ates and the former brutalizes—a condition from which our almshouses, jails and asylums reap their harvest. 138 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Thank God, Doctor, My Life Insurance is Paid Up. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 139 My Insurance has Lapsed—and You are Left Penniless. 140 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY tffJifH-k The Fate of a Trespasser. In Case of Accident, Pending the Arrival of a Physician, Observe the Following. From the experience of this office and the experience of the physi¬ cians of the Coroner’s office, we find that the death rate can be materi¬ ally decreased by the intelligent handling and caring for those whose injuries may not be fatal, if immediate and intelligent aid is given them at once. This information is given at the conclusion of the report. We therefore append the following suggestions for the enlightenment of those who may have the immediate care of the injured, that their intelligent assistance may save lives that would otherwise be lost. This information, STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 141 however, is not to supplant the duties of a physician under any circum¬ stances, nor should the attendant upon the injured neglect to summon medical aid. Any person of ordinary intelligence may be of service until the arrival of the physician.* (a) Drowning—Asphjodation —Rescue body from water and free body from clothing which binds the neck, chest or waist, thrust finger in mouth and remove anything accumulated there; turn the body over, face downwards, clasp the hands under the pit of the stomach and raise the body so as to compress the belly and expel the water from the lungs and stomach; then lay body on its back, the head and chest slightly lower than the hips; draw the tongue out of the mouth and perform artificial respiration in this manner: Resting on one knee behind the head, seize both arms (which have been bent at the elbows) near the wrist joint, placing your thumb on the little finger side, then with sweeping horizontal movements carry the arms over the head and make strong pull for a few seconds, then bring the arms down in front of the chest and make strong pressure with them against the lower ribs for one second, about i6 complete acts of respiration produced each minute; the body should be constantly rubbed (toward the heart) and warmth applied by hot bottles, brick, cloth¬ ing, etc. These movements should not be abandoned until a competent person or physician can state that life is positively extinct. (b) Hanging —Cut the rope and remove it from the neck without allowing the body to fall to the ground, and proceed with artificial respir¬ ation, same as in case of drowning. Sunstroke and Heat Stroke —Immediate treatment. Remove person to cool and airy place; as much of the clothing as possible must be removed. Apply cold to head and body, using cold water or ice rubbed over the chest, placed in the arm pits and on the head. The person may be placed in a cold bath or wrapped in a wet sheet with renewed applications of cold water or ice until consciousness returns. Bums and Scalds—(a) Fire —When a person’s clothing catches fire, the wearer must not run about, but lie down, roll over and over, or be covered with a rug, piece of carpet, blanket, shawl, coat or any w’oolen thing (not cotten or linen). If the sufferer loses presence of mind, any¬ one looking on should do it. After the flame has been extinguished, as much of the clothing as has to be must be clipped away and the burnt surface covered with sweet oil, castor oil or vaseline. If none of these are at hand, pure lard or soapy water should be used. If the bum is very extensive, the entire body may be immersed in a bath, kept at loo degrees Fahrenheit, in which two or three pounds of baking soda have been dis¬ solved, or containing soap suds or salt, a heaping teaspoonful to each gallon of water used. Scalds by steam are to be treated the same as burns by fire, of the same degree. Burns by acid should be deluged with water containing a teaspoonful of ammonia to the pailful of water, and followed by oils as above. s (b) Alkalies —Burns by alkalies should be treated with application of vinegar and followed by oils. (c) Gases —Vapors and Smoke. Remove body into the open air and proceed with artificial respiration, as in drowning. 142 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY X (d) Foreign Bodies in Throat —Use fingers or forceps to remove obstructing body; vomiting may remove it. The same may be true of holding a person head downwards and slapping on the back; in children, hold the body up by the heels. If the obstruction is removed and respir¬ ation has ceased, perform artificial respiration, as in drowning. (e) Drunkenness —In case of profound drunkenness, if the body is cold and the skin is clammy, apply heat externally. If hot weather, keep body in shade and apply cold water or ice to the head and chest, if the body is dry and hot. Fits, Convulsions and Unconsciousness—(a) Fainting —A fainting person must be laid fiat, the head being slightly lower than the body; heavy wraps, tight collars, corsets and waist bands must be loosened; sprinkle water upon the face. (b) Epileptics —Epileptics should not go about alone or go into crowded places. When attacked by a fit, place the body face up and in free place where the convulsive movements will do no injury. Soft pieces of wood should be thrust between the teeth, to prevent biting the tongue. When the convulsion is past, usually a profound sleep follows, and this should not be disturbed. An epileptic should have his or her name and address sewed just inside the collar of coat or dress. The treatment suitable for all cases in which there’is doubt as to the cause of unconsciousness is to secure quiet and rest, the body being laid upon its back (the head a-little raised) with plenty of breathing space until medical skill arrives or the body is removed to hospital or sanitarium. Freezing and Frostbites—(a) General —If the whole body has been long exposed to extreme cold, with depression of vitality resulting, res¬ toration of the bodily warmth is indispensable. To effect this, immerse the body in a warm bath and gradually bring the temperature up until it is hot as can be well borne. If the bath is not conveniently obtained, surround the body with heated blankets, hot bottles or bricks, or expose before an open fire; give hot tea or coffee. (b) Local —All frostbites should be treated in the same 'wa}iby hot applications and moderate friction (rubbing may be used). In the old practice of rubbing with snow, it is the rubbing, and.not the cold snow, that does the good. Electricity and Lightning —Never touch with any part of your body a live wire or lamp or generator or transformer while another part of your body is in electrical contact with the ground. Never touch a live wdre with both hands at once or allow two parts of the body to come in contact at the same time with a live wire or electrical apparatus. In rescuing the body of a victim of electricity, the above rules are important precautions; a rescuer is secure when wearing rubber boots and rubber gloves. In emer¬ gency, by use of a dry board under the feet or a book or folded coat, and the hands protected by thick dry cotton or woolen gloves or cloths, he may handle a live wire with impunity. When the victim has been released from the current he should be laid down in a safe place, his clothing loosened and have* plenty of fresh air and bodily rest and warmth. If breathing is feeble or suspended, artificial respiration may be performed, as in drown¬ ing. ‘ Recovery may be looked for in all cases where the shock is not in¬ stantly fatal. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 143 Lightning Stroke—The effects of lightning may be instant death or unconsciousness with great depression of the circulation or respiration. In hopeful cases allow rest, fresh air and warmth to the body, and arti¬ ficial respiration if necessary. Bites from Animals—Dogs, horse, cat or domestic animal bite. The wound should be thoroughly cleansed with soap and water and alcohol; suction or squeezing the wound under hot water, and thereby causing the wound to bleed freely, may remove any irritating material which may have entered the wound. Bites of venomous snakes, if inflicted upon one of the extremities (arms or legs), the part should be encircled above the wound with a tight bandage or ligature. Wounds—Bullet. Cover wound with a clean piece of linen, and call doctor. Cut Throat—Keep the patient in a nearly upright position with the head bent forward, the chin resting on the breast bone, also hold compress over the wound firmly. Lacerations—The wounds with ragged or blunt edges, such as are often caused by machinery, require immediate washing by a stream of water (pure or salt water) softly and steadily flowing down over the torn parts, so as to remove any foreign matter and dirt that can be dislodged, after which the parts may be placed as nearly as possible in their natural pos¬ ition and held with a clean compress. The victim should be in a recum¬ bent position and removed. In severe cases if the injured person is pale, the skin cold and clammy, the pulse and respiration feeble, the eyes dull, pupils dilated, the mind dull or insensible, the person is considered to be in a state of shock. Warmth should be applied to the whole body by means of hot blankets, bottles or other convenient means, and some hot drink, preferably coffee, administered. Hemorrhage—Than hemorrhage there is no accident more appall¬ ing, and none in which a little accurate knowledge may be used to better advantage. (a) Veins—If the blood is dark in color, flowing slowly and steadily, it is due to wounded veins, and should be treated with direct pressure by applying a pad of dry folded cloth and binding it firmly upon the bleeding spot. (b) Arteries—The blood from a wounded artery is bright red; it spurts or comes in jets, and should be checked as quickly as possible, for it may be very dangerous. The principle is to obstruct the artery between the cut and the center of the body. If the wound be in the arm or leg encircle the extremity above the wound by a stout bandage and twist until the bleeding ceases. Cover the wound with clean linen or a cloth and apply a bandage. Elevate the part as high as possible. EMETIC TO BE USED FOR POISONING (As described below.) In all cases where emetic is indicated, to cause vomiting, give warm water, with or without ground mustard or salt. Always give large quantities of warm water. 144 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY POISON AND FIRST AID ANTIDOTES. Sulphuric Acid—Give flour and water, lime water, baking soda, washing soda or soapy water, sweet oil or olive oil or eggs and milk. Oxalic Acid—Give milk, chalk, lime water and emetic. Prussic Acid—Give milk, flour and water, oil, emetic. Carbolic Acid—Give sweet oil, milk and raw eggs, alcohol and emetic. Alcohol—Emetic, two tablespoonfuls of ammonia in a half glass of water; apply warmth to the body. Alkalies—Caustic potash, caustic soda, lye or ammonia. Give vinegar, lemon juice, sweet oil. Arsenic (Rat Poison, Paris Green)—Emetic, milk, raw eggs, castor oil. Chloral—Emetic, artificial respiration, friction and warmth to the body. Chloroform and Ether—Artificial respiration and fresh air. Iodine—Starch water, milk, emetic. Opium, Morphine, Codeine—Emetic, hot strong coffee or tea with grounds, leaves and all; teaspoonful ammonia in water; keep victim awake, striking body with wet towel and spanking; artificial respiration. Phosphorus (Matches, Rat Poison)—Emetic, turpentine (teaspoon¬ ful in water). Magnesia. (Do not give oil.) Strychnine—Emetic, charcoal. Toadstools (False Mushrooms)—Emetic, whiskey, raw eggs and milk. Corrosive Sublimate (Bichloride of Mercury)—Emetic, strong tea (leaves and all), raw eggs, milk, castor oil. Unknown Poisons—Give large quantities of lukewarm water (nearest at hand, even if it is dishwater), emetic, milk, raw eggs, flour and water. If in collapse give strong tea, coffee and brandy or whiskey for stimulation. CONCLUSION. In the foregoing pages a sufficient demonstration has been made to show the direct and positive relationship which from the standpoint of public service and welfare must ever exist between the Coroner’s office of every community and all organized efforts toward education and legis¬ lation directing to the safeguarding all avenues of danger to life and limb. The comprehensive tables in the body of this book in some respects are but a start toward the lessons that will be taught by the Coroner’s office as year after year these tables will be made more detailed, more accurate and reliable by improving our blank forms, our methods of gather¬ ing data and establishing new subdivisions to more vividly bring out the lessons involved. As stated in previous pages, statistics are the organ- ,^zed and classified experiences of past years; and as we learn by experience 'in this world, let us hope that from year to year the dreadful experiences here recorded will have a most wholesome effect in influencing both education and legislation to apply all the arts possible in the interest of saving human life. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 145 Supplementary TT Coroner’s Safety Bulletin No. 4 For Fortnight Ending November 6, 1914 TT By PETER M. HOFFMAN, Coroner, County Bldg., Chicago, Ill. TT RAILROADS. The number of fatal accidents on railroads in Cook County during 1913 was 360. Under the general law of average increase for the past ten years, this would bring the total for 1914 up to 384; but the actual records for the first eleven months of 1914 show that a most gratifying change for the better has taken place, viz., a marked decrease, which in reality commenced last February, and which gives as total for the eleven months of this year 253 railway fatalities. Below is given the record for 1914 by months: December. January.. . February.. March. . , . April. May. June.. July. August... , September October. ., 30 34 18 23 21 20 21 23 20 22 21 Total.253 If as an estimate fpr November we add 23, which is the highest number of fatalities for any month since February, we have a total for the year 1914 of 276, a decrease of 108 from what would have been the toll under the average rate of increase before the Safety First activities in my office and the work of the Public Safety Commission through the medium of the schools, the churches and the press began to take effect. That this cutting down of 108 accidental deaths on railroads is due without question to the general educational campaign conducted by this office, by the Public Safety Commission and by the railroads themselves is proven by the fact that in various other lines the number of fatal acci¬ dents has been decreased this year in about the same ratio, a notable example being the street car fatalities. In 1912 these were 209, in 1913 they were 165, and for the first eleven months of 1914 the total is 120. 146 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Estimating the number of fatalities for November on the same basis as for the railroad fatalities, we finvi that the complete total of street car fatalities for 1914 will be 141. It must be borne in mind that the actual decrease is greater than indicated by these figures, for the reason that there has been a steady increase in transportation on both railroads and street cars. These two examples alone without further corroboration give un¬ questioned testimony as to the effectiveness of education in the field of Public Safety. An analysis of the character of fatalities on railroads during the years 1913 and 1914 indicates clearly the direction which must be pur¬ sued in the future in relation to both education and legislation. For 1913 the record is as follows: Passengers killed. 9 Employes. 132 Others.219 Total.360 Below is given the record for the first eleven months of 1914, both by group and by months: Month Pass¬ engers Em¬ ployes Others Total December. . . . . 2 12 16 30 January. . . . . I 12 21 34 February. . . . . 0 8 10 18 March. . . . . I 9 13 23 April. . . . . 0 10 11 21 May. . . . . I 7 12 20 June. . . . . I 6 14 21 July. , . . . 2 7 14 23 August. . . . . 2 7 11 20 September. . . . . I 3 18 22 October. . . . . I 8 12 21 Total. .... 12 89 152 253 The comparatively few passengers on railroads who have met death speaks in highest praise for the efficiency of the managers in safeguarding the public. The numerous safety devices which have been installed by many railway companies are largely responsible for a reduction of fatal¬ ities among employes from 132 in 1913 to an estimated number of 97 for 1914, surely a splendid showing for one year. In order to further cut down this mortality rate the railroad companies should exercise special care in selecting men for the work of this nature who are not only physic¬ ally strong and competent, but men who are cautious and who practice Safety First. The predominating number of “outsiders” who are neither passengers nor employes, who are in fact “trespassers” on the property and right-of-way of railroad companies indicates that both education and legislation must be employed if these figures are to be decreased. The work of the Special Committee on Grade Crossings appointed by the Public Safety Commission, complete report of which follows, is indicative of the earnestness with which this body has undertaken to safe¬ guard human life in the County of Cook. The officials of the railroads running into Chicago have entered into full co-operation with the work of the Coroner’s office and the Public STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 147 Safety Commission, and have supplemented this by a vast amount of safety work, educational work and safeguarding of employes and the public on their own part, with emphasis at the present time on the effort.to protect trespassers against themselves.. In view of the very large proportion of railway accidents and fatal¬ ities resulting from people not employes walking upon the right-of-way, the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County is causing a law to be drafted making it a punishable offense to use the railway tracks or yards as conveniences or thoroughfares; this law not to be enacted not in the arbitrary interest of railway companies, but purely for the cutting down of the appalling loss of life that results from this particular form of trespass. A general survey of this class of accidents and fatalities shows that out of a yearly total of something over 10,000 killed by railways in the United States, more than half are persons who go upon the tracks, upon cars, in yards or shops, without the right to do so, thus unnecessarily ex¬ posing themselves to danger. In addition to this large number who an¬ nually pay for their carelessness and heedlessness with their lives, about an equal number, by this form of trespass, are injured, in many instances being so disabled as to be unfitted for future usefulness. In 1911 the total number of persons killed upon railways in the United States (including those killed instantly and those who died within twenty- four hours after accident) was 10,396; of these, the number designated as “trespassers” is 5,284. In tabulating the particular mode of death it is shown that practically 80 per cent, or 4,125, were “struck by car or engine,” that is, were standing or walking upon the tracks; 1,034 were killed while on engines or cars; 520 were killed while getting on or off engines or cars and 116 from miscellaneous causes. The general idea prevails that the majority of trespassers killed by railways belong to that class of homeless and shifting population known as tramps or hoboes; but the actual figures show that, on the contrary,by far the greater number is drawn from the resident population, laborers and others who make the tracks a thoroughfare on their way to and from work, or who walk upon the tracks when the public highway is wet or muddy, or to make a “short cut” to destination. There is also the annual toll of children and youths who play upon the right-of-way, or who, as in our cities, go upon the tracks or in the yards to pick up coal to supply needed fuel for the home. In the careful investigation of one thousand cases, it was found that 489 resided near the place of accident; 321 resided at a distance from the place of accident, and the residence of the remaining 190 was not ascer¬ tained. In this investigation it was possible to determine that 764 were not tramps or hoboes; of the remaining, 50 were known to be tramps,and of 186 it was impossible to determine. It follows inevitably from these catastrophes that many families are deprived of their wage earner and left destitute, with all that may mean in suffering and the lack of proper care'and training of children, and the train of evils that follow these conditions. The toll of those thus killed and maimed in the last twenty years in the United States is one hundred and eighty thousand men, women and children. It has been stated that the State of Illinois contributes more to this vast army than does any other state. Cook County more than any other county and Chicago more than any other city in the United States. In attempting to draft a law to prevent this class of catastrophes, it should be borne in mind that it is not a “moral ” issue, but a matter of 148 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY protecting people against their own heedlessness and lack of care for their own safety. It is not a measure to protect railroads, but to protect men, women and children from becoming victims of the railroads. It must also be borne in mind that legal measures alone cannot accomplish the work to be done—the educational force is the great factor, proper legal measures being supplementary. We will present and support the follow¬ ing bill for passage to the House and Senate of the State of Illinois: INSPECTION OF GRADE CROSSINGS IN COOK COUNTY At the last moment before going to press, we are in receipt of a report from the Special Committee on Grade Crossings, appointed by the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County. It is an old adage that “What is everybody’s business is nobody’s business,’’ and nothing can so well illustrate the fact that the Public Safety Commission is making it their business to safeguard human life in this county as the follov/ing facts from their report. The Special Grade Crossings Committee consists of Dr. Whlliam E. Buehler, Charles M. Hayes, Peter S. Lambros and Peter M. Hoffman, with Morrison Koerner, Secretary. Up to the time of this report six investigations had been made, in the towns of New Trier, Northfield, Niles, Wheeling, Maine, Leyden, Proviso, Elk Grove, Barrington and Palatine, and i8o surface crossings were inspected and a report of each sent to the railroad company concerned. The number of crossings in good condition were 71 and the number regarded as fair were 47. The number of recommendations were as follows: Widening crossing. 34 New planking. 36 Remove view obstruction. 41 Widen approach. 11 Decrease incline. 9 Install bell. 9 Install flagman. 2 Build bridge. 1 Fill in approaches. 12 Reconstruct crossing. 6 Fill in with cinders. 14 Cover unused switch. 1 Raise track and roadway. 2 Close crossing at night. .. 1 Close crossing entirely. 1 Erect danger signals. 3 Install gates. 1 New rails at crossing. 1 Railing along ditch. 1 Conference R. R. Village and Drainage Board. 3 Among the railroad officials who accojpanied the Grade Crossings Committee on one or more tours of inspection were G. W. Dailey, Super¬ intendent of Wisconsin Division of C. & N. W. Ry., W. L. Webb, District Engineer of the C. M. & St. P. Ry., H. M. Eicholtz, Superintendent of the Galena Division of the C. & N. W. Ry., J. F. Dignan, Superintendent of the I. C. Ry., C. G. Bryan, Assistant Engineer of the I. C. Ry., S. S. Morris, Chairman General Safety Committee of the I. C. Ry., T. A. Swee¬ ney, Superintendent of the Eastern Division of C. & G. W. Ry., A. B. White, Engineer C. & G. W. Ry., F. W. Urbahns, Assistant Superintendent Soo Line, J. S. Laughlin, Division Engineer Soo Line, Otto Gerbach, Engineer M. & W. Indiana Harbor Belt Ry., and also the Village Trustees and Highway Commissioners of all the villages and townships in which the grade crossing inspections were conducted. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 149 The 360 railroad fatalities occurring in Cook County during 1913 and a number of most distressing accidents and deaths occurring recently at grade crossings in this county, demanding the Coroner’s presence at inquests over the bodies of men, women and children, are among the influences which brought about the appointment of this Special Committee by the Public Safety Commission, every trip of inspection having been attended by the Coroner himself. Nothing more clearly indicates the effective work being done by the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County than the reports sent to each railroad company involved of the conditions found at each grade crossing visited, and the following letters forwarded by Morrison Koerner, Secretary of the Committee, which constitute but a small part of the voluminous correspondence with all the parties concerned: Mr. William Lawson, Pres., Board of Trustees, Des Planes, Illinois: Dear Sir —A special committee of this Commission recently made a trip of investi¬ gation over the Soo Line Railroad with a view of having the grade crossings of this rail¬ road placed in a safe condition. At the Lee Street crossing in your village, it was found that there are very bad obstruc¬ tions to the view. One of these is on the southeast corner, another is on the southwest corner. These obstructions are trees which should either be cut down or trimmed, for the safety of the public. There is also a hedge on the northeast corner which should be removed. I understand that the trees on the southwest approach are owned by B. Laughershausen. The railroad ofl&cials have agreed to fill in the ditch on the southeast corner and widen the approach, thereby complying with the recommendations made by the investi¬ gating committee. . . - . The committee was accompanied on its trip by the Highway Commissioners of your township, as well as by the Commissioners of the Townships of Leyden, Proviso and Wheel¬ ing. These officials, as well as the railroad officials, are co-operating with us to the fullest extent and I am writing to ask if you will not also co-operate with us and take up the matter of having these trees either removed or trimmed so as to provide an unobstructed view of the railroad track for the drivers of vehicles and for pedestrians. Yours very truly, (Signed) ' Morrison Koerner, Secretary. Since the receipt of this letter it is gratifying to state that the above recommendations have all been attended to and the obstructions removed, which speaks volumes for the spirit of co-operation manifested by all concerned. Mr. William B. McAuliff, Pres., Board of Trustees, Franklin Park, Illinois: Dear Sir —On June 30th a special committee of this Commission made an investi¬ gation of grade crossings along the Soo Line in the Townships of Leyden, Wheeling, Maine and Proviso. They were accompanied by the Highway Commissioners of these townships. The Highway Commissioners and officials of the railroads are co-operating with this Commission in an effort to put the railroad grade crossings of Cook County in a safe con¬ dition. I am writing to ask for your co-operation. The committee found that at three crossings on the Soo Line in your village there are obstructions to sight which make the crossings dangerous. These crossings are: 1. Grand Avenue Crossing. There are trees on the northwest corner of this cross¬ ing which should be either cut down or trimmed so as to give an unobstructed view of the railroad track. The railroad company has agreed to plank this crossing solidly. 2. Chestnut Street Crossing. There are obstructions to view on three corners, which should be either trimmed or cut down. For your information will say that the railroad company has agreed to re-plank this crossing and put screenings in between the tracks. 3. Park Avenue Crossing. There are trees on the southeast and northeast corners which should be trimmed in order to give a better view of the track. The railroad company has agreed to put in 24-ft. planking instead of the IG-ft. planking which is there now, and to fix the approaches of this crossing. I sincerely trust that you will receive this letter in the spirit in which it is written, and that you will co-operate with us to an extent at least as great as the railroad company, as it is in the co-operation of the various officials of villages and towns and the railro^ company that this Commission is bringing about the rehabilitation of railroad grade cross¬ ings in Cook County, thus making our county a better and safer place in which to live. Yours very truly, (Signed) Morrison Koerner, Secretary. 150 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY General Superintendent, River Forest, Illinois: Dear Sir —On June 30th a special committee of this Commission made an investi¬ gation of grade crossings along the Soo Line in the Townships of Leyden, Wheeling, Maine and Proviso. We were accompanied by the Highway Commissioners of these Townships. The Highway Commissioners and officials of the railroad are co-operating with this Commission in an effort to put the railroad grade crossings of Cook County in a safe con¬ dition. I am writing to ask you for your co-operation. This Committee found that at three crossings on the Soo Line In your village there are obstructions to sight which make the crossings dangerous. These crossings are: 1. Forest Avenue Crossing. 2. Birchwood Avenue Crossing. 3. Keystone Avenue Crossing. The railroad company, through Mr. F. W. Urbahns, Assistant Superintendent, has agreed to place these crossings in excellent condition. The crossings are to be made as wide as the roadways approaching them, new planking is to be put in from curb to curb, and the crossings to be made as wide as the streets. The bells at Forest Avenue and Birch¬ wood Avenue, which were found to be out of order, are to be repaired at once. From this you will see that the railroad company is co-operating with us. The High- w'ay Commissioners and other officials of villages and towns throughout Cook County are co-operating with this Commission, and I hope that you and the other officials of your village will join with us in our work of rehabihtating grade crossings in Cook County, and that you for your part will see that the obstructions to view at these three crossings are removed, or at least trimmed so as to give an unobstructed view of the railroad tracks. Yours very truly, Morrison Koerner, Secretary. Secretary McComb, Drainage District No. 1, Arlington Heights, Illinois: Dear Sir —Recently a special committee of this Commission, accompanied by the Highway Commissioners of the Township of Wheehng, made an investigation of grade crossings along the Soo Line, both in thattownship and in other townships in Cook County. At the Wheeling Road Crossing and the Dundee Crossing it was found that these were in an extremely dangerous condition, and that it was impossible to put them in a safe con¬ dition until the Drainage Commissioners of Drainage District No. 1 have completed their portion of the improvements which are being made there. Trusting that you will take this matter up at once with the commissioners and co¬ operate with the railroad officials, this Commission and the Highway Commissioners in making these crossings safe, I am, Yours very truly, Morrison Koerner, Secretary. Total number of crossings inspected, i8o. The railroads concerned were Chicago & North Western, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Soo Line, Illinois Central, Indiana Harbor Belt Lines, Milwaukee Electric, Chicago Great Western. SUMMARY OF SIX INSPECTION TRIPS. Trip one Trip two Trip thre Trip four Trip five Trip six Totals Crossings in good condition. .16 11 26 13 12 6 71 Fair condition. . 3 4 17 12 ir 47 Recommendation s : Widen crossing. .10 4 6 11 3 34 New planking. 1 11 17 2 36 Remove view obstruction. . 4 3 8 13 13 41 Widen approach. 1 2 7 1 11 Decrease incline. . 2 3 1 3 • 9 Install bell. . 2 1 4 2 ' 9 Install flagman... . 2 2 Build bridge. .. . 1 . 1 Fill in approaches. . 1 2 3 5 i 12 Reconstruct crossing. . 2 2 2 6 Fill in with cinders. 1 2 8 3 14 Cover unused switch. 1 • • 1 Raise track and roadwav. 1 i • • 2 Close crossing at night. 1 • • 1 Close crossing entirely. 1 1 Erect danger signals. 2 1 3 Install gates. i 1 New rails at crossing. i • • 1 Railing along ditch. i • • 1 Conference Ry., Village and Drainage Boards. • • • • 3 • • 3 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 151 The above tabulation gives the findings of the Special Grade Cross¬ ings Committee in full detail and is a telling exhibit of the new relation toward the public which has been established in the Coroner’s office of Cook County, and of the effective work being done by the Safety Com¬ mission in the line of safeguarding life and limb in the interest of all. The Committee on Grade Crossings expressed their highest appre¬ ciation for the uniform courtesy and co-operation, not only of all the rail¬ road officials who accompanied the several tours of inspection, but of the village trustees, the highway commissioners of the towns and the owners of private property adjacent to the railroad crossings, whenever asked to cut down or trim trees or remove other obstructions to the view, in order to secure a high degree of safety at these crossings. The fact that a number of approaches to the crossings inspected were not more than from nine to ten feet wide, making it impossible for teams to pass, and that in each case arrangements were effected by mutual agree¬ ment between the railway company and the Highway Commissioners to have these defects remedied, shows the value of the Safety Commission in helping to bring the interested parties together. It is now aimed to make a complete record of every grade crossing in Cook County, showing past and present condition, and by periodical inspection it is proposed to see that they are kept up to the proper standard of safety. We believe that if the recommendations herein made are duly complied with by all concerned, grade crossing accidents will be materially reduced until such time as complete safety can be secured by the elevation of tracks. PARKER H. SERCOMBE, Coroner's Statistician. 152 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County ▼T Otis Building, Chicago TT A YEAR OF SAFETY WORK. Report of George H. Whittle, First President of the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County, Made at the First Annual Meet¬ ing of the Public Safety Commission, Held in the Lounge Room of the City Club, September lo, 1914. After a year of unqualified success, the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County, which was organized a year ago by Coroner Peter M. Hoffman of Chicago, held its first annual meeting Thursday, September 10, 1914. At this meeting President George H. Whittle, whose term has expired, read his annual report, in which he gave a brief resume of some of the Com¬ mission’s activities. Mr. Whittle, although requested to again accept the Presidency, refused to do so, owing to the fact that he is unable to give up so large a portion of his time from his business. Dr. Wm. E. Buehler was elected President for the ensuing year and the following were elected Directors of the Commission for the year 1914- 1915: Dr. Wm. E. Buehler, Samuel A. Ettelson, Chas. A. McCulloch, John T. Stockton, Coroner Peter M. Hoffman, George H. Whittle and Chas. M. Hayes. The office of the Commission in the Otis Building, Chicago, is to remain in charge of Morrison Koerner. Mr. Whittle’s report in full follows. Ladies and Gentlemen: In presenting this report at the conclusion of my term of office as President of the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County during its first year of existence, it gives me great pleasure to testify to the unselfish and energetic aid given by the officers of the Commission and by a great majority of the membership. It is also a pleasure to testify that during its short career, the Com¬ mission has accomplished real constructive work. I predict that during the next year, the work of the Commission will increase many fold, and I bespeak for the new President the same hearty and sincere co-operation which you have given me. The matters which for the most part have, during the past year, engaged the attention of the Commission are as follows: 1. Crusade against automobile speeders. 2. An educational campaign through the schools, churches and the press. 3. The establishment of life-saving service at private beaches along the north shore. 4. Investigation of grade crossings in Cook County. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 153 It was decided, at a meeting of all the Chairmen of our various com¬ mittees, held in March, 1914, to concentrate our efforts upon the above matters. Our crusade against speed maniacs and the automobile driver who insists upon operating his motor car with the muffler cut out, has at¬ tracted city-wide attention, and there are daily received in the office of the Commission at the present time from twenty to thirty complaints. These are immediately taken up and the person complained of is forced to answer, giving a satisfactory explanation. To indicate how our Commission is regarded throughout the city, I desire to call your attention to the fact that several concerns that operate a large number of automobiles, taxi-cabs, wagons, etc., upon our streets, are sending their drivers and chauffeurs to our office upon receipt of a com¬ plaint against them, and the driver or chauffeur must be given a note to the management from the Commission’s office before he can go to work. This note of approval is never given unless the driver or chauffeur promises that he will in the future obey the traffic laws of the city and state. To date we have received and acted upon 1,543 complaints regarding the infraction of traffic rules and speed laws by automobilists. We have also received numerous complaints from residents in particular neighbor¬ hoods, alleging that their streets are used as speedways by automobilists and motorcyclists. Upon receipt of such complaints our office takes up the matter with the General Superintendent of Police or with the Captain commanding the district from which the complaint is received, and with¬ out exception we have succeeded in securing police assistance. We have received extremely few complaints regarding specific viola¬ tions of the speed laws by motorcyclists. This however, from the ex¬ perience of the Commission during the past year, does not mean that the motorcyclists do not frequently violate the speed laws. The fact is that the state license numbers are so small that it is almost impossible to read a number on the back of a motorcycle. In this connection I believe that during the next year the Commission should work out some scheme by which motorcyclists could be easily identified. Members of the Commission have served on twenty-six Coroner’s juries, many of them being automobile cases in which little children were run down and killed by automobile trucks and pleasure vehicles. I believe that we can reasonably claim that our educational campaign in the public schools, churches and "through the press for Safety First was a success and our constant emphasis of this slogan has brought about a decided change in the attitude of the general public (including automo¬ bilists and motorcyclists) regarding the necessity of exercising proper care and precaution upon the streets of our city. On October 10, 1913, we held our first Safety Day in the public schools. Later members of the Commission and others spoke in schools not included in the initial campaign, so that practically every room in the Chicago Pub¬ lic Schools has been visited and over 400,000 pieces of literature distributed to the pupils. October 26, 1913, was designated as Safety Day in the churches, and more than 1,500 clergymen in Chicago and Cook County proclaimed the gospel of Safety First from the pulpits on that day. We have also received a great amount of publicity through the Chicago daily papers, trade magazines, club journals, weekly papers in Cook County and other publications. In this connection I desire to say that the pub¬ licity given us by Mr. Louis N. Hammerling and The American Associ¬ ation of Foreign-Language Newspapers, Inc., through the American Leader, has been of incalculable benefit. There have appeared, twice a 154 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY month, different articles on Safety First written by members of this Com¬ mission. These articles, I am advised, have been copied by the 690 news¬ papers comprising The American Association of Foreign Language News¬ papers. In this way the Commission has been able to do pioneer Safety First work among a class of people which could be reached in no other way. The establishment of our life-saving service along the north shore has proven of much greater benefit than we had anticipated. At the pres¬ ent time we have four boats, which are located at the following places: Thorndale Avenue, Rosemont Avenue, Hollywood Avenue and Gordon Terrace. These boats have been used frequently, and we have a record of fifteen persons rescued from drowning during the past summer. I would recommend that this service be continued and increased from year to year until every private bathing beach along our lake shore is provided with a boat. These boats are of such construction that they can be handled by one man, and are equipped with life lines, grappling hooks and other life-saving appliances. In Coroner Hoffman’s Biennal Report, which no doubt you have all read with great interest, the inspection of grade crossings in Cook County by our special committee, appointed by the President, is outlined in a supplementary report in the concluding pages of the book. It gives me great pleasure to quote a few of the letters received at our office, showing that the recommendations made by the special committee have been favorably acted upon: Letter received from Mr. Avery Coonley, Highway Commissioner of the town of Riverside: “I believe I have not reported to you upon a matter which you brought to my attention as Chairman of the Board of Township Highway Commissioners of Riverside. “You wrote me about June 28th with regard to the desirability of trimming some trees lying north of the branch of the Illinois Central Railroad which runs just north of Riverside and east of Des Plaines Avenue. “Upon receipt of your communication we advised the owners of the property, who very kindly agreed to do the work, and within a short time thereafter trimmed the trees thoroughly, so that an excell¬ ent view east on the railroad is obtained by people driving south on Des Plaines Avenue for a considerable distance before they reach the track.’’ Letter received from Mr. W. L. Peckham, Village Clerk of Franklin Park, Ill.: “This is to advise you that at a meeting of the Village Board held Tuesday evening, August i8th, the Chairman of the Streets and Alleys Committee reported to the effect that all of the Commis¬ sion’s recommendations relative to removing obstructions to view at the various railroad street crossings have been complied with on the part of the Village of Franklin Park.’’ \ Letter received from Mr. E. W. Morrison, Supt. of C. & M. Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad: “Through some misunderstanding I w^as not notified in regard to your investigation of grade crossings and their surroundings on the C. M. & St. P. Ry., in the Township of Niles Center and Northfield, and failed to have the pleasure of accompanying you and your party vSTOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 155 on the trip. However, Mr. W. L. Webb, one of our engineers, has given me a full report, and the Vice-President, Mr. Bush, has given me authority to make the repairs as suggested by your Committee. “We expect, within the next thirty days, although it may take longer, to have the work completed. As I understand, this work covers the following crossings: Touhy Avenue, Gross Point Road, Howard Avenue, Oakton Street, Main Street, Morton Grove, Demster Street, Morton Grove; Church Street, Morton Grove; No. Branch Road, Lake Avenue, First Highway, one and one-quarter miles south of Techny Crossing, Techny Crossing, Dundee Road, County Line Road. “In case any of the crossings are not finished according to your idea, I would be pleased to have you inform me, and I will do every¬ thing possible to satisfy your Committee as well as the outside Town Boards.” Letter received from Mr. G. R. Morrison, Supt. Chicago & Council Bluffs Division of the C. M. & St. P. R. R.: “I desire to call your attention to the suggestion made by you as to the installation of a warning bell west of Des Plaines River at what is known as the River Road, and to advise that the installation will be made; also, I am going to apply screenings to the various important crossings, as we talked. “The approaches at a number of crossings have been improved and a good many trees have been cut down and trimmed, very much improving the view, so far as the railroad company is concerned, and I find at some points the Highway Commissioners have carried out the suggestion.” ' Letter received from the General Superintendent of the Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Railroad Co.: “In reply to your favor of the 20th inst. in reference to lighting of danger sign at Scott Avenue, Glencoe, I beg to advise that we will be pleased to furnish the current from our station at that point.” Letter received from Mr. T. A. Sweeney, Superintendent of the Chi¬ cago Great Western Railroad Company: “We have ordered additional planking and stone screenings to take care of the crossings referred to. As soon as they are received same will receive necessary attention.” Letter received from Mr. J. Wischnia, Superintendent of St. Joseph’s Cemetery, River Grove, Ill.: “Have your letter dated July 16, 1914, regarding some obstruc¬ tion to the River Road in River Grove at St. P. R. R. Mr. Henry Buckman spoke about this matter last Wednesday, July 15, 1914, and I had men rerqove the obstructions at once. So I can assure you all obstructions on the premises of the St. Joseph Cemetery are re¬ moved.” In all, the Committee has inspected 180 railroad crossings. The Com¬ mittee received the active co-operation on all of its trips of the railroad officials, the Highway Commissioners of the various townships and the officers of the towns and villages in Cook County. A detailed report of each trip is kept on file in the office, and from the letters which I have just read, you will see that the Committee has accomplished results. For the unselfish work which the members of this Committee have done, I 156 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY desire to thank Coroner Peter M. Hoffman, Dr. Wm. E. Buehler, Mr. Peter S. Lambros and Mr. Chas. M. Hayes. I cannot close this report without referring with the greatest appre¬ ciation to Coroner Peter M. Hoffman’s Biennial Report. Already the Coroner and the Commission has received congratulatory letters from prominent educators, safety experts and men high in the councils of the state and nation, praising this book and predicting that it will soon become known throughout the country as a hand book on Public Safety. Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES From September ist, 1913, to August 31st, 1914. RECEIPTS Contributions. Memberships Sold... Signs Sold. Buttons Sold. $8,572.00 180.00 20.50 147.50 EXPENDITURES Salaries. Rent. Postage. Stationery and Printing. Educational Committee. Publicity Expense. Commission Paid— On Contributions Collected. On Memberships Sold. Grade Crossing Investigation. Buttons Purchased. Signs Purchased. Form Letters and Postage. Investigation Expense. Lettering Doors. Ice and Water. City Directory. Rent of Typewriter. Rent of Clock. Newspaper Annual. Cutting Rug. . Telephone and Telegraph. Electric Light. Miscellaneous. $8,920.00 $3,193.00 885.00 270.09 459.27 567-75 418-53 717-35 71.00 261.82 209.13 18.50 59.45 50.50 10.00 31.80 12.50 64.25 3.75 5.00 7.19 223.80 37.30 29.16 -$7,606.64 Balance—Surplus $1,313-36 STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 157 THE UNEMPLOYED AS CORONER’S JURORS. Toward the middle of October the Coroner became conscious that there were an increasing number of unemployed, willing and anxious to serve as jurors, among whom were a large percentage of highly intelligent and thoroughly competent men. It was clear that both economy and just¬ ice would be best served by giving the one-dollar jury fee to those who were in need and glad to give the time to serve, rather than to withdraw busy men from their work, to whom the fee was no object. The newspapers having taken the matter up, the public was notified that reputable unemployed men might be given a chance to earn fees as coroner’s jurors, which promptly resulted in from three hundred to five hundred men besieging the office and lining up through the corridors of the County Building as early as six o’clock in the morning, in order to be the first to be assigned on cases. Since starting this plan we have been able to use from sixty to one hundred and twenty men per day, some having in the meantime reported that they had secured other jobs and dropped out, although from Novem¬ ber first to the fifteenth our records show that 232 different men, all of them unemployed and in need of the fee, have sat on coroner’s juries. This office has made careful investigation into some of these indiv¬ idual cases and finds that were it not for this aid, some of these men would have been forced to apply to the County Agent or to charity organizations for assistance, but the fee they received as coroner’s jurors in many in¬ stances staved off actual want until such time as they could secure regular employment; and it is interesting to state that more than a dozen of the unemployed were helped to new positions as a result of the recommend¬ ations of this office. Before placing the unemployed on coroner’s juries, they are required as an evidence of good faith, to file a letter in this office in their own hand¬ writing, giving address, age, number dependent upon them, their former employment, etc., and upwards of seven hundred letters are now on file, the preference in assigning to juries being given to married men with small children dependent upon them. The following letter is a fair sample of many splendid letters which have been received in this way: Chicago, October 20, 19140 Mr. Peter Hoffman: Dear Sir: In accordance with your request, attached hereto: My name is Edgar A. Jacobs; I am 32 years old, German-Amer¬ ican, born in Chicago and employed in the electrical trade for fifteen years. I am married, have a wife and three children. Owing to the brick strike and the present war scare I have been imable to work steady and am unemployed for the past four weeks. Contractors all tell me they are doing very little work. My savings have all been used up and I am now depending on relatives’ charity for food. I therefore present my position to you for consideration. Your purpose of placing unemployed worthy men is a step towards uplifting the poor and appeals to me as one of the greatest deeds ever accomplished by a public official. My reason for believ¬ ing the county gains by having unemployed men for jurors is this: That in these days of commercialism, patriotism often is con¬ sidered second, and many men qualified for jury service do not give their best efforts because they are laboring under a mental strain 158 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY caused by neglecting their business. An unemployed man is a will¬ ing juror, and willingness to serve is the greatest asset towards per¬ forming any duty. Wishing you the success due you, I am proud to have the pleasure of answering an official’s letter who has shown the initiative in help¬ ing the unemployed to positions with Cook County. Sincerely, Edgar A. Jacobs. Bill presented to the Illinois General Assembly by the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County. TRESPASSING ON THE RIGHT OF WAY OF RAILROADS A BILL to prevent trespassing on the tracks and rights of way of railroad companies operating within this state and to provide punishment therefor. Whereas, great loss of life and limb results from trespassing upon railroad property and rights of way; Now, therefore. The People of the State of Illinois enact: Section i. It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to walk, ride or drive upon or along the tracks or within the right of way of any railroad company operating its lines within this state, or to cross such tracks or right of way at any place other than at a public or private cross¬ ing: Provided, however, that none of the provisions of this act shall apply to employes or licensees of any railroad company while engaged in the performance of the duties of their employment or otherwise acting pur¬ suant to the license, nor to any person going in or upon such tracks or right of way to save human life or to protect property, nor to any person going or being upon or in the depot and station grounds of any such rail¬ road company as a passenger or for the purpose of transacting business therewith. It is further provided that any station agent or section foreman in the employ of a railroad company doing business within this state shall have the same power and shall be charged with the same duties in the enforce¬ ment of this act as are given to deputy sheriffs by the general laws of the state. Section 2. Any person willfully violating the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before a court of competent jurisdiction shall be liable to a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, or to imprisonment in the county jail for not more than ninety days, or to both such fine and imprisonment, in the dis¬ cretion of the court. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 159 Fred Warren* TT A Problem for Two Nations TT Issued at the request of Fred Warren and Miss Hudson by Qeo. Bradshaw, author of “Prevention of Railroad Accidents,” “Safety First,” “The Safety Movement,” etc., Highland, N. T. My name is Fred Warren. I live in a small town where there is a large railroad yard. Ever since I can remember I have seen trains, and I always like to watch them. It’s the same way with a lot of other boys I know, and I expect it’s the same way, too, with grown-up people, because there is always a crowd of them at the station to see the trains come in. My Dad—I call him Dad when we are alone because we are chums—says that the railroad men call our station Hiram because Uncle Hiram Piper hasn’t missed a train in twenty years. The freight trains which come into our town are coupled and the cars placed on different tracks. A lot of engines do nothing but shift cars back and forth day and night and in all kinds of bad weather when people don’t work outside, unless they work for railroads. I used to wonder why they never could get the cars placed where they wanted them. One time I asked a man who was giving signs to a fellow running the engine why he didn’t make up his mind where he wanted the cars before he started to bump them around. He says, ‘'You’re a bright kid. I wish we had you for yardmaster.” I didn’t like that answer much, so I asked Rosco Mack, whose father runs on the road, and he said, “ Because this is a class¬ ification yard, and all trains have to split up here.” I didn’t understand what that meant, but Rosco looked so wise-like when he told me, that I just thought I wouldn’t ask him any more questions. I asked my teacher about it, and she said she would see Mr. Works, the station agent, and find out for me. That’s the way wfith Miss Hudson. She tells us to ask all the questions we want to, and we go to her to find out a lot of things. When she can’t tell us at once, she says she will try to find out, and she always does. Sometimes when one of us asks a question she writes it on the board and tells all of us to see what we can learn about it. We are always glad to have our questions put on the board, because we know teacher will have something to say to us, and she always makes things so plain and interesting. Paul Thompson says that if Miss Hudson had writ¬ ten the school books nobody would have to be made study them. So my question about why they keep always shifting the cars was written on the board. I knew Miss Hudson was learning a heap to tell us, because I would see her out walking with Mr. Works every evening. Mike Flanagan said she was not finding out about cars, but I knew better. After a long time she explained about railroad yards and things, and now we know why they shift cars and why railroad men have to work day and night and in all kinds of bad weather. And she told us many other *“Fred Warren; a Problem for Two Nations,” by Geo. Bradshaw, Highland, N. Y. Copyrighted, United States and Canada, 1914. Reproduced in this report by special permission of the author. All rights reserved. 160 ( BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY FRED WARREN STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 161 things about railroads which we had never thought of—how cars were once run on wooden rails, and then on wooden rails with strips of iron on top; and later, on iron rails, and why they now use steel rails; how the engine pumps air into a tank, and when they let it out through a pipe it pushes the brakes against the wheels and stops the train; how cars are loaded with machinery and things that we eat and wear and with toys, and travel for thousands of miles without getting lost; how one man in an office a hundred or more miles away keeps trains moving so that they meet and pass without running together; and how if all the trains were to stop running, even for only a few days, the people in the big cities might suffer from hunger and cold. And she told us, too, that we must not walk or play on railroad tracks or about cars. She said (I forget how many) boys and girls and grown-up people get hurt and killed every year by being around railroads when they have no business to be. I know it was an awful big number. At recess we boys talked about the nice story Miss Hudson had told us about railroads, but we were sorry she put on that last about keeping away from tracks and cars, because all of us wanted to mind her, and still we loved to play in the yards and hop the cars. Several of us had decided to be railroad men. I was going to be an engineer, or maybe a conductor, and a good one, like Mr. Tapley, and after a while I would get a big job in the office where the head men stay. Then I would come back home in a fine car all to myself, like I had once seen a man do. Jack Fisher told me that his father and everybody had to do what that man said. Jack called him a superintendent or something. One day when we were on our way from school we stopped near the yards and watehed the railroad men jump on and off moving cars, run up and down the sides and over the tops, and hop from one to the other. One of the boys said, “Let’s hop the cars.” Sammy Atkins said, “We.better not; you know what teacher told us.” But Skinny Morgan, the biggest and oldest boy in the crowd, laughed at Sammy. He had walked on rail¬ road tracks and jumped freight cars whenever he felt like it, and had never been hurt. So we decided we would play on the cars just that once. About that time along come some cars that the engine had kicked down the track and we all ran and grabbed on. As I climbed up the ladder of the moving car, I forgot that I was a boy who had just come into the yards on my way from school. I was a man—a railroad man—getting pay for riding on cars. Just then a man hollered, “You kids get out of here before you get hurt. ” But we stayed on the cars, and when they stopped we were far enough away from this man, so we didn’t care. In a little while a long freight come pulling by. That was just the thing, because it was a real train with an engine^ Buster Bates said, “Let’s grab on, boys, and ride up to Pigeon Hill; it always runs slow there, and we can get off.’’ So we began to climb on. I grabbed the iron handle at the end of a gondola, and was just ready to swing up when I stubbed my toe and fell down. By that time the train was going at a pretty good gait and I was dragged along, holding to the handle. I could not get on my feet again and when I let go the handle I rolled over and my leg got under the wheels. The first wheel, of course, crushed my leg so that it hung only by a shred, but as I lay there it seemed a thousand other wheels had to pass over me. The noise of the train kept the other boys from hearing my cries, and I might have been left by the track to bleed to death had it not been for the con¬ ductor on the rear platform of the caboose, who saw me as he passed. The train stopped, and the conductor hurried with me in his arms to a small building in the yards, where the doctor was called. I was rushed to the 162 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY hospital and put upon a table where a nurse in white dress and cap gave me something which she said would stop the pain. It made me go to sleep, and when I woke up I was on a little narrow bed in a big room with white walls. There were a lot of other beds in this room, all just alike, and all with people on them. I remember I was so sick and in so much pain that I wished I had been one of those many boys teacher told about who get killed doing what I had done. But now I know that was a wicked wish. I wondered what Mother and Dad and Miss Hudson would think. Would they scold me? When Mother came, she kneeled by my little cot, and, placing her soft hand upon my head, kissed me and thanked God that her boy had been spared. Dad said, “It’s all right, my boy; we are chums just the same.” And Miss Hudson. As soon as I got well enough she would come to see me every day after school, bringing me flowers and fruit and story¬ books. Sometimes she would sit by my side and tell me a story of her own, which was so much better than those I read, even in the books that she brought me. But she never once said a word about the cars, nor even asked me how I got hurt. I am well now, and the place where the leg was don’t hurt me much, except at times, but it will always hurt me to think how I brought grief to the hearts of the best mother and dad and teacher in the world. When I got back to school I found my place on the ball team had been taken by another boy. I knew this was right, but I couldn’t help feeling sad, just the same. I didn’t often watch them play ball, and teacher seemed to take notice of this. She would have me go with her to the park, where we studied the flowers and the plants and the birds. One day we found a wild flower we didn’t know the name of. Teacher said, “We won’t ask anybody, but we will make the flower tell us its own name.’’ We sat down in the shade of a tree, and while I held the flower she opened a book she had brought along, and the little stranger, surprised and pleased to find that a book should tell where she lived and how she dressed, and call her beautiful, just couldn’t keep from telling us her name. One day Miss Hudson said, “Fred, you like stories so well. I’ve been wondering if you could write one for me.’’ It pleased me so much to think of doing something for her, and without a thought I replied, “Yes, if you want me to.’’ “Then write me a story about how a boy got hurt on the railroad. We will have it printed, with your name to it, and maybe with your picture, so that boys and girls all over our country, and their parents, too, if they wish, may read it. And when you have your story ready, maybe I shall write something to print with it, if you don’t care.’’ Fred Warren. MISS HUDSON^S LESSON IN GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY I wonder if you who may read Fred Warren’s story will have any idea how many men, women and children are injured and killed every year in the United States and Canada while getting on or off moving cars, riding cars and engines, and walking along railroad tracks. I don’t mean rail¬ road men nor passengers, nor people crossing the tracks at highways. I mean trespassers—those who go on railroads or get upon cars or engines without right to do so. Very lew of the people who get killed in this way are tramps or hoboes. Most of them are men and women like your fathers and mothers or boys and girls like you. In olden times the bodies of persons who killed themselves were buried at crossroads, where the greatest number of people in passing would see STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 163 the graves and be reminded of their sad fate. If we in the United States and Canada should bury those who get killed while trespassing on rail¬ road property at the mile posts, one at each post, in order that people when traveling on the railroads may see the graves and be warned thereby against this dangerous practice, we would have IN ONLY ONE YEAR a continuous line of mile post tombs from Halifax to Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans, El Paso, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Salt Lake City. Now, ask your teacher to get timetable folders issued by the railroads connecting the cities mentioned. Mr. Works let me have these folders, and he said that all station agents had them, or knew where to get them, and that they would gladly supply them to teachers. When you get the folders, first look at the maps. Some of them have excellent maps, and you can learn geography from them if you like. Now study the timetables and tell your teacher how many persons are killed every year while trespassing on railroads. How many are killed for each day in the year? Perhaps some of you may prefer a lesson in history. Then read about the War of 1812, when the United States and Canada (now such good neighbors and friends that it seems hardly possible they could have ever been otherwise) were engaged for three years in fighting each other. Learn how Toronto (then a village called York) and Washington were burned; and about the battles of Lundy’s Lane and Lake Erie; of the Thames and New Orleans. Yet during the past three years in these two countries as many people were killed while trespassing on railroads as were killed in all the battles and skirmishes of that war. And while those in the war died fighting for the flags of their countries, just as you should and would today if called upon, the others died doing what they had no right to do, and no good reason for doing. THE PROBLEM Trespassing on railroads has become a national evil. Armies of men, women and children are being killed and maimed, from an unnecessary risk, AND NOT A HAND IS RAISED TO STAY THE SLAUGHTER. The railroads are practically powerless in the matter. Only an aroused and determined public sentiment can solve the problem. PARENTS: Will you not teach your children the danger of walk¬ ing or playing on railroad tracks or about cars? TEACHERS: Won’t you talk to the children about the protection of their lives and limbs? Children like stories. Read them this one of Fred Warren or tell them a better one of your own. MINISTERS: Is this not a subject worthy of your consideration and comment? EMPLOYERS: Will you not, in the interest of humane and econ¬ omic policies, use all proper means in your power to prevent your employes from trespassing on railroad property? A large percentage of those injured and killed are laboring men going to and from their work. LEGISLATORS, JUDGES AND CITIZENS: When will you bring about the enactment of laws, where necessary, and the enforcement of existing laws to stop trespassing on railroads? (End of “Fred Warren” Story) 164 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 165 J Why Not Practice Safety First? TT / A Record of the Dead—A Lesson to the Living TT 49,239 Sudden, Violent and Accidental Deaths in the Ten Yeeirs* Records of the Coroner of Cook County. TT 464 Lives Saved in 1914 as a Result of the Co-operation of the Coroner’s Office, the Public Safety Commission and the Safety Departments of the Railroads, Street Railways, Factories, Etc. The total Coroner’s cases for the period during which has occupied the office is 49,239, divided as follows: w s 3 (u ^ > l-H C /3 1914 1914 Natural Causes Suicide 1 Homicide Horse Vehicles Alcoholism Drowning Septicaemia Under Anaesthetic Miscellaneous 63 34 59 26 52 32 14 10 117 The figures in Column 5 for 1914 are based upon the percentage of increase in each division during 1911, 1912 and 1913, and indicate the number of deaths which the records show would have occurred but for the influence of the Safety First movement. 166 BETTER BE vSAFE THAN SORRY The Fourteen Divisions in which Education and Legis¬ lation have Lowered the Death Rate in Coroner’s Cases. 1911 1912 1913 1 Average Per Cent Increase for 3 Years. Figures Based on Average Increase, 3 Years, 1914. Actual Number for 1914 Lives Saved in 1914. Automobile. 75 98 136 345 183 143 40 Asphyxiation. • 169 I7I 212 I2J 238 181 57 Burns and Scalds. 175 187 232 268 157 111 Elevators. 38 44 40 3 i 41 38 3 Electrocution. 38 16 32 21 39 29 10 Explosion. 9 17 16 411 23 11 12 Falls. 349 363 366 2| 375 340 35 Firearms. 17 22 24 19 29 19 10 Motorcycle. • • 8 14 75 25 16 9 Poisonings. 51 52 64 12J 72 57 15 Railroad. 334 326 360 4 374 282 92 Street Car. 161 209 165 172 142 30 Suffocation by Water Heaters. 4 7 10 59 16 3 13 Suffocation by Poison¬ ous Gases. 4 11 175 30 3 27 A Total of. 464 Lives Saved in Cook County, Illinois, during 1914 by converting the Coroner’s office into a Bureau of Accident Prevention and securing the co-operation of railway and street car companies, automobile and factory interests, the schools, churches, newspapers, clubs and the Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County. EXPLANATORY Automobile—For five years the increase in automobile fatalities has been in the same ratio as the increase in the number in use. This ratio was reduced in 1914, 40 lives being saved. Asphyxiation—The majority of asphyxiations have been in the families of foreigners. Instruction in how to handle gas safely is rapidly reducing this class of deaths. STOP! T?TTNK! LOOK: AND LISTEN! 107 Burns and Scalds—No doubt this large decrease in burns and scalds has been largely influenced by the safety lectures to 300,000 children in the schools and the distribution of 30,000 of the Biennial Report and special safety literature. Much more can be done in 1915. Elevators—No doubt a more concerted effort during 1915 can bring about a greater decrease in elevator accidents. Electrocution—Much more safety education is necessary to induce linemen to always use their safety appliances, and to induce boys not to play around poles bearing electric wires. Explosion—By the Coroner’s recommendation only experienced men are now allowed to handle explosives. More education will still further reduce this class of deaths. Falls—This large division is capable of much greater decrease, involving general education at home, in schools and in the proper care of self, and by not converting the means of refreshment into intemperance or excess. Firearms—Education of old and young to the idea that firearms are always a menace will gradually do away with shootings. Motorcycles—The ratio of motorcycle deaths in 1914 was 9 less than the usual number compared with the total in use. Poisonings—The Coroner’s recommendation of a law regulating the shape of bottles and poison tablets is a step toward wiping out this evil. Railroad—In the face of increase in population, traffic mileage and rolling stock, this decrease in the ratio of railroad fatalities speaks in the highest terms of the co-operation of the companies in Cook County with the Coroner and the Public Safety Commission. Street Car—The splendid co-operation of the street railways with all educational work along Safety First lines is expressed in a substantial decrease. Suffocation by Water Heaters—By the Coroner’s recommendation water heaters must now be connected by vent pipe with the out¬ side air. This will finally do away entirely with this class of deaths. Suffocated by Poisonous Gases — By the Coroner’s recommendation ammonia pipes are now regularly inspected, and this class of deaths is disappearing. 168 BETTER BE SAFE THAN vSORRY SAFETY FIRST SUGGESTIONS By CHARLES M. HAYES President Chicago Motor Club President Public Safety Commission of Chicago and Cook County Respect the right of pedestrians. Slow down at street intersections. ‘‘Obey the laws; avoid the courts.” Don’t imagine you are a speed king. Be considerate of the other motorists. “Better to cause a delay than an accident.’’ Don’t pass on the left-hand side of a street car. Don’t endanger the lives and property of others. Use Weed chains when the pavements are slippery. Do not cover cross-walks when stopped by crossing officer. Always pass another vehicle on the left, excepting street cars. Keep to the right, and stop only on the right-hand side of the street. Turn corners at right angles from center of the street intersections. Don’t bring a hardship on the motoring fraternity by your foolhardy acts. When you don’t know what to do, stop; then take plenty of time and think it over. Test your brakes every morning. Let your dealer inspect your brakes every month. Don’t stop short, don’t turn to the right or left, until you have signaled vehicle behind you. Don’t attempt to cut in between street cars going in opposite direc¬ tions (the street car cannot turn out). Keep within the speed limit, approach all crossings carefully and obey the signal of the crossing officer. Insist upon the automobile seller teaching you thoroughly how to operate your car intelligently and safely. If you were driving at the rate of twenty miles an hour, how many feet would it require to bring your car to a dead stop? Never under any circumstances touch liquor in any form while driv¬ ing; never ride in a car whose driver has been drinking. Every driver should realize his great responsibility and pay strict attention to his duties while on the streets and highways. We not only seek the co-operation ot every member of the Chicago Motor Club, but every man, woman and child in the city of Chicago, state of Illinois and in the United States, in the work of saving human life and the prevention of accidents. We sincerely hope that every member of the Chicago Motor Club will make it his business to so conduct himself that there will be no possible opportunity for ill criticism of his conduct while operating a motor car the city of Chicago and that he will personally use his best endeavors to influence others to respect the rights of other users of the road, as well as the pedestrian. PRACTICE SAFETY FIRST. DO YOUR DUTY AND JOIN THE CHICAGO MOTOR CLUB. RULES OF THE ROAD BE MASTER OF YOUR CAR AT ALL TIMES Freshly oiled roads are dangerous—drive slow. Don’t attempt to turn out of ruts while under speed. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 169 When unable to see what is ahead AT ANY TIME, slow down. Never under any circumstances drive fast approaching or passing a school. , Be considerate at all times. Other users of the road have equal rights with you. “Excuse my dust” is no excuse to make the other fellow eat your dust for forty miles. Be considerate. When meeting fellow motorists in trouble on the highway, stop and offer assistance. Your turn may be next. Remember, at the bottom of each hill you will usually find a culvert, some good and some bad; don’t take a chance. When approaching a fractious horse, stop your car, kill your motor, get out and offer to assist in leading the horse by. * Use caution when driving off of the main road into the grass. Bad culverts or loose sand and dirt will cause an accident. When approaching another automobile at night, coming in the opposite direction, slow down and turn down or turn out your glaring headlights. Speed means serious and fatal accidents, increased tire and repair expense, nervous prostration, loss of appetite, loss of money, time and pleasant disposition. Upon signal from another driver approaching from the rear, pull over to the extreme right and allow him to pass. The law compels you, courtesy demands you. Spasmodic spurts of speed are dangerous. Hold the speed of your car steady around twenty miles per hour and you will get there more quickly, safely, pleasantly and at less expense. In case of accidents, get the name of every witness and immediately draw a diagram of the position of the car with reference to all surrounding objects, as well as the curb lines. This information might save you annoy¬ ance, time and money later on. GO SLOW Passing schools, children, passing vehicles, around corners, approach¬ ing crossings. STOP Always Safety First. Sound signal when approaching obstructed crossings. Drive moderately on strange roads—you never can tell. Keep “Cut-out” closed within city and town limits—avoid arrest and fine. At the approach of fire department, ambulance and police department vehicles, drive at once to right-hand curb and stop. When in doubt—at railroad crossings, behind street cars taking on or discharging passengers. Better to cause a delay than an accident. Chicago City Ordinance regulating the time allowed to stand in the Loop district to thirty minutes: Sec. 10. No vehicle not in charge of a driver shall, between 6 a. m. and 7 p. m., stand in any street or alley w’ithin the district bounded by Lake Street, Wabash Avenue, Harrison and Market Streets for a period longer than sixty minutes. Amended on March ist, 1915, limiting time to tiiirty minutes. 170 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Americans Killed in Times of Peace It has never been known with any scientific accuracy what was the actual loss of life in the American Civil War. But it has been estimated that not less than (1,000,000) One Million Men Were Killed or died by wounds, disease and exposure. Since then the United States has suffered the loss of about five or six thousand more by war. But there are More Americans Killed in times of PEACE than in WAR: Here is the record of death by accident according to Government “Mortality Statis¬ tics’’ for 1913 : Deaths by poisoning . . 2110 Deaths by fire .... 5884 Deaths by gas .... 2271 Deaths by drowning . . 6468 Deaths by firearms . . . 1572 Deaths by falls, etc. . . 9842 Deaths by railroad disasters 8212 Total loss in Deaths by street cars . . 1998 Deaths by automobiles . 2488 Deaths by other vehicles . 2381 Deaths by mines and quarries 2385 Deaths by machines . . . 1526 Deaths by landslides . . 601 Various others. 6273 e year, 54,011 which would mean more than 500,000 (half a million) in ten years, or in sixty years, which is about the period of the above war statistics, the deaths by accident amount to over three millions. Fully one-half of these so-called “Accidents” are preventable. By “Safety First”activity and education, 250,000 lives may be saved in the United States during the next ten years To neglect so great a gain of human life is a crime. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 171 APPENDIX Directions for Restoring the Apparently Drowned {From the Official Document of the U. S, Governmenty iQog) Rule I. Arouse the Patient. —Do not move the patient unless in danger of freezing; instantly expose the face to the air, toward the wind if there be any; wipe dry the mouth and nostrils; rip the clothing so as to expose the chest and waist; give two or three quick, smarting slaps on the chest with the open hand. If the patient does not revive proceed immediately as follows: Fig. 1.—Expelling Water from body. Rule II. To Expel Water from the Stomach and Chest (See Fig. 1). Separate the jaws and keep them apart by placing between the teeth a cork or small bit of wood; turn the patient on his face, a large bundle of tightly rolled clothing being placed beneath the stomach; press heavily on the back over it for half a minute, or as long as fluids flow freely from the mouth. Rule III. To Produce Breathing (See Figs. 2 and 3 ).—Clear the mouth and throat of mucus by introducing into the throat the cor¬ ner of a handkerchief wrapped closely around the forefinger; turn the patient on the back, the roll of clothing being so placed as to raise the 172 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY pit of the stomach above the level of the rest of the body. Let an assist¬ ant with a handkerchief or piece of dry cloth draw the tip of the tongue out of one corner of the mouth (which prevents the tongue from falling back and choking the entrance to the windpipe), and keep^it projecting a little beyond the lips. Let another assistant gr^sp the arms just below the elbows and draw them steadily upward by the sides of the patient’s head to the ground, the hands nearly meeting (which enlarges the capacity of the chest and induces inspiration). Fig. 2.—Movements to produce inspiration. ' While this is being done let a third assistant take position astride the patient’s hips with his elbows resting upon his own knees, his hands extended ready for action. Next let the assistant standing at the head turn down the patient’s arms to the sides of the body, the assistant holding the tongue changing hands if necessary« to let the arms pass. Just before the patient’s hands reach the ground, the man astride the body will grasp the body with his hands, the balls of the thumbs resting on either side of the pit of the stomach, the fingers falling into the grooves between the short ribs. Now, using his knees as a pivot, he will at the moment the patient’s bands touch the ground throw (not too suddenly) all his weight forward on his hands, and at the same time squeeze the waist between them as if he wished to force anything in the chest upward out of the mouth; he will deepen the pressure while he slowly counts one, two, three, four, then suddenly let go with a final push, which will spring him back to his first position.This completes expiration. At the instant of his letting go, the man at the patient’s head will again draw the arms steadily upward to the sides of the patient’s head, as o Changing hands will be found unnecessary after some practice; the tongue, how¬ ever, must not be released. 6 A child or very delicate patient must, of course, be more gently handled. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 173 Fig. 3.—Movements to produce expiration. before (the assistant holding the tongue again changing hands to let the arms pass if necessary), holding them there while he slowly counts one, two, three, four. Repeat these movements deliberately and perseveringly twelve to fifteen times in every minute—thus imitating the natural motions of breathing. If natural breathing be not restored after a .trial of the bellows move¬ ment for the space of about four minutes, then turn the patient a second time on the stomach, as directed in Rule II, rolling the body in the oppo¬ site direction from that in which it was first turned, for the purpose of freeing the air passage from any remaining water. Continue the artificial respiration from one to four hours, or until the patient breathes, according to Rule III; and for awhile after the appearance of returning life carefully aid the first short gasps until deepened into full breaths. Continue the drying and rubbing, which should have been unceasingly practiced from the beginning by assistants, taking care not to interfere with the means employed to produce breathing. Thus the limbs of the patient should be rubbed, always in an upward direction toward the body, with firm grasping pressure and energy, using the bare hands, dry flannels or handkerchiefs, and continuing the friction under the blankets or over the dry clothing. The warmth of the body can also be promoted by the application of hot flannels to the stomach and armpits, bottles or bladders of hot water, heated bricks, etc., to the limbs and soles of feet. Rule IV. After-Treatment. —Externally: As soon as breathing is established let the patient be stripped of all wet clothing, wrapped in blankets only, put to bed comfortably warm, but with a free circulation 174 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY of fresh air, and left to perfect rest. Internally: Give whisky or brandy and hot water in doses of a teaspocnful to a tablespoonful, according to the weight of the patient, or other stimulant at hand, every ten or fifteen minutes for the first hour, and as often thereafter as may seem expedient. Later manifestations: After reaction is fully established there is great danger of congestion of the lungs, and if perfect rest is not maintained for at least forty-eight hours it sometimes occurs that the patient is seized with great difficulty of breathing, and death is liable to follow unless im¬ mediate relief is afforded. In such cases apply a large mustard plaster over the breast. If the patient gasps for breath before the mustard takes effect, assist the breathing by carefully repeating the artificial respiration. RESTORATIVE AID BY ONE PERSON Modification of Rule III. (To be used after Rules I and II, in case no assistance is at hand.) To Produce ResPiRATiON. —If no assistance is at hand and one person must work alone, place the patient on his back with the shoulders slightly raised on a folded article of. clothing; draw forward the tongue and keep it projecting just beyond the lips; if the lower jaw be lifted the teeth may be made to hold the tongue in place; it may be necessary to retain the tongue by passing a handkerchief under the chin and tying it over the head. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN! 175 Grasp the arms just below the elbows and draw them steadily upward by the sides of the patient’s head to the ground, the hands nearly meeting. (See Fig. 4.) Next lower the arms to the sides and press firmly downward and in¬ ward on the sides and in front of the chest over the lower ribs, drawing toward the patient’s head. (See Fig. 5.) Fig. 6.—Movements by one person to produce expiration. Repeat these movements twelve to fifteen times every minute, etc 176 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY Instructions for Saving Drowning Persons by Swim¬ ming to Their Relief 1. When you approach a person drowning in the water assure him with a loud and firm voice that he is safe. 2. Before jumping in to save him, divest yourself as far and as quickly as possible of all clothes; tear them off if necessary; but if there is not time, loose at all events the foot of your drawers, if they are tied, as if you do not do so, they fill with water and drag you. 3. On swimming to a person in the sea. if he be struggling do not seize him then, but keep off for a few seconds till he gets quiet, for it is sheer madness to take hold of a man when he is struggling in the water, and if you do you run a great risk. 4. Then get close to him and take fast hold of the hair of his head, turn him as quickly as possible onto his back, give him a sudden pull, and this will cause him to float, then throw yourself on your back also and swim for the shore, both hands having hold of his hair, you on your back and he also on his, and of course his back to your stomach. In this way you will get sooner and safer ashore than by any other means, and you can easily thus swim with two or three persons; the writer has even, as an ex¬ periment, done it with four, and gone with them 40 or 50 yards in the sea. One great advantage of this method is that it enables you to keep your head up and also to hold the person’s head up you are trying to save. It is of primary importance that you take fast hold of the hair and throw both the person and yourself on your backs. After many experiments, it is usually found preferable to all other methods. You can in this man¬ ner float nearly as long as you please, or until a boat or other help can be obtained. 5. It is believed there is no such thing as a death grasp; at least it is very unusual to witness it. As soon as a drowning man begins to get feeble and to lose his recollection, he gradually slackens his hold until he quits it altogether. No apprehension need, therefore, be felt on that head when attempting to rescue a drowning person. 6. After a person has sunk to the bottom, if the water be smooth, the exact position where the body lies may be known by the air bubbles, which will occasionally rise to the surface, allowance being of course made for the motion of the water, if in a tideway or stream, which will have carried the bubbles out of a perpendicular course in rising to the surface. Oftentimes a body may be regained from the bottom, before too late for recovery, by diving for it in the direction indicated by these bubbles. 7. On rescuing a person by diving to the bottom, the hair of the head should be seized by one hand only, and the other used in conjunction with the feet in raising yourself and the drowning person to the surface. 8. If in the sea, it may sometimes be a great error to try to get to land. If there be a strong “outsetting” tide, and you are swimming either by yourself or have hold of a person who cannot swim, then get on your back and float till help comes. Many a man exhausts himself by stemming the billows for the shore on a back-going tide, and sinks in the effort, when, if he had floated, a boat or other aid might have been obtained. 9. These instructions apply alike to all circumstances, whether as regards the roughest sea or smooth water. STOP! THINK! LOOK AND LISTEN 177 Treatment of Frostbites As Recommended by the Surgeon-General of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service. 1. Do not bring the patient to the fire, nor bathe the parts in warm water. ' 2. If snow be on the ground, or accessible, take a woolen cloth in the hand, place a handful of snow upon it, and gently rub the frozen part until the natural color is restored. In case snow is not at hand, bathe the part gently with a woolen cloth in the coldest fresh water obtain¬ able—ice water if practicable. 3. In case the frostbite is old, and the skin has turned black or begun to scale off. do not attempt to restore its vitality by friction, but apply carron oil on a little cotton; after which wrap the part loosely in flannel. 4. In all cases, as soon as the vitality has been restored, apply the carron oil, prepared according to Service formula.® As it contains opium. do not administer morphia or other opiate. • 5. In the case of a person apparently dead from exposure to cold, friction should be applied to the body and the lower extremities, and artificial respiration practiced as in cases of the apparently drowned. As soon as the circulation appears to be restored, administer spirits and water at intervals of fifteen or twenty minutes until the flesh feels natural. Even if no signs of life appear, friction should be kept up for a long period, as instances are on record of recovery after several hours of suspended animation. ®Carron oil—(Service formula): Olive oil or linseed oil (raw). Limewater, of each 12 parts. Tincture of opium, 1 part. Mix. 178 BETTER BE SAFE THAN SORRY (c) Resuscitation After Electric Shock 1. Break the circuit immedi¬ ately with a single quick mo¬ tion, using a dr\ non-Con¬ ductor — a hoard, rubber gloves,mackintosh or dr>' cbtth. Don’t use metal or moist ma¬ terial. The victim’s loose clothing, if dry, may be used to pull him away, but do not touch his shoes, as the nails are dangerous. Only use ONE hand. 2. Feel with finger in his throat for false teeth, tobacco, gum, etc. 3. Then commence artificial respiration, thus— A. Lay body flat on back. Draw tongue out of mouth, and have assistant hold. Seize hoth arms at the wrists. B. Sweep the arms around horizontally away from the body and over the head, and exert a strong pull on them for a few seconds. A foot may be placed on the shoulder of the patient being aided. This manoeuver fills I he lungs with air. C. The next manoeuver con¬ sists in rising and bringing the patient’s arms down in front of the chest, making strong pressure with them against lower ribs, pressing on same with the weight of the body in order to drive the air out of the chest. Repeat this pro¬ cedure regularly at the rate of about sixteen complete acts ol respiration per minute. Do not abandon this treatment under half an hour 5 From * ‘Safety Engineering’’ With the INFALLIBLE SHUR-LOC in charge of elevators The Killing and Maiming of Human Beings Cease YEARLY average of about forty persons killed on account of elevators is shown by the record of the coroner of Cook County. These are actual killings! The incomplete record of accidents totals about lOO yearly. The actual number is probably over double. Statistics show that more than 80 per cent of elevator accidents occur at the hatchway door, where persons either enter or leave the car. Engineers and all others interested are cordially invited to inspect the Shur-Loc at our offices. SHUR-LOC ELEVATOR SAFETY CO. o/ ILL. SUITE 735, 208 SOUTH LA SALLE STREET Remember It Is Better to Cause a Delay Than to Cause an Accident SAFETY FIRST is not a question of dollart and cents; it is a question of saving human life, the most valuable thing in the world, which, when once gone, can never he brought hack. It is trying to save men from losing their legs and their arms which never can he put hack; it is trying to save the making of widows and orphans, desti* tution and misery. Neither the company officers nor the laws can do it. But the men themselves can do it if they try. Chicago & North Western Railway Company - Central Safety Committee The North Western Railway Co. started the SAFETY FIRST movement in order to conserve the lives and limbs of its men, realizing perhaps earlier than most other employers of labor that the men were the most valuable asset it had. The men became convinced that they themselves had to bear the real burden of the accidents; that every time an ex¬ perienced man was injured a new or green man had to be put in his place, thereby increasing the risk of injury to all the other men and at the same time decreasing the efficiency of the organization. They were told that we wanted to make the Chicago CSb North Western Ry. not only the BEST but the SAFEST in the country. How well they have succeeded in doing so is best indicated by the fact that during the 58 months (ending May 1, 1915,) since the inauguration of the Safety First movemant on our road, as compared with 58 months on same basis as year end- ing June 30, 1910, there were: 415 fewer persons killed, a decrease of 24.2% 13,418 fewer persons injured, a decrease of 27.1% And the further fact that in April, 1915, NOT ONE EMPLOYE was killed on the North Western Railway, which—for a Company operat¬ ing 8,423 miles of line and employing about 50,000 men—is truly a remarkable record. It Takes Less Time to Prevent an Accident Than It Does to Report One NW3818 —The “Olympian” trail is laid with the heaviest steel rails—the bridges are steel —the grades are the easiest —and the line is the shortest, —The “Olympian” cars all are con¬ structed of steel with interiors finished in rich mahogany—thus combining util¬ ity and beauty. **The Olympian’'^ Leaves Chicago daily at 10:15 p. m., for Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma via the CHICAGO All equipment is “St. Pour owned and operated. The "Columbian”—also all steel—leaves Chicago daily at 10:10 a. m. Tickets, literature and full information at • 62 W. Adams Street. Marquette Bldo- (Tel.Harrison 6162, Automatic 680>326) and Union Passenger Station GEO. B. HAYNES, General Passenger Agent, CHICAGO Steel —The “Olympian” attendants are all "St. Paul" employees—"true as steel.” One road—under one management—with one service— "St. Paul” all the way insures a trip of solid comfort and enjoyment. 1x1® The “Touch-a-Button” Lighter SHOULD BE ON EVERY GAS RANGE It is always ready for use and does away with the dirt and danger of matches The Touch-a-Button Lighter Can be attached to any gas range. Four paytnents with gas bill. Three at fifty cents, and last one forty-five cents, $1.95 in all. Send postal card request to The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company 122 Michigan Boulevlard, or Call Randolph 4567 C. G. Macklin, President John Suster, Secretary Newcomb- Macklin Co. Corner State and Kinzie Sts. CHICAGO NEW YORK OFFICE: 233 FIFTH AVENUE BUY DIRECT FROM THE MAKER PICTURE FRAMES MADE TO ORDER ALL STYLES and FINISHES REGILDING OUR SPECIALTY Chicago Telephone Central 5215 YOUR DUTY AS A CON SCI EM¬ TIO US CITIZEN IS TO SUPPOR T A SAEETY FIRST MOVEMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY Y OU take pride in the fact that your community thinks well of you. Here is an opportunity for you to render a valuable service to your commun¬ ity and to yourself. There are a great many accidents occurring which should never occur; they are prevent¬ able, and you can be a factor in making your commun¬ ity a safe community. Lend your hearty support to a live Safety First movement, and thereby contribute your share towards preventing the maiming and kill¬ ing of persons in your community from preventable accidents. You can become an efficient accident pre- ventionist and a factor in Safety First work by reading Safety Engineering —The Magazine of Safety This magazine publishes each month information which should be carefully read by every conscientious citizen. It is the leading medium of information on SAFETY, and sets forth in an interesting and intel¬ ligent manner how conditions of safety to human life can be secured. Subscription Price $3.00 a year Send for sample copy and learn about the wonderful strides now being accomplished in safeguarding life and property against damage and destruction. SAFETY ENGINEERING 8o Maiden Lane New York 3 0112 059077849 V I I f I 41.692 SOME FIGURES f/s B c\d\«\ aN ^inooui^jH- fjOWNlNC iS.C^ 1.498 owuooHs mwTOSvH^MISFORTUNEV'^i?^'^”'* . 1.412 TO THJP