Early Union Research Articles

Ceramic Interspinous Block (CISB) Assisted Anterior Interbody Fusion

Ceramic interspinous block (CISB) assisted anterior fusion system was developed. The system is recommended for patients with symptomatic disc degeneration and destructive lesions of the lumbar spine. One hundred and six patients who underwent CISB-assisted anterior fusion by one doctor (H.T.) from 1981 to 1987 were followed-up 2-6 years after the operation. A comparative study of the results between the CISB-assisted group and the CISB-unassisted anterior fusion group, performed by the same doctor during 1979-1981 for deranged disc, was also done. Satisfactory relief of back and leg pains, marked ADL recovery and early bone union were obtained in all of the CISB-assisted anterior fusion cases. The union rate was 98.9% in the CISB-assisted anterior fusion group, whereas in the CISB-unassisted group, it averaged 79%. The efficacy of CISB for anterior interbody fusion was also verified using a computer simulation. CISB implementation appears to create equalization of stress distribution on the graft-vertebra interface.

British artisan unions in the New World

The processes by which trade unions encouraged emigration by their members, and then established branches in the countries where they settled, provide an extreme example of the organizational sophistication of early trade unions. The two major unions involved were the two largest nationally-organized bodies in the period, and by 1910 the overseas branches provided a significant proportion of total membership. The detailed process of branch foundation is an interesting example of spatial diffusion. Given the clear centrifugal forces which led to the eventual separation of the overseas branches, the obvious question is why such networks were ever established, or survived so long. It is argued that an answer can only be found through an understanding of the importance of welfare benefits in early unions. “The society extended to Australia, India, America, Canada and other parts of the world. It might be said of the Society, as it had been said of the British Empire itself, that the sun never set on its might”.

Workers versus Unions in the coal industry

The discussion inaugurated by Herbert Hill goes beyond Herbert Gutman's essay on Richard L. Davis and the United Mine Workers of America1 but we have to start with that essay. One of the themes in Gutman's essay is the role of the UMWA as an "integrated" organization and the egalitarian views of the early union leaders. He writes that "early local and especially national leaders of the union deeply believed in a kind of evangelical egalitar ianism."2 Hill attacks this view (and everything else Gutman writes in this essay) in a bitter polemic. I believe that Hill's position is essentially valid on this point, although not necessarily in the abso? lute form that he gives it. Gutman notes in his essay that "The stress in most labor histories means that little is known of the interaction between Negro and white workers, North and South, in particular communities between 1890 and 1910 so that too much is inferred solely from national policies and mere rhetoric."3 Unfortunately, Gutman does exactly that, infers too much from national policies and rhetoric. The quotations from John Mitchell and others in public print are much too meagre, especially when compared to the real functioning of the union and its leadership, to justify the sweeping conclusions drawn by Gutman. This raises a significant question for labor history, "new" or "old." How much stock can be placed in the written record, so beloved of historians? There are too many examples of unions and union lead? ers (not to mention leaders in other institutions) who provide a self-serving written record in the form of resolutions, testimony before Congressional bodies, etc. and who take positions that they are either unable or unwilling to support in practice. The written record, in short, needs to be taken with a few grains of salt and, wherever possible, checked against other sources. Unfortunately this is not always possible, especially when the events under review are too distant to have any living survivors. Nevertheless, a healthy skepticism should be the least that is expected of the labor historian, especially in view of the long record of deception and manipulation

Swedish Working-Class History

Interest in the history of the Swedish labor movement is almost as old as the movement itself. The Social Democratic Labor party was founded in 1889, and the Central Trade Union Organization (LO) in 1898. And by 1902 the Archives ofthe Labor Movement had been established in Stockholm to preserve the memory of the pioneers of the movement for future generations. The Swedish labor movement has continued to show considerable interest in its own history, and innumerable histories of party organizations and union locals have been published to celebrate anniversaries. Influential individuals have con tributed to their interest, including Sigfrid Hansson, brother of the party leader and Prime Minister, Per-Albin Hansson. Interest among rank-and-file members also has been substantial. At the universities, interest in labor history can be traced to the 1920s. John Lindgren's pioneering book on the formative years ofthe Social Democratic Labor party in the 1880s (1927) was followed in the 1930s by G. Hilding Nordstr?m 's study of the party's history (1938) and Tage Lindbom's work on the early trade union movement (1938). Historical interest within the labor movement and the academic world was

Towards a Geography of Unionization: The Spatial Organization and Distribution of Early British Trade Unions

The paper examines the organizational structure and spatial distribution of the British trade union movement in the nineteenth century, with particular emphasis on the pre-1850 period. A number of novel sources are used, notably the archives of the Registrar of Friendly Societies. It is argued that existing stereotypes place excessive emphasis on the highly localised cultures of the miners; a number of different strands of experience are identified, but the dominant artisan unions evolved rapidly to organization on a national scale, reflecting a trade union culture in which loyalty to a craft dominated local ties.

The World of Women's Trade Unionism: Comparative Historical Essays

This book is a timely contribution to the study of the impact of trade unionism on women in the work force and how women have exercised power within trade unions. This collection of essays contains brief yet comprehensive histories of women's trade union movements in many of the principal industrial nations of the world--Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Argentina, Italy, and the United States. The authors survey the impact of the cult of true womanhood on the growth of trade unionism. Each author analyzes the relationship between early women's trade unions and guilds, identifies the important leaders, and explains how ideologies affected the expansion of trade unions. Among other subjects treated are the movement's relationship to the feminist movement, the effects of economic depression and rationalization of industry, women's attitudes toward protective legislation and political action, and the effect of the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Finally, the authors assess the advances made as the result of equal-pay legislation and progress in the areas of training, promotion, safety, child-care, maternity leave, and reentry into the work force.

Intramedullary Forearm Nailing

Nailing of the forearm, beginning with Schöne, antedated nailing of the femur and tibia. Its slower development appears due to anatomic problems with the radius, the interdependence of the two bones, and the strong torque loads from the pronators and supinators. Kirschner wires, threaded Steinman pins, Küntscher U nails, and Rush pins were investigated extensively on fracture services before 1954 when a square-shaped nail to improve stability and fracture healing was designed. A broaching point, allowing some bite of the corners into the circumference of a reamed canal, provided better control of torque loads. Closed nailing has many advantages, including early union, low incidence of infection, small scars, less blood loss, and, frequently, relatively short operating time with minimal surgical trauma. Complications and pitfalls during surgery relate mainly to improper nail size and reaming technique. Open fractures led to the highest number of infections, and in highly comminuted fractures nonunion was occasionally seen. In a series of 137 nailed fractures, the nonunion rate was 7%. While the compression plates may give a slightly lower nonunion rate than nailing, the incidence was more than offset by the greater incidence of refractures and disfiguring scars.

Comminuted femoral-shaft fractures

In a retrospective study, we attempted to assess progress in the treatment of comminuted fractures of the femoral shaft at Parkland Memorial Hospital from 1978 to 1983. Seventy-nine comminuted femoral-shaft fractures were available for follow-up: thirty-two treated by roller traction, twenty-three treated by cerclage wires and an intramedullary nail, and twenty-four treated by an interlocking intramedullary nail. Using the classification of Winquist and Hansen, Grade-III and IV comminuted fractures accounted for 69 per cent of those treated by roller traction, 68 per cent of those treated by nailing and cerclage wires, and 96 per cent of those treated by an interlocking nail. The frequency of multiple injuries was 38 per cent in the patients treated by roller traction, 39 per cent in those treated by nailing and cerclage wires, and 58 per cent in those treated by an interlocking nail. The average hospitalization times were thirty-one days for roller traction, sixteen days for cerclage wires and an intramedullary nail, and 19.5 days for an interlocking nail. The average length of follow-up was 132 weeks after roller traction, 115 weeks after cerclage wiring and an intramedullary nail, and sixty weeks after insertion of an interlocking nail. All fractures were followed until after union; the average times to union were 18.4 weeks after roller traction, thirty-four weeks after open reduction and intramedullary nailing with cerclage wires, and 13.8 weeks after insertion of an interlocking nail. For the purposes of this study, treatment was assumed to have failed if a change in treatment was necessary, an unplanned reoperation was performed, femoral shortening exceeded 2.5 centimeters, angulation was more than 15 degrees, non-union or a deep infection developed, motion of the knee was less than 70 degrees of flexion, or a refracture occurred. By these criteria, the frequency of failure after roller traction was 66 per cent (secondary to malalignment and shortening); after insertion of an intramedullary nail with cerclage wires, 39 per cent (secondary to unplanned surgery, non-union, shortening, and infection); and after use of an interlocking nail, 4 per cent (secondary to shortening). Currently, at our institution, an interlocking intramedullary nail is the treatment of choice for comminuted femoral-shaft fractures because it encourages early union with maintenance of length and alignment and the results are predictable.

External Fixation by Hoffmann-Vidal-Adrey Osteotaxis for Severe Tibial Fractures

In addition to the many advantages of external fixation, e.g., Hoffmann's osteotaxis technique, in the treatment of severe, open tibial fractures (grades II and III), some disadvantages result from both technical factors and the nature of the bone injury. Risk of delayed union or nonunion and secondary bone atrophy is due not only to the severity, comminution, soft tissue injury, and/or infection of the fracture site but also to the prolonged use of the external fixation equipment and the long nonweight-bearing time. In addition, a small distraction between the main fragments is often present after an otherwise successful reduction of an unstable comminuted fracture. The use of compression rods in an attempt to remove the distraction often leads to loss of the reduction result (sliding effect). The necessary compression effect between the tibial fragments in early weight-bearing is further prevented by the usual early union of the fibular fracture, which enhances the danger of delayed union or nonunion in the tibia, especially in older persons. To prevent the ossification disturbances mentioned, the authors treated 79 patients during the period from 1971 to 1978 by osteotaxis consisting of (1) a relatively short fixation time (less than or equal to 10 weeks); (2) correspondingly early graded weight-bearing in a cast; and (3) prophylactic fibulectomy in patients with the distraction phenomenon of comminuted tibial fractures. These patients have been followed up for an average of more than five years. This treatment scheme used during the early phase of treatment is often effective in producing union of tibial fractures without bone grafting. However, during later phases closed intramedullary nailing (Küntscher nail) can be used as a reliable method to treat the few severe cases that are resistant to the measures mentioned.

X-Ray Diagnosis of Healing Fractures in Rabbits

Do X-rays adequately reflect the strength of callus post fracture? Eleven rabbit tibiae were manually fractured and allowed to heal in plaster. At varying times post fracture, the rabbits were sacrificed and the tibiae were removed. AP and lateral X-rays of each tibia were obtained and shown to 27 orthopedists and radiologists who were asked to rank the bones in order of strength. The valid ranking was done using data obtained by loading the bones axially to failure in an Instron machine. Each physician's ranking was compared with that obtained from the Instron with a median correlation level p=0.0668. This implies that a physician, whether an orthopedist or radiologist, is not very reliable at determining early osseous union.

The role of management and trade unions in the future performance of British industry

British trade unions were the first to protect the interests of working people because it was Britain that had pioneered industrial development. Most unions were based primarily on craft to begin with. They were an extension of the old guild system, and entrance into them required a long apprenticeship but conferred considerable benefits in terms of security and status. Many of them had complicated and often idealistic constitutions such as the Engineers Union with its democratic checks and balances based on the philosophy of Rousseau. In fact these early unions were designed as much to protect the workers in them against other workers as to take on the role of social organisations resisting unfair employers.The large unions for manual workers came later as more and more working class people abandoned the land and fled to the factories. These unions were more embracing, less concerned about qualification and often survive today with essentially the same constitution and rule books of their original founders. The main role of these unions quickly became the alleviation of the lot of working people at a time when the worst type of industrial boss practised the survival of the fittest, while often the weak went to the wall.

Vascular Pedicle Fibular Transplantation as Treatment for Bone Tumor

In 4 cases of bone tumor in which extensive bone defects resulted from removal of the tumorous focus, vascular pedicle free fibular transplantation was performed using microsurgical techniques together with filling the defects with iliac bone. Early bone union was achieved. Atrophy and fracture were avoided. Early postoperative physical therapy was possible. The vessels selected in the recipient site are dependent upon the location of the graft bed, but the anastomosed site of the vessels should be kept outside of the graft bed. It is important to plan the operation so as to avoid motion at the site of callus formation and tension at the anastomosis site.

An early trades union and its fate

An early trades union and its fate

A Trade Union of the North-East Coast Seamen in 1825

DR MCCORD has recently shown that the merchant seamen of the ports of north-east England (especially those employed on colliers sailing from the Tyne and Wear to London) had a history of militant action at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries.' The major strikes which occurred in I 792, I 796, and i8I 5 were, however, organized on an ad hoc basis, even though this was an extremely effective one, showing that the seamen were a well-knit community with established, if unofficial, leadership. Within a decade of the settlement of their two-month-long strike in i8I5, which aimed at maintaining wages which were falling from high wartime levels and fixing a level of manning linked to tonnage of ship, the seamen had created a formal trade organization. While this was always ostensibly a friendly society to provide benefits for its members, it soon began to adopt the attitudes and functions of a trade union-probably the first effective seamen's union in the country and certainly one of the earliest unions in north-east England. Its activities in i825 and i826, which led to rioting and industrial action by the seamen, provide a valuable insight into the attitudes of workmen and the responses of employers and the authorities to union militancy in the period immediately after the repeal of the Combination Acts. In the years after i 8 I 5 economic depression and an over-supply of labour made it difficult for the seamen to organize and to bargain effectively. With the exception of a small increase in wages, obtained on the Tyne in I 8 I 8 under the threat of strike action, and granted by the Wear shipowners in the following year, the seamen remained quiescent. By i 824, however, they were' becoming restive, largely as a result of improving trading conditions and hence the growing opportunities for industrial action. In the spring of i 824 it was the shipwrights on both Tyneside and Wearside who were first involved in disputes with their employers for an increase in wages, and since there was an obvious connexion between the two groups of workers it may well be that the combination on the part of the shipwrights encouraged the seamen to take further organizational steps.2 It is interesting to note that strike action by the seamen before this time had been on a unilateral basis with no overall co-ordination between the north-east ports. In

Shortened fifth medial phalanges

AbstractA radiographic study was made of the left fifth medial phalanges of 200 Philadelphia Negro and 96 Chinese children. Twelve cases of abnormal shortening of this bone (defined, for the present, as less than half the length of the fourth medial phalanx) were found in the Chinese sample, while none were found in the Negroes. This trait, brachymesophalangy 5, in general seems to be characterized by short but well proportioned diaphyses and cone‐shaped epiphyses with very early union. Population surveys reported in the literature indicate that this trait is considerably more common in Mongoloid and American Indian populations than in Whites or Negroes. The mode of inheritance of this genetic trait is uncertain, but present evidence indicates that it may be a simple autosomal recessive.

Early Carriage and Auto Unions: The Impact of Industrialization and Rival Unionism

This historical study focuses on unionism in the carriage and early automobile industries and describes the labor organizations active there between 1890 and 1930. These are the Carriage Workers Union, the Carriage, Wagon and Automobile Union, and the United Automobile, Aircraft and Vehicle Workers. There was continuity among these three organizations, and, indeed, the author traces threads from them to the present-day UAW. All three of these early unions faced problems from employer opposition, the business cycle, technological change, and rivalry from various craft unions. These factors ultimately combined to defeat industrial unionism in the carriage and auto industries during the period discussed. The strength, at various times, of these early unions was nevertheless surprising, and their life cycles provide an interesting view of the historical antecedents of contemporary labor relations in the automobile industry. (Author's abstract courtesy EBSCO.)

Short oblique fracture of the tibia.

In a series of 598 fractures of the tibia, 29 were found to be located near the junction of the middle and lower thirds of the bone. The level of the fracture in this group of cases was on the average 7.6 cm. proximal to the ankle joint. In spite of the homogeneity of this group, the methods of treatment were varied, the time at which union occurred could not be stated precisely, and the end-results ranged from early union with excellent function to repeated infection with ultimate amputation. Whether the fibula remained intact or was broken at the same time did not appear to affect the healing of the tibia, and tibial healing in the presence of a fibular fracture took just as long when the fibular fracture was high as when it was low. However, when tibial fracture line was short (e. g., 4.5 cm. in length as compared with 8 cm.) with a fibular fracture at the same level, the structure was extremely unstable. For such cases some type of internal fixation is recommended.

Arteriography of the hip joint for predicting end results in intracapsular and intertrochanteric fractures of the femur

Nine patients with intracapsular and three patients with intertrochanteric fractures of the femur were studied by means of arteriography to determine if any significant abnormality could be found in the vascular pattern and, if such existed, if it bore any relationship to the end result of the fracture. Of the twelve patients, eight were female and four were male. The age range was from twenty-five to eighty-one years. There were no deaths in the series and no untoward reactions of any kind due to the procedure. Two of the twelve patients were discarded from the study because of the poor quality of the arteriograms obtained. Two patients had excellent blood supply and the fractures showed very early union. Four patients had a definitely inadequate blood supply as shown by arteriography. Of these four, one showed early evidences of non-union; one went on to absorption and aseptic necrosis; one displayed union at sixteen months; and in the other the neck of the femur was shortened by absorption, but union occurred. Three patients had a limited blood supply as indicated by arteriography. One of these three showed a good supply, although inadequacies existed, and there was early union of the fracture. One showed a fair supply only, but there was early union of the fracture, contrary to results expected. One showed a limited but apparently adequate blood supply and healing was slow with the fracture line still visible at eight months. The remaining patient had a moderate to poor blood supply. In this case there was absorption of the head of the femur but union began at eight months. Figure 2 shows a poor vascular pattern as determined by arteriography, and is representative of such cases found. The medial femoral circumflex was absent. No trochanteric, capsular or cervical vessels were seen. The lateral femoral circumflex was present. This patient did poorly and showed early non-union at four months. Figure 3 illustrates an excellent blood supply. Both lateral femoral circumflex and medial femoral circumflex are large with many capsular and cervical branches well filled. The fracture, though trochanteric, showed early union at two and one-half months.

Trade Unions - The Early English Trade Unions: Documents from the Home Office Papers in the Public Record Office. By Arthur Aspinall. London: The Batchworth Press, 1949. Pp. xxxi, 410. $6.75.

Trade Unions - The Early English Trade Unions: Documents from the Home Office Papers in the Public Record Office. By Arthur Aspinall. London: The Batchworth Press, 1949. Pp. xxxi, 410. $6.75.

WEDGE OSTEOTOMY FOR FRESH INTRACAPSULAR FRACTURES OF THE NECK OF THE FEMUR

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