Pension Fund Report 221 



ployees have in such cases been carefully examined and ad- 

 vised by Dr. Anderton, and have been given help in obtaining 

 the needed medical or hospital treatment. Wherever possible, 

 a choice of hospitals has been given. Seven employees have 

 received such aid during the past year, the majority obtaining 

 relief as a result. 



The matter of securing endowed beds for the use of Museum 

 employees was taken up again in 1918 by the Board, but it was 

 not found possible to conclude a satisfactory arrangement. 



In order to keep the Pension Fund intact, the Trustees of the 

 Museum, at a meeting held early in 1918, agreed to reimburse 

 the Fund for such amounts as it might be necessary to pay on 

 account of casualties occurring among the subscribing mem- 

 bers in the national service, to a total amount not exceeding 

 $5,000. As estimate showed that $5,000 was the approximate 

 maximum liability of the Fund on account of war losses, the 

 provision was a guaranty of the integrity of the Pension Fund. 

 It served also as a further evidence of the liberality and in- 

 terest of the Trustees in affairs touching the welfare of Pension 

 members and their families. 



The Pension Board, having in mind the health of subscrib- 

 ing members of the Fund and of other employees, have sug- 

 gested to the Trustees of the corporation the desirability of 

 retaining a physician, whose duty it should be to make free 

 periodical examinations of employees, with a view to the pre- 

 vention and correction of ailments. While such an arrange- 

 ment would involve considerable expense, it is anticipated that 

 the benefits to and the increased efficiency of the employees 

 would be an adequate return on the investment. 



As a result of the greatly increased living expenses and the 

 high wage levels prevailing in industrial occupations, some of 

 the subscribing employees in 1918 requested leave of absence 

 for the period of the war, with a view to earning more money. 

 While the Museum authorities would have welcomed the 

 opportunity of assisting these employees in any legitimate way, 

 they felt that to permit such leave of absence would be unjust, 

 as the members, although absent from their work in the Mu- 

 seum, would none the less remain liabilities against the Fund, 



