The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-15 00:00:00

TRADES WHICH AFFECT THE EYES.

The Committee of the Society of Arts on Industrial
Pathology, consisting of Dr. T. K. Chambers (reporter),
Mr. J. Simon, F.R.S., and Mr. T. Twining, jun., have
just made their first annual report to the council of the
society. The report is this year directed to one organ
only—the eye, and comprises communications from Mr.
White Cooper, Mr. J. Dixon, Mr. France, Dr. Gibb,
and other ophthalmic surgeons, as well as from some
manufacturers and working men. The following is a
resume of the report :-
1. That the following classes of artizans are exposed to
injury of the eyes from chips, splinters, dust, grit, or
fluff, viz., engineers, masons. stonecutters, stonebreakers
bricklayers, soda water bottlers, turners, fitters,
hammermen and smiths, cutlers, railway guards, rock-
blasters and quarrymen, millers, chimney-sweeps,
workers in cotton, flax-dressers, feather-cleaners, drug-
grinders (especially in grinding blistering flies), shoe-
makers (from breaking of the awl) ; and that the
following appliances have been found useful in pre-
venting 'the ill consequences of such exposure, viz.,
for those liable to blows from large portions of hard sub-
stances, such as stonebreakers, &c., coarse metal net-
ting as eye guards, and for those exposed to the finer
dust crape spectacles, while at the same time free veroi-
lation of the apartments they work in would relieve much
of the inconvenience.

2. That the following suffer from the chemical nature
of the substances which, in the shape of solid particles,
get under the eyelids, viz., bricklayers, workers in
lime, workers in potash.
No special preventive seems to be here pointed out
beyond the placing within reach of the workmen the
ready means of immediately cleansing the parts with
pure water. Some such apparatus as that described in
Mr. White Cooper's communication might be placed
in the workshop or superintendent's office.

(The action of cheniical fumes, strictly so called, has
not been reported to cause injury.)
3. That the following suffer from excess of light or
glare proceeding from the material used, viz., furnace.
men, gilders, bookbinders.
No practical remedy for this inconvenience has been
suggested, as spectacles which intercept the light would
diminish the efficiency of the workman.
It may be observed that there is a great difference
between excessive illumination of the work, and excess
of light on the eye. The latter is the most common,
and is considered under a separate head.

4. That the following suffer from deficiency of light,
viz., dressmakers, tailors, sempstrasses, cobblers, and,
in fact, all who, haying to direct the needle to a definite
spot, are unable to command the requisite amount of
direct illumination.

5. That the ill effects of deficiency of light aro much
aggravated by working long on tho same material or
colour. The remedies for this and the foregoing evil
are, increase of light and variety of work.
6. That flickering of light is a great evil, which is felt
much by compositors and all who work at minute objects
by gas illumination.

-The simple remedy for this is the employment of glaEs
chimneys.

7. It seems improper that an equal quantity of arti-
ficial light should fall on the work and on the eyes of the
workman. It that is the case, the latter become over-
strained.

This evil, when it occurs, is easily obviated by shades
to the light, which defend the eye, and throw the illu-
mination on the required object. The shades should be
made of white or light-coloured material, so as to reflect
as much light as possible. Ground glass between the
light and the worker is injurious, by intercepting and
diffusing the illumination instead of directing it on the
object.
8. It seems doubtful whether heat and cold have
much ill influences over the healthy eys ; but when it is
in a weak irritated condition there is no doubt but that
they are injurious.
9. Bad ventilation, constrained postures, over-indul-
gence in spirituous liquours, the fumes of tobacco, and
all other violations of healthy habits, are injurious to
tho eyes at the same time as to the rest of the body,
and aggravate the bad effects of the above-named in-
dustrial occupations.

10. The employment of the eye, when the body is in
an exhausted state from want of food, prolonged work-
ing hours, mental distress, ke., even in handicrafts not
of themselves pernicious, is very detrimental to the
organ. So that the later periods of work are those
which are found most materially to weaken the sight
and injure the eye.
The shortening of working hours would probably be
a saving in the end to both master and artisan, for
the faulty execution of that which is completed with an
imperfect organ must be a loss to the former, while the
latter is ill remunerated by slightly increased wages for
the risk of illness which he runs.

11. The diffusion of knowledge bearing on the health
of artisans by means of class journals is worthy of the
serious consideration of philanthropists.

WOOLLEN TRADE.

( From the Leeds Mercury of Saturday.)

LEEDS, Jan. 12.—We have to report a little itn
provement in the state of the woollen market this week
Both on Saturday and on Tuesday there was a good
attendance of merchants in the cloth halls, and consi-
derable activity. A much better tone prevailed gene-
rally in the market, and a good quantity of cloth
changed owners.

HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY, Jan. 9.—The market to-
day was an improvement upon our former reports.
There were buyers from London and the sister isle in
attendance. They, however, did not purchase exten-
sively, as is supposed from prices not meeting their ex-
pectations, and the cost of goods having been such that
any sensible reduction would strike off all profit.
ROCHDALE, Jan. B.—This has been the new, or first
market, on which day holiday is kept by the good people
of llocHale, and there is necessarily a great hindrance
to the transaction of business. The market has been
quiet and little doing, at prices no ways different from
those of last week. The wool market is inactive, but
prices firm.

- BRADFORD, Thursday.—Wool—There is no improve.
ment to note in this department, but there is every hope
of a chango for the better. Yarns—Tho demand for
some kinds is improved, and the 'aspect is more hopeful
than it has been for some time past. Pieces—This de-
partment also 'wears; a more cheerful appearance, and
hopes are entertained of an improved state of things.
HALIFAX, Saturday.—We have had more doing in the
piece market to-day, and in yarns there are fair orders
out. Tho wool market is rather bare of useful long
stapled kinds, and prices, consequently, are inclined to
be deaier. Clothing wools likewise show greater activity
at illiKOVed rate&