Ergonomics

[squirmelia]

I'm currently studying ergonomics and on Wednesday I went to the University of Surrey to attend the Ergonomics Society Student Conference and found that possible careers in ergonomics can involve designing remote controls, various things to do with trains, ergo-gnome-ics, and oh, nuclear bombs.

I consulted Ergonomics, Work and Health by Pheasant and it mentioned that "Victorian public houses commonly had a brass rail around the bar about 6 inches (150mm) from the ground, allowing the drinker to rest each foot on it in turn", so I then went to a pub to test that out.

Ergonomics, Work and Health also has some fascinating information about RSI and writer's cramp:
"Willis (1986) described RSI as a "metaphor for alienation" ".
and
"Crisp and Moldofsky (1965) go so far as to regard writer's cramp as a psychosomatic manifestation of repressed anger."

Comments

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Here's one on students from Ramazzini:

"Almost every student who devotes himself seriously to the pursuit of learning complains of weakness of the stomach. For while the brain is digesting what is supplied by the passion for knowledge and the hunger for learning, the stomach cannot properly digest its own supply of foods.... As a rule, then, learned men are liable to fits of melancholia, and all the more when this temperament has been allotted to them originally. We know from observation that those who are genuinely devoted to learnign are lean, wan, lead coloured and want to lead the life of hermits."

[fluffymark]

I think I must have had Student Disease for the past week, yes? :P

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Have you learnt a lot? Being lead-coloured is worrying!