News on Screen

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 7th Year

Issue

Issue No.

3

Date Released

Nov 1953

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. Nystagmus: 1. The Conquest of a disease
• 2. BOWHILL UNDERGROUND
• 3. OFF SHORE

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 3

Section Title

Nystagmus

Summary

BFI synopsis: the nature of the disease, and its prevention - good lighting and surfaces reflecting as much light as possible.
NCB Commentary - This is the first of a series of stories on nystagmus. What is nystagmus, anyway?
What the doctors call miners’ nystagmus is a disease confined to the coalfields of Great Britain and Europe. To the general public it may be unknown, but to the mining industry it has been a significant health problem. Older miners know well what nystagmus is. Through the eyes of a sufferer, this is what it can look like.
When you add to these symptoms splitting headaches and giddiness, imagine for yourself the effect on a man’s general health. But today, the mining industry’s medical service, helped by the work of mining engineers, can do a great deal for the sufferer. In future issues of Mining Review we shall follow this man through his medical treatment and back to a healthy working life.
But first things first. In British pits today nystagmus has already been countered by the preventative measures taken underground. For a start, lighting conditions have been improved all round. Today, all lights have to be kept efficient, and even miners’ cap lamps must burn with their maximum brightness.
All surfaces in a pit should reflect as much light as possible. Stone dusting helps towards this. So does the whitewashing of roadways, props and packing surfaces, regularly carried out.
Lighting fittings must be kept clean. The Coal Board have fitted and are fitting more and more fluorescent and tungsten lamps like these in the pits to give and adequate lighting at the coalface.
These preventative measures are the spearhead of the attack against mystagmus. Already the disease is on the retreat. Its final defeat will depend on the best use being made of all the weapons arrayed against it. In next month’s issue, we shall see some of the medical treatments that contribute to the conquest of nystagmus.

Researcher Comments

According to bfi records, this story was filmed on the 18th August 1953. Commentary recorded 5 October 1953.

Keywords

Health and medicine; Science and technology; Mining

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for Synopsis
Film User   Vol.8 No.89 March 1954, p138.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Camera

John Reid

Camera

Kenneth Reeves

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Director

Peter Pickering