Non-fatal Accident

Patrick Slowe

Durham Miners' Association
Compensation Committee

1353. Dean and Chapter. Patrick Slowe, 38, hewer.

First fell off with Nystagmus on June 30th, 1914, and was paid full compensation until January 30th, 1915, when he was offered light work in the timber yard. The case was referred to the Official Medical Referee who reported on March 10th, 1918, that Slowe was unable to do the light work. He was paid full compensation until January, 1918, when his own doctor certified he could find no nystagmus and that Slowe was fit for work down the pit. Slowe commenced to hew and continued for months and then fell off again, and claims to be based off the present hewers' wages in assessing his light work rate. The manager contended that the Nystagmus is a continuation of that contracted in 1914.

Referred to Dr. A. S. Percival for a report.

Source: NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/43, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1918 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)

Durham Miners' Association
Compensation Department

1353. Dean and Chapter. Patrick Slowe, 38, hewer.

First fell off with nystagmus on June 30th, 1914, and was paid full compensation until January 30th, 1915, when he was offered light work in the timber yard.

The Official Medical Referee (A. S. Percival) reported on March 10th, 1915, that Slowe was unable to do the light work. He was then paid full compensation until December 17th, 1917, when he started work as a hewer again, his doctor having certified he was recovered from the nystagmus. He continued to hew until March 29th, 1918, when he had to fall off again owing to nystagmus.

Slowe is at present doing light work in the timber yard, but seeks to have his light work rate based off the difference between the light work wage and the present hewers' wage, instead of the hewers' wage that obtained when he fell off with nystagmus in 1914.

The case was before the last Committee when it was referred to Dr Percival for a report, and he reported on August 29th, as follows:

He says :— "He noticed no nystagmus in December, 1917, when he re-started hewing, and he continued in good health for 3 months. After that time headaches began and lights began dancing, etc."

On examination :— "His hands when extended are tremulous, and he still has slight nystagmus. which can be elicited although it is not present persistently."

"My opinion is that he practically recovered from the obvious characteristic signs of the disease in the latter part of 1917, but such recovery is only from some of the signs, and not from the disease itself, which is sure to manifest itself by a recurrence of the cardinal signs if the work of hewing is resumed."

We were bound to accept the doctor's report, and our claim to be based off the present hewers' rate could not be sustained.

Source: NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/6/1/1/1, Reports of the Compensation Department, Vol I covering Sep 1918-Dec 1919

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