2nd Issue, October

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

9

CHIROPRACTORS
CLAIM SUCCESS

The following article is published by the B.C. Lumber Worker
without prejudice, in order that its readers may be informed on all
points of view regarding the treatment of back injuries. No responsibil-
ity can be accepted for the claims made, which represent only the con-
clusions of the writer of the article and the association for which he

Speaks,

CHIROPRACTIC IN INDUSTRY
By Gordon Best

Spinal injuries are one of the commonest causes of
time-loss and pay-loss in industry. This is especially true,
of course, in the B.C. lumber industry. For example, dur-
ing last year (1955) there were 1,520 cases of injuries in
this field from slipping and falling ; 718 while workers were
moving or rolling logs; 375 from striking against miscel-
laneous objects, and 440 from strains and over-exertion.
A great many of these resulted in back injuries which
called for chiropractic treatment.

A survey was recently carried
out to assess the efficiency of
chiropractic management of in-
jury cases in heavy industry.
This used the files of compensa-
tion boards and insurance com-
panies, and the results published
in booklet form titled, “Research
in Health and Industry”. It was
proven conclusively by the results
of this survey that chiropractic
care of low-back injuries-has no
equal and can be of tremendous
benefit in the reduction of lost
man-hours and lost wages suffer-
ed by those afflicted with this
painful condition.

New Approach

The reason for the high level
of successfully - treated cases
should be given some considera-
tion prior to discussing the sta-
tistics coming from the survey.
It need hardly be mentioned that
chiropractic is a relatively new

approach to the problem of health
and disease. All new concepts,
whether in the field of healing or
some other branch of science, are
questioned by some and openly
opposed by many, in their early
years. Support comes from those
who have had actual experience
with the new methods and oppo-
sition from those who have
not had the benefit of such first-
hand knowledge or who are preju-
diced in their thinking for one
reason or another.

As a number of favorably-dis-
posed persons increases, and as
the proponents of the new con-
cept gradually improve their
methods from the benefit of ex-
perience and further study, the
new idea gains ground and event-
ually becomes strongly establish-
ed. At this point, the opposition
slowly but surely diminishes and

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is replaced by public acceptance
and confidence. Any opposition
that remains is based on compe-
tition by the older methods and
this type of opposition will
always be with us in all fields of
endeavor since competition is one
of the sparks that fires progress.

Public Confidence

The chiropractic profession has
yeached this stage of public con-
fidence, recognized by Provincial
and Federal Governments, Work-
men’s Compensation Boards, and
Insurance Companies. There is
still a certain amount of express-
ed opposition but this is no longer
of serious proportions and is
based almost entirely on ignor-
ance of true facts. It is by means
of such articles as this one that
explain the official position of the
chiropractic profession, that this
remaining remnant of misunder-
standing can be eradicated.

The principle upon which chiro-
practic is based deals with body
mechanics and its relationship to
the nervous system which, in
turn, exerts a controlling influ-
ence on all other systems in the
body. Misalignments in the many
joints of the spine and pelvis are
manifestations of poor body me-
chanics and unless corrected prop-
erly, by a qualified licensed chiro-
practor, may result in additional
symptoms in later life which can
be felt in the organs supplied by
nerves emanating from the spinal
segment suffering from the joint
misalignment or subluxation as
it is called.

Three Methods

The industrial survey previous-
ly referred to was limited to a
study of low-back injuries treated
by three methods — chiropractic,
osteopathy, and medicine. The
figures are taken from files of
Compensation Boards in 44 States
of the U.S. and Canada. In all,
4,746 cases of low-back injuries
were included in the survey.
Crushing injuries, fractures and
others requiring surgery, were
not included. The cases treated in
hospitals were not considered to
be any more serious than those
treated outside of hospital.

‘The figures of the greatest sig-
nificance were probably those
dealing with the relative number
of work-days lost under the dif-
ferent types of care. Medical
(non-hospitalized) with 19.9 days,
medical (hospitalized) with 33.8
days, osteopathy with 11.5 days,
and chiropractic with 10.9 days
off work. Any type of care which
results in less time lost means a
resulting drop in labor turnover
and less re-training. Both are ex-
pensive factors in production. For
labor, this means more take-home

pay and new opportunity to re-
gain health rapidly.
Significant Figures

Also of significance are the
figures showing the amount of
compensation paid in each of the
four categories. Since the number
of days off work directly affects
the amount of compensation, the
chiropractic grouping indicates
the savings possible when this
typéd of care is employed for’such
injuries. The compensation paid
was, for the group treated by
chiropractic, $27.07; osteopathy,
$35.46; medical (non-hospitaliz-
ed) $50.06; medical (hospital-
ized) $85.34.

The wages lost by the worker
were reported as follows: chiro-
practic $55.52, osteopathy $76.06;
medical (non-hospitalized) $95.06;
medical (hospitalized) $163.44.
The average cost of professional
care in the four groups was:
chiropractic $27.88; osteopathy,
$29.85; medical (non-hospitalized)
$27.07; medical (hospitalized)
$121.45. These figures do not
show the same great difference in
cost, but coupled to the great
savings shown by the previous
statistics, the total cost of chiro-
practic care reveals a significant
saving for the worker, the Com-
pensation Board, and the indus-
try; not only in money, but also
in man-hours. The total cost table
shows the following figures:
chiropractic $56.12; osteopathy
$64.19; medical (non-hospitaliz-
ed) $67.69; medical (hospitalized)
$209.48,

Information Booklet

The booklet ‘Research in
Health and Industry”, which con-
tains the information just men-
tioned, also provides additional
statistical data of interest to
labor and industry. Included in
the book is an analysis of the ef-
ficacy of chiropractic manage-
ment of herniated disks and a
list of some of the over 500 in-
surance companies that have in-
cluded chiropractic in some of
their industrial health and acci-
dent policies. You may obtain a
FREE copy of this valuable book
by writing to the Public Rela-
tions Dept., Canadian Chiroprac-
tic Association, 252 Bloor Street
West, Toronto 5, Ontario.

Back injuries occur in almost
all occupations and are not lim-
ited to the heavier industries by
any means, although a greater
percentage of these injuries are
found where heavy work is rou-
tine. Nevertheless, the student,
housewife, delivery boy, minister,
dentist, etc., suffer their share of
low back conditions and these can
be just as severe as those brought
on by a heavier type of employ-
ment. Why is this so? Much time

and thought has been spent con-

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sidering this problem. A solution
would save much suffering and
would contribute greatly to the
productive capacity of the coun-
try.

Pre-existing Weakness

Relatively little attention was
paid to the mechanics of the
spinal column until the chiroprac-
tic profession had its beginning
61 years ago. In this period of
time, we have learned a great
deal about methods of preventing
and correcting back ailments, not
the least significant of which is
the fact that many people are
born with, or develop in their
early years, a fault in the mech-
anical integrity of their spine or
pelvis which predisposes them to
spinal injury at a later date. The
injury may never occur and the
person may never know of the
weakness that has been present
almost all of his life. On the
other hand, if the circumstances
are right (or you might say
“wrong”), the pre-existing weak-
ness will be subject to a strain
that will act in such a way as to
aggravate the original condition
to the point of producing pain. At
this time treatment is sought and
from a chiropractic view there
are two methods of approach.
Either the patient is seeking re-
lief from the pain only, or, he
wishes to have the original weak-
ness corrected as well.

In the first case, treatment is
aimed at relieving the acute con-
dition which was recently super-
imposed on the original mechani-
cal fault. As a matter of interest
that is as far as the Compensa-
tion Board’s responsibility goes.
They are not obliged to care for
the original spinal condition
which pre-existed. In the second,
if the patient wishes to have the
weakened area in his spine
strengthened, the treatment is
necessarily more prolonged and
cannot always be accomplished
entirely. However, usually a suf-
ficient percentage of improvement
can be obtained to prevent future
attacks of the same condition.

Patient Common Sense

A great deal also depends upon
the degree of common sense used
by the patient during his work.
If he adheres to the proper rules
of correct posture and good body
balance he will be contributing in
no small measure to his future
health and well-being. It is well
to keep in mind that spinal sub-
luxations (faulty alignment or
fixations of spinal vertebrae) can
affect the internal organs as well
as producing aches and pains in
the back or legs. The nerves pass-
ing from the spine to these or-
gans can be irritated by poor
spinal mechanics and so cause the
organs to function in an abnormal
manner. Such conditions may take
time to develop and may not be
associated immediately with the
actual cause. It is therefore im-
portant from the aspect of gen-
eral health to take care of your
spine. Z
The Workmen’s Compensation
Boards of Ontario, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Brit-
ish Columbia, provide for the
chiropractic care of injured work-
ers. If your injury is such that
will fall within the field of chiro-
practic practice you are entitled _
to attend a chiropractor-if you so
desire. There are many cases in
which the worker is advised by
the people in authority that he
cannot receive chiropractic treat-
ment under Workmen’s Compen-
sation but, this is not true.

Alex B. Macdonal

Barrister & Solicitor
Notary Public

751 Granville Street
VANCOUVER, B,C.

Telephone TAtlow 6641

SOLICITOR TO THE LW. A