as felt the magnitude of this rate of casualties because
either his home or that of a friend was blighted by one or more of these
tragedies in the nineteen months. However, R. E. Simpson of the Travelers
Insurance Company has stated that:

During a one-year period in this country the number of
accidents due to inadequate or improper lighting exceeds the
yearly rate of our war casualties.

This is a startling comparison, which emphasizes a phase of lighting
that has long been recognized by experts but has been generally ignored
by the industries and by the public. The condition doubtless is due
largely to a lag in the proper utilization of artificial lighting behind
the rapid increase in congestion in the industries and in public places.

Accident prevention is an important phase of modern life which must
receive more attention. From published statistics and conservative
estimates it has been concluded that there are approximately 25,000
persons killed or permanently disabled, 500,000 seriously injured, and
1,000,000 slightly injured each year in this country. Translating these
figures by means of the accident severity rates, Mr. Simpson has found
that there is a total of 180,000,000 days of time lost per year. This is
equivalent to the loss of services of 600,000 men for a full year of 300
work-days. This loss is distributed over the entire country and
consequently its magnitude is not demonstrated excepting by statistics.
Of course, the causes of the accidents are numerous, but, among the
means of prevention, proper lighting is important.

According to some authorities at least 18 per cent. of these accidents
are due to defects in lighting. On this basis the services of 108,000
men as producers and wage-earners are continually lost at the present
time because the lighting is not sufficient or proper for the safety of
workers. If the full year's labor of 108,000 men could be applied to the
mining of coal, 130,000,000 million tons of coal would be added to the
yearly output; and only 10,000 tons would be necessary to supply
adequate lighting for this army of men working for a full year for ten
hours each day.

Statistics obtained under the British workmen's compensation system show
that 25 per cent. of the accidents were caused by inadequate lighting of
industrial plants.

Much has been said and actually done regarding the saving of fuel by
curtailing lighting, but the saving may easily be converted