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ANALGESICS FOR CHILDBIRTH
309 countries forbid it in certain operations, such as stemming and sorting. Greece, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland limit the employment of women. In Holland occupational cramp among cigar-makers is compulsorily notifiable and compensation for disease is given in several South American countries. Although the medical evidence on the danger to tobacco workers conflicts, special legislation seems to exist in many States where tobacco is a staple industry, especially those in which conditions of manufacture may be presumed to be somewhat primitive. This fact is the most convincing testimony that tobacco manufacture is a potentially dangerous trade. some
ERNST HAECKEL
NEXT Friday is the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Ernst Haeckel, who was for long the most popular and the best known biologist in Germany and possibly in the world. Prof. Ludwig Plate remarkson the curious fact that his name is now scarcely mentioned in Germany and the publishers tell him that Haeckel’s books no longer have any sale. And yet on the continent Haeckel did for the Darwinian theory what Huxley did for it in this country, that is to say, he brought the struggle for existence and its relation to the origin of species into the current thought of the people. Much of the terminology of biology was invented by Haeckel and the coins used are still stamped with his name ; such are morula, blastula, gastrula. He had, as very few before or after him, a systematic mind and the intuitive feeling for the form of animals such as Linnaeus had for plants. With the collaboration of
the lithographer, Giltsch, his illustrated monographs made many of the lower groups of the animal kingdom familiar to the eye. But Haeckel’s success as a biologist was overshadowed by his failure as a philosopher. His belief in the constancy of matter and the law of the conservation of energy eliminated from his universe such things as God, freedom of will or immortality, and his monism, although it involved him in some of the bitterest controversies of our time, failed to secure him any considerable circle of followers. Posterity is kind in forgetting about Haeckel as a philosopher but unjust in the shortness of its memory of him as a herald of the new biology. ANALGESICS FOR CHILDBIRTH
THE use of barbiturates and other hypnotics in labour has lately been studied at the Boston Lying-in Hospital, and in several respects the conclusions reached2 are in interesting contrast with those of a similar inquiry by Dame Louise McIlroy and Dr. Helen Rodwav 3 at the Roval Free Hospital in London. of a7noethesia " were used, each being applied to at least a hundred patients. The drugs employed were : pantopon (omnopon) and scopolamine, pantopon and rectal ether, pernocton, sodium amytal and scopolamine, pentobarbital (nembutal) and scopolamine, sodium amytal and rectal ether, pentobarbital and rectal ether, and pentobarbital and paraldehyde. During the expulsive stage nitrous oxide and oxygen were given to all the patients, ether being added if required. Observations were made on respiration, blood pressure, and time of the infant’s first breath after delivery, as well as on the anaesthetic effects of the different agents. The data do not greatly favour
Eight ’’types
1 Forschungen und Fortschritte, Feb. 1st, p. 51. 2 Irving, F. C., Berman, S., and Nelson, H. B. : Surg., Gyn., and Obst., January, 1934, p. 1. 3 Jour. Obst. and Gyn. Brit. Emp., 1933, xl., 1175; see THE LANCET, 1933, ii., 1493.
any one of the methods employed. In some restlessIn ness and in others lack of amnesia are the defects. none was there any evidence of danger to mother or to child. Pentobarbital and scopolamine produced 80 per cent. of complete amnesia, the highest in the study, and the greatest percentage of infants, 63, who breathed immediately after birth. The frequency of excitement, however, was considerable (16 per cent.). The opinion is expressed : " We do not believe that pantopon, morphine, or any of its derivatives should be used during labour, as have a marked effect in delaying the initial respirations of the infant." This is- directly opposite to the conclusion of Mcllroy and Rodway that, all things considered, there is in the conduct of confinement no sedative so valuable as
they
morphia properly used. BOREDOM IN INDUSTRY THE spur to activity supplied by the physiological need for katabolic processes in the rhythm of healthy life proves itself inadequate for the performance of industrial repetitive work. For economic production further incentives are needed. The report1 before us is a study of the various factors conducing to the contentment and efficiency of persons employed on work which does not in itself promote the interest needed for a reasonable output. A group of girls working under ordinary factory conditions was studied. First a fixed weekly wage was paid ; then a competitive bonus system was introduced-with excellent results on output ; lastly a flat piece-rate was tried, and this gave even better results. Payment by results, appealing as it does to personal gain, gives additional interest to work, but at the same time it stimulates selfish and assertive tendencies. The more capable workers are pleased ; the less capable become discouraged when their workmates obtain higher wages, and suffer in happiness and maybe in health. Here the remedy lies in grouping together workers of similar capacity. Success creates pleasure ; although doubt may arise whether a girl likes her work because she does it well, or does it well because she likes it. On the other hand, unpleasant work inhibits performance ; but all persons do not find the same process unpleasant. Most factories provide many types of repetitive work, and a distribution of workers so that each is employed on the process which makes the strongest appeal is capable of greatly increasing efficiency and pleasure in work. The influence of a neighbour is considerable. An assertive member usually dominates a group, favourably if she be capable and industrious, adversely if she be talkative and slack. A capable worker tends to lose more in output, when placed next to an inferior one, than the latter gains. Friction is caused when incompatible temperaments are thrown together for the greater part of their daily life while at work. Where the conditions are so monotonous as to engender boredom, unconsidered trifles may be a fruitful source of pleasure or discontent ; the importance of these is seldom realised by the manager. Attention should be centred on removing factors which are impeding production, before introducing incentives-just as a driver takes off the brakes before using his accelerator. Boredom, although a reality in industrial life, is mental in origin and requires mental remedies ; it is something apart from manual dexterity. Output is not merely a function of the length of working hours, which can be forced to its maximum by cleverly devised wage payments. 1 Incentives in Repetitive Work. S. Wyatt, with L. Frost and F. G. L. Stock. Indust. Health Research Board. Report No. 69. H.M. Stat. Office. 1s. 3d.
ERNST HAECKEL
NEXT Friday is the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Ernst Haeckel, who was for long the most popular and the best known biologist in Germany and possibly in the world. Prof. Ludwig Plate remarkson the curious fact that his name is now scarcely mentioned in Germany and the publishers tell him that Haeckel’s books no longer have any sale. And yet on the continent Haeckel did for the Darwinian theory what Huxley did for it in this country, that is to say, he brought the struggle for existence and its relation to the origin of species into the current thought of the people. Much of the terminology of biology was invented by Haeckel and the coins used are still stamped with his name ; such are morula, blastula, gastrula. He had, as very few before or after him, a systematic mind and the intuitive feeling for the form of animals such as Linnaeus had for plants. With the collaboration of
the lithographer, Giltsch, his illustrated monographs made many of the lower groups of the animal kingdom familiar to the eye. But Haeckel’s success as a biologist was overshadowed by his failure as a philosopher. His belief in the constancy of matter and the law of the conservation of energy eliminated from his universe such things as God, freedom of will or immortality, and his monism, although it involved him in some of the bitterest controversies of our time, failed to secure him any considerable circle of followers. Posterity is kind in forgetting about Haeckel as a philosopher but unjust in the shortness of its memory of him as a herald of the new biology. ANALGESICS FOR CHILDBIRTH
THE use of barbiturates and other hypnotics in labour has lately been studied at the Boston Lying-in Hospital, and in several respects the conclusions reached2 are in interesting contrast with those of a similar inquiry by Dame Louise McIlroy and Dr. Helen Rodwav 3 at the Roval Free Hospital in London. of a7noethesia " were used, each being applied to at least a hundred patients. The drugs employed were : pantopon (omnopon) and scopolamine, pantopon and rectal ether, pernocton, sodium amytal and scopolamine, pentobarbital (nembutal) and scopolamine, sodium amytal and rectal ether, pentobarbital and rectal ether, and pentobarbital and paraldehyde. During the expulsive stage nitrous oxide and oxygen were given to all the patients, ether being added if required. Observations were made on respiration, blood pressure, and time of the infant’s first breath after delivery, as well as on the anaesthetic effects of the different agents. The data do not greatly favour
Eight ’’types
1 Forschungen und Fortschritte, Feb. 1st, p. 51. 2 Irving, F. C., Berman, S., and Nelson, H. B. : Surg., Gyn., and Obst., January, 1934, p. 1. 3 Jour. Obst. and Gyn. Brit. Emp., 1933, xl., 1175; see THE LANCET, 1933, ii., 1493.
any one of the methods employed. In some restlessIn ness and in others lack of amnesia are the defects. none was there any evidence of danger to mother or to child. Pentobarbital and scopolamine produced 80 per cent. of complete amnesia, the highest in the study, and the greatest percentage of infants, 63, who breathed immediately after birth. The frequency of excitement, however, was considerable (16 per cent.). The opinion is expressed : " We do not believe that pantopon, morphine, or any of its derivatives should be used during labour, as have a marked effect in delaying the initial respirations of the infant." This is- directly opposite to the conclusion of Mcllroy and Rodway that, all things considered, there is in the conduct of confinement no sedative so valuable as
they
morphia properly used. BOREDOM IN INDUSTRY THE spur to activity supplied by the physiological need for katabolic processes in the rhythm of healthy life proves itself inadequate for the performance of industrial repetitive work. For economic production further incentives are needed. The report1 before us is a study of the various factors conducing to the contentment and efficiency of persons employed on work which does not in itself promote the interest needed for a reasonable output. A group of girls working under ordinary factory conditions was studied. First a fixed weekly wage was paid ; then a competitive bonus system was introduced-with excellent results on output ; lastly a flat piece-rate was tried, and this gave even better results. Payment by results, appealing as it does to personal gain, gives additional interest to work, but at the same time it stimulates selfish and assertive tendencies. The more capable workers are pleased ; the less capable become discouraged when their workmates obtain higher wages, and suffer in happiness and maybe in health. Here the remedy lies in grouping together workers of similar capacity. Success creates pleasure ; although doubt may arise whether a girl likes her work because she does it well, or does it well because she likes it. On the other hand, unpleasant work inhibits performance ; but all persons do not find the same process unpleasant. Most factories provide many types of repetitive work, and a distribution of workers so that each is employed on the process which makes the strongest appeal is capable of greatly increasing efficiency and pleasure in work. The influence of a neighbour is considerable. An assertive member usually dominates a group, favourably if she be capable and industrious, adversely if she be talkative and slack. A capable worker tends to lose more in output, when placed next to an inferior one, than the latter gains. Friction is caused when incompatible temperaments are thrown together for the greater part of their daily life while at work. Where the conditions are so monotonous as to engender boredom, unconsidered trifles may be a fruitful source of pleasure or discontent ; the importance of these is seldom realised by the manager. Attention should be centred on removing factors which are impeding production, before introducing incentives-just as a driver takes off the brakes before using his accelerator. Boredom, although a reality in industrial life, is mental in origin and requires mental remedies ; it is something apart from manual dexterity. Output is not merely a function of the length of working hours, which can be forced to its maximum by cleverly devised wage payments. 1 Incentives in Repetitive Work. S. Wyatt, with L. Frost and F. G. L. Stock. Indust. Health Research Board. Report No. 69. H.M. Stat. Office. 1s. 3d.