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Show I oo WHAT SICKNESS COSTS THE NATION. We do not take serious note of the impairment of our efficiency caused by sickness until war brings home the loss in the nation's working power due to disease. It is estimated that in Pennsylvania alone eight million work-ing work-ing days are lost each year through preventable sickness. Every worker in Pennsylvania loses on an average six days a year because of sickness. At this rate the loss to the shipyards would be 600,000 days annually, or time enough to build 4,-000 4,-000 big ships. The loss to the coal mines would be 2,1-12,000 working days, in which time -1,500,000 tons could be mined, enough to keep all the people of a great metropolis warm for more than a year.'' - The report declares that present facilities fa-cilities for the medical care of workmen work-men are unsatisfactory, more than one-fourth one-fourth of the seriously sick workers having received no medical care whatever what-ever and moro than half of those who are sick still trying to work without medical attention. Hospital facilities arc shockingly inadequate, according iw me report, which states that In sl.v-Ucen sl.v-Ucen counties, there are no hospitals at all. State administered health insurance now being investigated by the Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania commission as -well as by legislative commissions in seven other slates, is supported by labor organiza-tlons organiza-tlons in most of the industrial states as a foremost measure of national effectiveness ef-fectiveness for the purpose of reclaiming re-claiming the human and industrial waste caused by preventable sickness. It provides that at a cost of only a few cents each week to the worker and his employer, tho wage earner and his family -will receive In time of sickness a (cash benefit to meet family expenses ex-penses and In addition adequate medical medi-cal treatment Including a specialist's service and hospital care If required, and special maternity benefits for working mothers and wives of working men. |