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AN EXPERIMENT IN REHABILITATION MEDICAL JOriNAL form as it were the " nursery slopes " from which the injured workman graduates to his own factory. Although the inferences of this paper have been drawn from experience of "long-term" cases, much has been learnt about the possible application of such results to the treatment of acute injuries. Apart from the prophylactic aspect-the prevention of adhesions and loss of muscle tone-recently injured joints and muscles appear to respond rapidly to the controlled industrial methods of rehabilitation of this type. Furthermore, when the injury is of industrial origin the early return of the absentee to full-time or parttime selected work not only prevents a loss of skill and a lowering of morale that so often follows in the wake of prolonged unemployment but also tends to reduce the exaggerated importance attached by the workman to the accident. Summary This paper presents an experiment in the rehabilitation of injured Service men using existing conditions in industry. The principles of treatment are discussed and illustrated. From the inferences rmade the application of such a scheme to a peacetime industrial accident service is discussed. We are indebted to Dr. W. J. T. Kimber, medical superintendent, Hill End E.M.S. Hospital, for help and advice on the organization of the scheme ; to all sections of the De Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd., for their willing cooperation ; and to Mr. S. L. Higgs and Mr. Rainsford Mowlem for permission to publish the cases. REFERENCES

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