Find the Best Study Materials and Full Test Bank downloads at testbankbell.

com

Test Bank for Health Informatics 2nd Edition

Nelson,

http://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-health-
informatics-2nd-edition-nelson/

OR CLICK HERE

DOWLOAD NOW

Explore extensive Test Banks for all subjects on testbankbell.com

 Instant digital products (PDF, ePub, MOBI) ready for you
Download now and discover formats that fit your needs...

Start reading on any device today!

Test Bank for Health Informatics: An Interprofessional

Approach 1st Edition

https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-health-informatics-an-
interprofessional-approach-1st-edition/

testbankbell.com

Test Bank for Experience Communication, 2nd Edition,

Jeffrey Child, Judy Pearson Paul Nelson

https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-experience-
communication-2nd-edition-jeffrey-child-judy-pearson-paul-nelson/

testbankbell.com

ORGB 5th Edition Nelson Test Bank

https://testbankbell.com/product/orgb-5th-edition-nelson-test-bank/

testbankbell.com

Test Bank for ORGB 3rd Edition by Nelson

https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-orgb-3rd-edition-by-
nelson/

testbankbell.com
Test bank Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of
Knowledge 4th Edition McGonigle

https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-nursing-informatics-and-
the-foundation-of-knowledge-4th-edition-mcgonigle/

testbankbell.com

Informatics and Nursing Opportunities and Challenges 4th

Edition Sewell Thede Test Bank

https://testbankbell.com/product/informatics-and-nursing-
opportunities-and-challenges-4th-edition-sewell-thede-test-bank/

testbankbell.com

Handbook of Informatics for Nurses and Healthcare

Professionals Hebda 5th Edition Test Bank

https://testbankbell.com/product/handbook-of-informatics-for-nurses-
and-healthcare-professionals-hebda-5th-edition-test-bank/

testbankbell.com

Test Bank for Health Psychology, 2nd Canadian Edition :

Taylor

https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-health-psychology-2nd-
canadian-edition-taylor/

testbankbell.com

Introduction to Global Health, 2nd Edition Test Bank

https://testbankbell.com/product/introduction-to-global-health-2nd-
edition-test-bank/

testbankbell.com
 Health Informatics 2nd Edition Nelson,
Full chapter at:
https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-health-informatics-2nd-edition-nelson/

Chapter 1: Introduction: The Evolution of Health Informatics

Test Bank

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The historical roots of computer science can be traced to:

a. language development, especially English.
b. mathematics and engineering.
c. library science.
d. medicine and nursing.
ANS: B
The historical roots of computer science can be traced back to mathematics and engineering.
The historical roots of information science began in library science. Language development
and medicine and nursing are not the roots of computer science.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand REF: p. 3

2. The historical roots of information science can be traced to:

a. language development, especially English.
b. mathematics and engineering.
c. library science.
d. medicine and nursing.
ANS: C
The historical roots of information science began in library science. The historical roots of
computer science can be traced back to mathematics and engineering. Language development
and medicine and nursing are not the roots of information science.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand REF: pp. 3-4

3. The first book to include the term nursing informatics in the title was written in the:
a. 1960s.
b. 1970s.
c. 1980s.
d. 1990s.
ANS: C
The first book to include the term nursing informatics in the title was published in 1988.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember REF: p. 6

4. As knowledge develops and expands within a discipline, which information source will
include the oldest but best organized representation of that knowledge?
 a. Conference presentations
b. Conference proceedings
c. Journal articles
d. Books
ANS: D
The information source that includes the oldest but best organized representation of
knowledge is books.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply REF: p. 5

5. Which technical development created a tension between centralized and decentralized

computer management in healthcare?
a. The development of punch cards
b. The elimination of punch cards
c. The development of the mainframe computer
d. The development of the personal computer
ANS: D
The development of the personal computer created tension between centralized and
decentralized computer management in healthcare. The other responses highlight aspects of
decentralized computer management.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply REF: p. 3

6. Which of the following is not a member organization but rather a group of organizations?
a. AMIA
b. HIMSS
c. AHIMA
d. ANI
ANS: D
The Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI) is an organization of organizations. This is not a
member group. AMIA, HIMSS, and AHIMA are all member groups.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember REF: p. 7

7. Which statement concerning educational programs in health informatics is correct?

a. All health informatics programs are offered at the graduate level.
b. Informatics programs offered by medical schools always require students to have
earned an MD for admission.
c. All health informatics programs are located within health-related departments or
schools such as nursing, medicine, or pharmacy.
d. Health informatics programs range from certificate programs offered at the
community college level to post-doctoral programs offered at major research
institutions.
ANS: D
The correct response is health informatics programs range from certificate programs offered at
the community college level to post-doctoral programs offered at major research institutions.
Not all informatics programs require an MD, are at the graduate level, or are located within
schools of health sciences.
 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply REF: pp. 9-10

8. Which statement related to certification in health informatics is correct?

a. A master’s in nursing is required to sit for the NI examination offered by ANCC.
b. To be certified in clinical informatics in association with AMIA, one must first be
a physician.
c. There are no specific educational requirements for CPHIMS certification through
HIMSS, but three years of full-time clinical experience in health IT is required.
d. To be certified as CPHIMS, you must be a nurse.
ANS: B
To be certified in clinical informatics in association with AMIA, one must first be a physician.
You do not need to have an MSN to sit for the NI exam by the ANCC. There are specific
requirements for CPHIMS, but being a nurse is not one of them.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply REF: p. 11

MULTIPLE RESPONSE

9. The term informatics is derived from: (Select all that apply.)

a. Dutch.
b. English.
c. Russian.
d. Arabic.
e. French.
ANS: B, C, E
The term informatics was derived from the following languages: English, Russian, and
French.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand REF: p. 4

10. When the AMIA model is used, which subfields are categorized as clinical informatics?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Medical informatics
b. Nursing informatics
c. Dental informatics
d. Chemical informatics
e. Business informatics
ANS: A, B, C
When the AMIA model is used, the following disciplines are categorized as clinical
informatics: medical informatics, nursing informatics, and dental informatics. The other
responses are not clinically related.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze REF: p. 14

Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
this amount would have been earned by spare men, but this
consideration by no means allays the “irritation” of the regular men.
Multiply this irritation by the number of railroads in the United
States, and the Brown system of discipline is accounted for. From the
safety point of view, the greater the “irritation” the more evident
becomes the necessity for some system calculated to control and put
a stop to the negligence that produces the irritation. The Brown
system very effectively allays this irritation at the expense of the
public safety, by treating the negligence as a matter of secondary
importance.
But although the Brown system and its modifications may reasonably
be termed the American method, nevertheless here and there one
comes across an instance of an American railroad that has discarded
it and adopted a radically different method, with exceedingly
satisfactory results. One of the roads that has broken away from the
Brown system is the Chicago & Alton.
A few months ago, while in Bloomington, Ill., the writer paid a visit
to what is termed “The C. & A. Stereopticon Car.” So far as I am
aware, there are only two or three of these cars on American
railroads. The car is, in fact, a training school and lecture hall for the
benefit of the employees. Mr. Perdue, the man in charge, is a
veteran employee of over thirty years’ experience, extending over
practically every department of railroad life. In order to enter the
service of the Chicago & Alton, every man has to pass through this
car and take the necessary examinations. In this way Mr. Perdue has
become personally acquainted with practically every man in the
operating department of the Chicago & Alton. He knows the weak
men and the strong men, and his watchful eye is over them all. He
has the necessary authority to call any man into the car for
reëxamination, and to withhold him from duty if necessary, in the
interests of the service.
Mr. Perdue kindly allowed me to remain in the car while he was
conducting the exercises. There were some twenty or thirty railroad
men seated before him. The lecturer held in his hand a small bundle
of papers. They were the record of the disciplines for the month.
Some of the wrong-doers had been called into the car to listen to a
description and an analysis of their mistakes. Mr. Perdue is very
kindly, yet forceful, both in manner and speech. He talks vigorously
to the men in their own everyday language. He takes one accident
after another, and by the actual representation of it on his screen he
demonstrates just how it happened and how to avoid it for the
future. He then tells a certain man to stand up, and questions him
closely as to what he would do under such and such circumstances.
Finally, he turns to his screen and shows his audience how to smash
a carload of household goods by rough handling and by giving
careless motions, and, on the other hand, how to be loyal to the
road and at the same time true to themselves by rendering careful
and efficient service.
Altogether Mr. Perdue’s work and story are so interesting that I am
tempted to give a part in his own words:—
“I have kept a record of the men handled during the past two or
three years. I promoted 148 brakemen to be conductors, 264
firemen to be engineers, and instructed in all 3839 men. Practically
all the men passed, because if they failed to begin with, they kept
coming to me until I had educated them up to my standard. I
believe the Chicago & Alton has the finest and most loyal body of
employees on any railroad in the United States. I may be accused of
blowing my own trumpet, but I honestly believe it is nearly all due to
my method of training and discipline. By the way, this method is
copyrighted by President Murphy of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad.
Of course the method is one thing, and the man who handles the
method is another, and a most important consideration. That is why
I point with pride to my record with the boys on the Chicago &
Alton. I want them to get the credit for it, for without their
coöperation my work would be thrown away. To begin with, I make
a point of getting the men interested, not only in their own records,
but in the records and reputation of the Chicago & Alton. I tell you
one thing, and that is, you cannot, with impunity, malign or abuse
the Chicago & Alton Railroad in the hearing of one of my boys.
“Then, again, I have no favorites. I make it a point to work with
absolute impartiality and uniformity. Every man knows he must stand
or fall on his own merits, that is, on his record as a flagman, a
fireman, or an engineer; and when he gets into trouble, his
character as a man is taken into account. Please don’t lose sight of
the fact that I made these Chicago & Alton boys. I made good men
out of them because I aroused an interest in every man. We are all
proud to be able to say that we work for the Chicago & Alton, and
we point to our road as the best, safest, and most comfortable in the
country to-day. To give you an idea of our splendid service, you
should take a ride on our ‘Red Train,’ on ‘The Prairie Express’ or ‘The
Hummer.’
“In 1904, during the World’s Fair at St. Louis, we carried thousands
more passengers than any other road, and we neither killed nor
injured a single passenger. I spent two thirds of my time riding
round with the boys during the Fair season. We heard of numerous
accidents happening on other roads, and one thing leading to
another, the word was finally passed around, ‘Boys, not a scratch to
a passenger on the Chicago & Alton.’ And we lived up to our motto, I
can tell you. This kind of work is part of my method. It is a system
of personal effort and personal direction, and I can tell you it pays.
If you don’t think so, just take a look at the accident records of the
other roads during the same period.
“In regard to discipline, I don’t believe in being too severe. It’s what
you hold up your sleeve and have the power to use periodically, that
counts. Yet we are severe enough on the Chicago & Alton. No merit
or demerit marks for us. For minor offenses, from five to ten days’
lay-off, with loss of pay. For neglecting to have your watch
inspected, we give as many as fifteen days’ lay-off; and once in a
great while, the penalty for serious offenses goes up to thirty days.
But discipline to any great extent is uncalled for. When a man has
been through my car, he may need it once, but very seldom a
second time. If you will compare the number of preventable
accidents on the Chicago & Alton during the years 1897, 1898, and
1899 with any year or period since I took charge of this system in
1900, you will get a very good idea of what the ‘Stereopticon Car’
and all that it stands for has done for the Chicago & Alton Railroad.”
But now, making an end in this way of our survey of conditions on
American railroads, there is yet one topic of another nature that
should prove unusually interesting to the general public.
To the writer of this book it has always seemed strange that the
public interest and anxiety in regard to these distressing railroad
accidents should never yet have taken the form of a very natural
curiosity to find out to what extent and by whom these matters have
been systematically studied and thought out. Doubtless the public
has the impression that its interests are being cared for somehow by
somebody. But impressions of this kind must not be mistaken for
evidence. What, for instance, are the names of the employees, the
managers, the politicians, or the legislators who have studied these
railroad accidents at close range and given the public the benefit of
their investigations? If these authorities have given little time and no
thought to the subject, the public should be informed why they have
avoided the discussion. As a matter of fact, the investigation has
been avoided, practically by all hands, for the reason that no man
can honestly apply any kind of a probe to a serious railroad accident
without running the risk of a clash with the labor organizations. No
such neglect, for this or other reasons, of a great public issue can be
pointed to in any other department of American industry or
civilization.
For instance, from time to time we read in the public prints of prizes
being offered by cities and states, and sometimes by the national
government, for the best designs for some public building or
memorial. Without delay architects and artists all over the country
concentrate their minds on the subject. Those who are capable of
submitting valuable opinions and plans are invited and encouraged
to do so. Money and brains and professional pride are enlisted in the
undertaking, and thus we actually secure the best results that the
concentrated thought and talent of the profession is capable of
producing.
Now it will certainly occur to most of us that it is quite as serious
and important an undertaking to try to save thousands of lives on
the railroads as it is to provide commodious and artistic public
buildings. Upon examination at close range, however, it soon
becomes evident that no concentration of thought whatever is being
directed to this safety problem, such as all other questions of
national importance immediately bring into play. If this point is well
taken, it surely must result in bringing to light a most unusual and
almost incomprehensible state of affairs. From my point of view,
then, neither money, brains, nor professional pride are in any way
enlisted in the undertaking, except along the lines of least
resistance. The lines of least resistance in these railroad problems
are concerned with and embrace all manner of signals and safety
devices for the protection of life and property. The thought and
money that are being lavished on this side of the problem can be
realized by a glance at any or all of the scientific periodicals. But the
lines of greatest resistance, and at the same time of the greatest
importance, which call for a study of the human element, that is to
say of the conduct of the men in relation to efficiency of service,
have as yet failed to receive the attention and thought which the
importance of the problem undeniably calls for.
Undoubtedly this view of the matter will meet with considerable
criticism. It is a distinct reflection on the policies and methods of the
officials and the authorities to whom the public is in the habit of
looking for assistance and enlightenment. Nevertheless, a short
consideration of the subject will, I think, be sufficient to sustain my
contention, and at the same time it will serve as an introduction to a
chapter in the railroad business that is replete with interesting
particulars, as well from the industrial as from the sociological point
of view.
From the nature of the railroad business, with its multiplicity of rules,
signals, and customs, which constitute the mysteries of the
operating department, little assistance is to be expected, in a direct
way, from the ideas and opinions of the general public in the
devising or initiating of improved methods of operation. Public
opinion, however, has its proper function and influence, which can
be profitably utilized in other directions.
In the same way, judging from experience and our knowledge of the
past, little assistance in the way of thought or coöperation is to be
anticipated from the rank and file of the men. No amount of public
stimulation or official encouragement has so far had any effect in
rousing the average engineman, conductor, or station-agent, and
inducing him to devote any part of his spare time or his talents to a
fearless discussion of these railroad problems, which are so
intimately related to the safety of the traveling public. Neither in the
railroad magazines nor in the newspapers, will you ever come across
an article or any kind of appeal calling upon the organizations to
take a hand, in any public way, by coöperation with managers or
otherwise, in improving the scandalous accident record, which at the
present day is the distinguishing feature of the American railroad
service. Every railroad man seems to be a specialist in his own
department, and up to date there is no suspicion of a social
conscience in any way connected with his job or his schedules. In a
word, the employee has not devoted to the subject of railroad
accidents any systematic thought or consideration whatever.
Turning now to the officials of our railroads, to the train-masters,
superintendents, and managers, the evidence is even less
satisfactory; for it must be allowed that any systematic and
persistent study of these matters on the part of the railroad officials
would sooner or later become known to the public, through the
press. But there is absolutely no evidence of the kind in existence.
The press of the country can be carefully scrutinized and watched
for an account of a railroad accident that has been fearlessly and
thoroughly analyzed by railroad officials and published for the
information of the public. Personally, after carefully watching the
outcome of a score of cases, I am of the opinion that the
investigation of a railroad accident by the management of an
American railroad is neither more nor less than a hushing-up
process, in which the officials are assisted by the railroad
commissioners, who frequently dodge main issues by taking
circuitous routes.
For instance, it cannot be denied that railroad commissioners in
general are aware that interference with discipline in aggravated
form is a recognized principle on our railroads. The Massachusetts
Commissioners, for example, found themselves face to face with the
issue, a few years ago, during their investigation of what is known
as the Baker Bridge disaster. In their report of this accident, they
characterized the principle as vicious and let it go at that; and yet
they are just as well aware as I am of the duties and habits of a
grievance committee, as well as of the fact that the privilege of
unlimited appeal from the discipline of the superintendent is to be
found in almost every agreement between men and management.
I am not presuming, in any way, to define the functions or duties of
the railroad commissioners; my object is simply to discover, if
possible, by whom and in what manner these railroad accidents are
being studied and analyzed in the interests of the traveling public. All
our evidence, therefore, points to the fact that train-masters,
superintendents, and managers—that is to say, the only men in the
country who are thoroughly posted in all the details of railroad life,
and therefore the only men with the ability and equipment to think
out these problems to successful solution—are absolutely tongue-
tied and pen-paralyzed on the subject. Occasionally, perhaps, one of
these gentlemen may emerge from his seclusion with an interesting
essay on certain phases of railroad life. In a general way he may call
attention to the importance of certain cardinal characteristics and
virtues. He may emphasize a sermon on the absolute necessity of
obedience to the rules, with numerous and interesting illustrations;
but when it comes to a question of enlightening the public in regard
to the actual working arrangements that exist between the
management and men, he immediately draws a wide black line.
If a superintendent should have the temerity to come out in the
open and describe, for the benefit of the public, the process of
running his division by a combination of rules, schedules, and
grievance committees, with himself as an almost impersonal factor in
the midst of it all, turning the crank merely as director of the
machinery, he would in short order be called upon to back up his
story with his resignation. This would be a perfectly natural
consequence of his loyalty to the public interests and of his lack of
consideration for the traditions and etiquette of his office. Not only is
this true, but his usefulness as a superintendent would be at an end;
he would be placed on the unfair list by the employees, and thus he
would quickly become persona non grata to his superiors, whose
harmonious relations with the organizations he would constantly be
in danger of upsetting.
But if the public should think fit to follow up the investigation
suggested and initiated by the superintendent in this way, it would
quickly find itself face to face with the fundamental antagonism that
exists in the highest railroad circles between the rival interests of
harmony and efficiency. So far as our railroads are concerned, this is
the “land’s end” of discussion on the safety problem. Harmony is the
altar upon which the interests of the traveling public are continually
being sacrificed. Harmony is the final adjuster, arbitrator, and
referee. Harmony dictates the policy of the railroad, the nature and
severity of its discipline, while efficiency follows in the rear, as best it
can. Just as soon as the public gets interested sufficiently in
preventable railroad accidents to call for all the facts in relation to
them, then, and not until then, will harmony be dethroned from its
dictatorship. So I think I am justified in repeating the statement that
these preventable railroad accidents and the causes which lead up to
them have not yet received proper attention and thought at the
hands either of the public, of the employees, or of the managing
bodies of the railroads. The superintendent allows the public to
remain in ignorance out of regard for his job, and the manager does
the same in the interest of harmony.
It must not be imagined, however, that the management is alone to
blame in the matter. Only too often, in the past, when a railroad
manager, in the interests of good service, has made a test case of
his power, he has had the public as well as the men to contend
against. As a matter of fact, even at the present day, the public is
not in a mood to give much credit or attention to explanations and
statements that emanate from railroad headquarters. It is an
uncomfortable truth that public opinion, as a rule, looks upon official
announcements or reports of railroad accidents as being more or
less tainted, and the idea is deeply imbedded in the public mind that
a superintendent is open to the same suspicion that is commonly
attached to a manipulator of stocks in Wall Street.
As it seems to me, then, the conclusion that little enlightenment in
regard to railroad accidents is to be looked for from management or
men has impressed itself in some way on the public mind, and the
appointment of boards of railroad commissioners to look after the
public interests has been the natural consequence. But when we
come to hunt up the evidence in regard to the study of railroad
accidents by railroad commissioners, a most unlooked-for state of
affairs is disclosed.

THE AFTERMATH
Undoubtedly most of the problems that come up before the
commissioners for solution are well within the sphere of their talents
and business ability, but a fair and impartial investigation of railroad
accidents calls for a thorough examination and sifting of the
evidence by men who are actually in touch with the working of the
rules and the movements of the trains. It is not sufficient for
commissioners to call for the evidence and to listen to a rehearsal of
some of the rules that apply to the case. A fair-minded and
unprejudiced listener at any “hearing” conducted by these boards
would quickly be impressed with the conclusion that in New England,
at any rate, the commissioners are not fitted by training, study, or
experience to furnish the public with intelligent criticism of the
simplest case of a preventable railroad accident. I have not the
slightest hesitation in recording this as the whispered opinion of all
railroad men who have given any thought to the subject, although,
of course, it would be highly imprudent for any one to say so out
loud.
Not only to railroad men, but to the public as well, the following
illustration will be as plain and to the point as words can make it:—
On September 15, 1907, a head-on collision occurred near West
Canaan, N. H., between two passenger trains, in which twenty-five
passengers were killed and about as many more injured. The
accident was the result of an error, either in sending or receiving a
train order—possibly both the sender and receiver were at fault. One
of these men was the train dispatcher in the main office, the other
was a telegraph operator at a way station. With a view of placing the
responsibility and explaining the disaster, an investigation was
immediately entered into by the Board of Railroad Commissioners of
the State of New Hampshire. These gentlemen were assisted in their
duties by the attorney-general of the state, their legal adviser.
Replying to the direct question of the board, “How do you think this
accident happened? What occasioned it?” the general
superintendent of the Boston & Maine Railroad, himself an operator
and train dispatcher, testified as follows:—
“I would say, in my thirty years’ experience, closely connected with
the dispatching of trains,—we run something like 700,000 trains a
year,—I have never known a similar error to be made and I never
have heard of it. The error certainly was made, and due, as I
believe, to a failure of the mental process, either in the brain of the
dispatcher at Concord, the operator at Canaan, or both, and it is
utterly impossible for me to determine which one made the failure,
or whether or not they both made it.”
Such was the opinion of an expert railroad man, recognized as such
by the commissioners themselves. Thereupon the general
superintendent, at the request and for the benefit of the board,
entered into a minute and exact account of the methods employed
in moving and handling trains on the Boston & Maine Railroad, in so
far as this was necessary to explain the situation at the time of the
accident. The narrative of the general superintendent was
interrupted at frequent intervals by questions from the attorney-
general and the commissioners. He, the manager, was called upon to
explain, not only the rules of the road, but the commonest principles
and movements in the train service. “What is a ‘block’?” “What do
you mean by ‘O. K.’ and ‘complete’?” “Explain in detail your train-
order system.” “As a matter of curiosity let me ask how this signal
works.” These questions are not put as a mere legal form or habit,
for many of the points call for reiterated explanation before they are
comprehended by the board. The language is plain enough: they
don’t understand this, they are not familiar with that, and the
section of track on which the accident happened they know nothing
about. In a word, the board goes to school to learn something about
the elements of railroading and the details of train movements by
telegraph, and having in this way been thoroughly drilled into an
understanding of the accident, and having listened to all the
evidence, the investigation comes to an end.
On October 11, 1907, the finding or report of the commissioners was
published. After reviewing the accident, the evidence in relation to it,
and the methods of operation in the train service of the Boston &
Maine Railroad, all of which was, in fact, simply a reproduction of the
testimony of the general superintendent, the board concludes its
analysis by pointing to the train dispatcher at Concord as the “more
than probable” transgressor, and actually undertakes to describe the
train of mental wanderings by means of which the error was arrived
at! In the face of the declaration of the expert railroad manager that
it was impossible to single out the offender, the commissioners, on
the same evidence, but without the expert understanding of it, are
satisfied to send this train dispatcher out into the world with the
stigma of implied guilt and responsibility for the death of twenty-five
people on his head. Train dispatchers all over the country were very
much exercised and indignant at this “finding” of the commissioners,
and I am convinced it would be very difficult to find a telegraph
operator in the United States who would be willing to say a word in
its favor.
That public officials should feel themselves justified in expressing
opinions having the nature of verdicts, upon delicate questions
relating to the train-order system of train movements, while
confessing themselves ignorant of the terms “O. K.” and “complete,”
is beyond the comprehension of railroad men; and public opinion
would quickly see the point and recognize the justice of this
criticism, if its attention should happen to be called to the members
of a naval board of inquiry, for example, whose previous experience
had been such that they were unfamiliar with the terms “port” and
“starboard.”
A careful perusal of the foregoing arguments and illustrations should
have the effect of impressing upon the public mind two simple, yet
very significant, conclusions:—
In the first place, it will be evident that the safety problem on
American railroads must be taken in hand and solved by the people.
The present tangled condition of affairs can be straightened out only
by supreme authority.
And our second conclusion is the revelation that the area in
American industrial life covered by these preventable railroad
accidents and the causes that lead up to them is practically, at the
present day, a terra incognita. Of course the railroad man who steps
out from the rank and file, and undertakes to give away the plans
and topography of the country for the benefit of those who are
interested in improving conditions, exposes himself to all sorts of
cynical criticism in the minds of his fellows. However, as a matter of
fact, your true philosopher thrives in this kind of atmosphere. He is
born of the battle and the breeze, and spends a lifetime in fortifying
the walls of his “tub,” into which, when hard beset, he retires to
enjoy himself.

The Riverside Press

CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS
U.S.A
 TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Archaic or alternate spelling has been retained from the original.
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONFESSIONS OF A
RAILROAD SIGNALMAN ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S.

copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in
these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it
in the United States without permission and without paying
copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of
Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything
for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is
very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as
creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research.
Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given
away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with
eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject
to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
 PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free

distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or
any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and

Redistributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree
to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be
bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund
from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in
paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be

used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people
who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a
few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic
works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.
See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with
Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the
collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the
individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the
United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law
in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do
not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing,
performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the
work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of
course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™
mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely
sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated
with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this
agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached
full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge
with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also
govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most
countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the
United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the
terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying,
performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this
work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes
no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in
any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other

immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must
appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™
work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears,
or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is
accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived

from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a
notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright
holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the
United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must
comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through
1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted

with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted
with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning
of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project

Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a
part of this work or any other work associated with Project
Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this

electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1
with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form,
including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you
provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work
in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in
the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or
expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or
a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original
“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must
include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in
paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,

performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing

access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
provided that:

• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive
from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the
method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The
fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark,
but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty
payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on
which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your
periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked
as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information
 about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation.”

• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who

notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt
that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project
Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg™ works.

• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of

any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in
the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90
days of receipt of the work.

• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™

electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend

considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe
and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating
the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may
be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to,
incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a
copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or
damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer
codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for

the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3,
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the
Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim
all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR
NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR
BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH
1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK
OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL
NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT,
CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF
YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you

discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving
it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by
sending a written explanation to the person you received the work
from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must
return the medium with your written explanation. The person or
entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide
a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work
electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to
give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in
lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may
demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the
problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied

warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted
by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation,

the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation,
anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with
the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the
following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or
any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission

of Project Gutenberg™
Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.
It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and
donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the

assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a
secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help,
see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project

Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West,

Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up
to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website
and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to

the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without
widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can
be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the
widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many
small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to
maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating

charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and
keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in
locations where we have not received written confirmation of
compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of
compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where

we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no
prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in
such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make

any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of
other ways including checks, online payments and credit card
donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About

Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™,

including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how
to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.