I remember going with my Father to visit a man that had done some work for us in the mid/late 1950s. My Father owed the man some money and preferred to pay debts in person.
Upon arrival, the man hobbled out of his house, obviously injured and in pain. When my Father asked him what had happened, the may pulled up the legs of his overalls to show severe injuries covered with Mercurochrome. Nothing broken but severe skin/muscle damage. That image has stayed with me to this day. Though it took some time, he recovered completely or nearly completely. He was probably in his mid/late 50s.
The man was a full time farmer and had no health insurance. He had not gone to the doctor to avoid the expense. I guess he figured that he could survive it. Rather, his wife had gone to the local Rx to buy Mercurochrome and bandages.
I remember him telling my Father that he had set his Farmall M up to run something from the PTO. I cannot remember if it was an elevator, saw, grinder or something else.
He was behind the tractor near the PTO shaft inspecting the set-up when the leg of his overalls became caught in the PTO shaft. Fortunately, his adult son was in the seat of the M, preparing to adjust, throttle, etc. He was able to quickly shut it down when he heard his father's scream.
The man told my Father that, had his son not been on the tractor and paying attention, "it would have wrapped me up and killed me."
In the day, there were no PTO shaft guards. Such was routine.
Morale: The man realized that he had made a mistake. He assumed responsibility. He did not go to the doctor to avoid the expense. His wife went to the closest Rx to buy Mercurochrome and bandages. He lost much of the season but eventually recovered.
HE NEVER CONSIDERED CALLING A LAWYER.
This is one of the fundamental differences between then and now.
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