South Yorkshire Times – Friday 20 April 1934
Nystagmus Problem
Denaby Question Of Recurrence
That a first attack of nystagmus did not predispose a miner to a second attack was the opinion expressed at Doncaster County Court on Tuesday by Dr. Hyams, a Middlesboro’ ophthalmic surgeon, in a case in which John Thomas Andrews, a Balby Street, Denaby, claimed compensation at the rate of 15s. a week from Jan., 1931, to March 27, 1933, from the Denaby and Cadeby Main Collieries, Ltd.
Andrews said he was now 64, and had worked at Cadeby for 28 years. In 1926 he suffered from nystagmus and was off work for 12 months. He went back to the coal face. The disease came on again, and in July, 1930, he had to give up work. He was paid compensation for some time, and returned to work, but had an accident and went off again.
In January, 1931, he was taken off the club, and although he sometimes staggered when he walked he went to the pit for work. The manager told him he could not allow him to go down the pit again, and the compensation clerk, Andrews alleged, told him he could go down the pit as the nystagmus might come on again, and the company could have him on their hands for the rest of his life.
In March, 1933, an official of the company came to his house and told him the company had come to the conclusion he could go down to the coal face. He went on the pans, and at times was dazzled by the lights and stumbled.
Andrews said he worked from March, 1933, to Dec., 1933, when a district was closed down, and 200 men were discharged, including himself.
Dr. Hargreaves, called by the defendants, said that in July, 1930, he came to the conclusion that Andrews was not suffering from nystagmus. When he examined him on the last occasion Andrews staggered about in a ludicrous manner, but witness watched him walking in the street, when he appeared quite normal.
Dr. Hyams, in reply to Mr. J. Neal, for the defendants, said he did not agree with the theory that an attack of nystagmus predisposed a man to a second attack.
Judgment was reserved.