BIOLOGY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS 



first group and 9 per cent of the second had some health 

 defect as determined by the medical examinations. 



At least one of these three conditions was present in 77 

 per cent of the high-accident cases, and in 23 per cent of 

 the low-accident cases. The most interesting finding, how- 

 ever, comes to light when we compare the proportions of 

 high-accident and low-accident men among the thirty- 

 eight motormen who had more than one of these condi- 

 tions. Thirty-six of them are high-accident men; only 

 two are low. Stated differently, the presence of more than 

 one of these conditions in the same individual occurs in 

 42 per cent of the high group, but in only 2 per cent of the 

 low group. In other words, within this sample of eighty- 

 six motormen, if a man is defective in health and aptitude, 

 or health and personality, or aptitude and personality, as 

 measured in the way here described, the chances are less 

 than one in twenty that he will be found in the low- 

 accident group. 



Findings of this kind emphasize the necessity of indi- 

 vidualized treatment of accident proneness, a treatment 

 based on an intelligent diagnosis of behavior patterns 

 exhibited both on and off the job, supplemented when 

 necessary by medical and psychological examinations. 

 Treatment then takes the form of specific instruction, 

 medical attention, encouragement, or discipline, as the 

 individual case may require, together with close super- 

 visory follow-up. Much can be accomplished through the 

 regular channels of supervision, when street inspectors, 

 safety supervisors, and division superintendents all accept 

 their share of responsibility for dealing with the motormen 

 and bus operators in a manner which clearly recognizes 

 the differences between the individuals whose work they 

 oversee — differences in ability and strength, differences in 

 skill and alertness, differences in temperament and health, 

 differences in physique and age, differences in knowledge 



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