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lating machine is used. The figures and facts to be tabulated are taken from the reports of injuries and punched on special symbol cards; then these cards are run through the sortingmachine to get groups of cards which correspond to the number of cases in a certain desired classification group. The next process is to have these various piles of cards run through an automatic counting machine which registers the number in each pile. When these numbers are all entered in the proper place on the classification sheets, the statistics are then ready for final tabulation and analysis.

Obviously, in carrying on the duties of the Industrial Accident Board there is considerable work in merely running the business itself. This work is handled by the general office department, which has charge of the accounts, purchasing and receiving supplies, shipping documents and reports, mailing and all other general work.

At Springfield there is maintained a branch office of the Industrial Accident Board. This office is not a department in the sense of those just described, but is intended to carry out the general work of the Board on any and all questions which may arise in that district.

At the Boston office, also, the following departments have to do, not exactly with the routine work, but their main function is to keep the Board informed at all times of any questions which come up under the act. The first of these departments to be considered is that which keeps the Board informed and advised on the medical problems which arise under the act. The medical adviser examines all impartial physicians' reports, considers requests for impartial examinations, and then, after analyzing the facts of the case, both as to the cause of the dispute, examinations already made, and other data which he may have in his possession, selects the physician who he thinks may best deal with the particular problem, keeping in mind, of course, the place where the person to be examined resides; also, when a question comes before an arbitration committee or before the full Board, the medical adviser is of great assistance by reason of the information which he can give. In general, any matter which has to do with the medical aspects of the law are sub

mitted to this department for the purpose of obtaining advice to be used by the Board in its consideration and decision of the cases.

The Board also receives assistance on medical questions by the medical advisory committee. This committee is made up of four physicians, selected by the presidents of the Massachusetts Medical Society and Massachusetts Homœopathic Society, and three who are appointed by the Industrial Accident Board. The main duty of this body is to pass upon doctors' bills, payments of which are disputed by the insurance companies on the ground that they are not reasonable. These questions are decided on an industrial basis, in accordance with the average minimum fee of the district where the physician has his office.

The Board is further aided in passing upon questions of medical fact by impartial physicians who are appointed, under Part III., section 8 of the statute, to examine injured employees in disputed or doubtful cases, and to report to the Board upon questions of incapacity for work; upon the relation of cause and effect between injury and disease, or injury and death; upon the reasonableness and necessity of operations; and upon methods of aiding employees to recover from the effects of their injuries. These and other similar questions all have to do with the just administration of the law and the furnishing of its benefits to those who are fairly entitled to them.

Another internal unit is the inspection department, the main functions of which have to do with the investigation of causes of injuries for which compensation may be claimed. Among the numerous duties discharged by the department under this heading are the investigation of death cases in which there is some degree of doubt as to the connection between the death of an employee and the injury, and the investigation of disputes on such questions as average weekly wages, duration of incapacity for work, facts as to whether an injury actually occurred as alleged, requests for lump-sum payments, requests for further medical attendance beyond the period of two weeks, facts regarding the average minimum medical fee in certain localities, and, in general, complaints of all kinds. Briefly stated, any and all matters that require investigation are looked up and

reported upon by this department, with the end in view that the desire of the Board for speedy payments in every case may be attained.

For the purpose of investigating causes of injuries this department selects various plants throughout the Commonwealth, and has prepared statistical studies to show the experience for a given period at these factories or places of business. With these studies as a basis, inspectors visit factories and take up with the management the problems of accident prevention. Following the inspections which are made, reports are submitted with recommendations for safeguarding machinery and danger points in the plant. The attempt, also, is made in all cases to get the consent of the management to take up actively the organization of safety committees. In this latter work the fact is made known that any Board member or inspector is available, when requested, to help in the formation of such committees.

This department, also, is from time to time given special assignments on various problems which arise in administering the act.

Another department of the Board devoted exclusively to the matter of accident prevention is the safety museum. This museum has a growing collection of exhibits on various types of safety devices. There is kept, and catalogued, literature on different phases of the subject; also there is an information file to show where safety devices may be procured, and data on approximate costs. This museum is intended to be of assistance to employers in carrying out recommendations made by the Board, and also to make available to those interested devices which the employer himself may desire to install.

The preceding exposition has dealt with the machinery by means of which the Industrial Accident Board carries on its work of administering the Workmen's Compensation Act. What follows is a description and explanation of the principal provisions of the act, also matters upon which the Board or its members act directly.

The first matter to be taken up along this line is the procedure by means of which disputed claims are adjusted. In

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accordance with Part III., sections 5 and 6 of the act, provision is made for the formation of arbitration committees whose duty it is to hear the facts in disputed cases and to render decisions thereon. One member of the Board acts as chairman of the committee, and each of the interested parties names a representative.

As ruled by the Board on the basis of the legal provision, arbitration is held under the following circumstances:

1. In every disputed case where there has been no adjustment of compensation, the course of procedure is for the parties to come before a committee of arbitration.

2. If, where an agreement is signed and compensation is to cover a certain fixed period, and after that period is ended. there is a dispute as to the recurrence or continuance of disability, the procedure then is to come before a committee of arbitration.

When a decision of an arbitration committee is made, unless a claim for review is filed within seven days, such decision is enforcible under section 11, Part III., through the Superior Court.

A claim for review from a decision of a committee of arbitration is provided for under section 10, Part III. of the act. Such cases are heard by the Board, usually for the purpose of determining whether the decision rendered is in accordance with the evidence and the provisions of the law. If the facts are insufficient, the Board may refer the matter back to the committee of arbitration for further findings of fact, and may uphold or revise the opinion given. This process, in which the wisdom of the full Board is applied to a case, is a very effective and important check in the administration of the act.

Under section 11, Part III., still another safeguard is provided in the right to appeal from a review hearing for the purpose of obtaining a decision from the Supreme Judicial Court. This right also gives the Board an opportunity to obtain an interpretation of the law in relation to certain questions which are raised by the parties at interest.

The next important provision of the act to be considered is that which deals with the review of weekly payments under

section 12, Part III. This provision is applied when a committee of arbitration has once acted on a case and decided that a man's compensation should continue indefinitely, and later a dispute arises between the parties as to whether the compensation should be "increased, diminished or ended.” In such cases the matter is reviewed by the full Board, and a decision is rendered on the facts presented.

Another important matter upon which the Board acts directly arises in applications for a lump-sum settlement. By section 22, Part II. of the act every settlement for liability by the payment of a lump sum must first have the approval of the full Board.

Section 13, Part III. of the act gives to the Board the power of approval over the fees of physicians and attorneys. In the matter of physicians' fees much of this work can be performed on the basis of standards determined by the Board. The approval of attorneys' fees is usually brought up in cases of lumpsum settlements and in arbitration cases.

Another important provision which must be acted on by the Board directly is under section 3, Part III. of the act, in which the power is given to "make rules not inconsistent with this act for carrying out the provisions of the act." By means of this section the Board is able to adopt simple working rules which facilitate the administration of the act. The Board's policy in this matter has been to have as few and simple rules as possible, in order to avoid confusion and to expedite settlements.

Also, the full Board has done very important work in the matter of making informal rulings. Oftentimes certain cases arise in which there is no established precedent under the Massachusetts act, and in these cases the request is often made that the full Board give a ruling as to a probable decision on the facts presented. Such rulings, which are made without prejudice to the rights of either party to a formal hearing, often lead to adjustments which otherwise could not be attained, except in the way prescribed under the act for settling disputed cases. Such rulings are asked not only in actual cases, but sometimes information is desired in hypothetical cases, where the opinion of the Industrial Accident Board will assist an employer, for

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