South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 09 May 1942
Sun-Ray Treatment For Miners
Another Manvers Main Amenity
When the new pithead canteen opened this (Friday) afternoon at Manvers Main Colliery by Mr. D. R. Grenfell, Secretary for Mines, he will also formally open a solarium which has been provided for the men by the Company.
This solarium will enable employees to enjoy regular doses of artificial sunshine to make up for what they miss by working underground. Surface workers will also be catered for. The installation is unique in the mining industry, and also novel in its use of the conveyor method by which the men are carried past a battery of artificial sun-ray lamps on an endless conveyor belt.
Ultraviolet irradiation and radiant heat treatment are provided in the solarium.
The solarium which has been in use since February, will be of immense value to the miner. It means that every miner will be able to have small concentrated doses of ultra-violet rays daily. Those who have to work in artificial light, and especially underground suffer from the effects of lack of ultra-violet rays. The absorption of these rays by the skin produces substances which are vital to bodily health, and increase the individual’s resistance to infection, the healing of wounds and the speeding up of the repair of fractures. In rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis it is believed that while muscular strain a contributory factor the underlying cause is to be found in a deficiency of vitamins and endocrine secretions. There is accumulating evidence from workshops and factories where ultra-violet rays are available, that there is a decrease in the severity of rheumatism and a shortening of the disability period in accidents as well as a reduction of common colds.
The solarium has been designed and positioned to form hart of the workers’ normal bathing facilities and It is situated near chewer bath cubicles.
After bathing men go to the solarium, walk on to a rubber conveyor and are transported twat radiant heat and ultra-violet lamps. The effective length of the conveyor is 50 feet, anti the time spent on it is 25 minutes, giv- I ing 15 minutes of ultra-violet exposure. Twenty-five men can be accommodated on the conveyor at once. The treatment is continuous and more than 650 men can be given ultra-violet and radiant heat treatment in an hour. About 1,200 men are treated per day. There are 12 ultra-violet lamps and 14 radiant heat lamps. The conveyor is a specially designed man-carrying conveyor. In the event of it coming to a standstill the lamps are extinguished.
The solarium is built on the ground floor of the pithead baths, and gives facilities for quick treatment to men occupying ground stair locker rooms, but very shortly it is hoped to put in entrance and exit staircases in order to give equal facilities to men using the first floor locker rooms. It is so arranged at present that no attendant is required. It is hoped to provide restricted facilities for persons other than those using the pithead baths to undergo treatment, and one or two dressing cubicles are being Installed for this purpose.
The solarlum is operated four times daily, about 5 a.m., between 12.30 and 4 p.m., 7 p.m.. and at the end of the afternoon shift about 9 or 10 o’clock.
The whole lay-out has been carried out by Manvers Main Colliery staff, with Dr. William Beaumont, Physician in charge of Physiotherapy Department, Westminster Hospital, London: Manor House Industrial Hospital, London: Honorary Medical Director. Institute of Ray Therapy. London, and Consultant Physiotherapist, Emergency Hospital Scheme. Sector 7, as consultant. The manufacturers are Hanovia, Ltd. The conveying equipment is by the Mining Engineering Company, Worcester (better known as Meco) and the building by A. J. Pugh (Rawmarsh).
Mr. Max Woosnam (deputy chairman of directors) will preside at this afternoon’s opening ceremony, which will be performed by M r. Grenfeil. In addition to other directors and executives of the company there will also be present Lord Horder, Physician in Ordinary to the King. Mr. W. Paling. M.P., Mr. E. Dunn. M.P., Mr. F. Collindridge, M.P., and Mr. J A Hall J.P. President of the Y.M.A.