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September 2, 2016

Strange But True!

Q. When you think about the history of medical practice, railroads probably don't come to mind. But why should they?

A. In the year 1900, one in every 28 railroad employees was injured on the job, and one in 399 died, says Jack El-Hai in Discover magazine. Brakemen lost hands while coupling cars, boilers exploded, and passengers were maimed in derailments or suffered common medical emergencies far from medical facilities. The railroads responded by developing railway surgery.


 
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