Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-15
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

was delivered on last "Wednesday evening at the
smithsonian Institute, 60 a large audience, con-
sidering the disagreeabeness of the weather He
commenced by calling attention to the remark
able similarity between the Mortality Returns
OF Massachusetts and those for England and
Wales. These latter show about the same aver
age heRgth Of life for persons en2a aged i'm the SCI
eral descriptions Of occupation given This cir.
cumstance not only proves the general ACCURACY
OF both statements. but fully establishes the
theory that the difference is attributable to the
avocafions pursued. ..r. ~
Leaving the above topic the lecturer went on
TO speak OF several branches of industry yener-
ally believed 10 he unhealthy. First, among
these, he noticed workers in copper. The dis
Eases 10 which this class of mec hanics are sub
Ject are said To he more frequently attributable to
chemieal preparations employed in the manu-
fscture Of articles composed Of copper or brass
than to the metal itself This, the lecturer
thought, might probably be the case, il seems
10 be true that those employed in certain depart
ments Of this kind of manufacture of,ener at
tackled with diseases than those eng aged in other
departments. For instance, those who place the
explosive compound in the percussion caps and
the workmen in the rooms where sawdust is
used are most liable to peculiar species Of collie
Ii was formerly supposed that powdered char
coal, a substance much used by brass founders
was the most prolific agent In producing diseases
incident to their business. Where IL was
pioyed the W rkmen Were said to be liable TO
asthma, catarrh, and lung complaints. In F ance
subject reported to this effect ana its use was
accordingly abandoned Among the brass work
ers In this country, the lecturer said, this
ton was not sustained. On the contrary, those
employed in the departments where powdered
charcoal Is used, are IA healthy generally as in
other departments OF the business, and the lee
turer appeared to believe that the true cause of
the diseases Is not vet discovered although that
u arises from the cembiI alton of chemicals with
copper, ne did not seem to doubt
The manufacture Of wall paper is another very
unhealthy business, owing to the fact that the
-coloring USED in many instances contains arsenic
This is especially the Gaze with the green used
LARGE m he I'm OF
and In many establishments the Of arsenicai
green has been to great degree dispensed with,
on this account. and a substitute il made of
Pfussian blue. The woIkmrn in 'ssatiningr the
surfaee OF wall paper, also suffer greatly from the
materials used They are frequently afflicted
with great lassitude, and are subject to tumors
50 viruent Is the poisonous qualities Of some
wall paper eoioring, that persons said to have
become quite sick from remaining in 4 room
whose wal s were covered with paper colonel
with these materials Notw hhstandinS the great
bulk Of evidence in support of these theories, the
lecturer said that there many who DENY them
Many workmen have declared that they never
Suffered Inconvenience account of these dele
FERROUS substances, though constantly employed
where they are used. This, the lecturer thought,
owing to The d ference of susceptibility in
different systems to the action of poison.
He next noticed the cases wherein mercurial
Preparations are used by the workmen. All these
varieties OF business, comprising the manufac-
turer or looking glasses, fine gliding, fine b.
works, such as the movements of watches, &c,
are unhealthy, aud the inventive genius OF me-
chanics has been called into reQuisition to dis
cover some plan by which the ingers might be
ohviated- The manufacture of friction matches
was likewise placed in the category Of unhealthy
diseases, on account of the phosphorus used
q The most paipable effect is necrosis Of the Jaw
'-bone, which is early developed, and only cured
h-ky application of the knife
irW Several other branches of industry were emu
IznDherated, and the peculiar diseases to which
= those engaged in them subject were de-
scribrd Our space will not permit to do JUS
hce to discourses of such practical importance
a. is this entire series, and We close therefofe,
by notifying our traders that DR.. w. will lee
ture again on this and next Wedne, day evening.
IL THE CIRCUIT COrRr, on Friday, the case of
Mexican rs. Blake was finally determined The
case grew out of contract for the Congre ssional
binding for the 3st Congress in the year 1852
The said contract was ava. led to John n Tren-
holm, and by him sub-let TO John A Blake, now
deceased, who employed Mexican, the plaintiff
lto execute the work for one half the net profits,
lard this action was brought to recover 4 balance
alleged To be due Mexican portion Of said net
psGfts, and above what he alleges to have
recsfssd previously. The necessarily in
.TpoU6Rn account Of some length, the whole
sse10 t.5a upon the contract by the Government
,aloSH3nktbpfrds OF so, CO., and the expenses in
- ye{4n4 treat number and variety of charges
SHA H. days Were occupied in the trial, and
FSseFas warmly contested by the counsel on
both sides. Messrs Charles = Wallach and
1s S1lkle fo5 plaintiff aud Bradley, Sr., aud W.
Stone for defence.
The jury returned verdict for the plaintiff
The juTy in the case Of Clarke Mills cs. George
w Talbot, in which action was brought to re-
cover the value Of an elk used as model alleged
To have been killed by the defendant, returned a
verdict In favor Of the plaintiff and assessed the
dImiges al $50.
On Saturdz, the Cour, had Nd for copsidera-
ton, M the incoming, the case of John Purdy rs.
Mary A Arnold. administrative OF Samuel Ar
mold, In which action was brought to recover an
account for lumber, alleged to have been furnish
ed the defendant now DECREASED. in the construc-
ton OF a house. The jury returned for the plain
TN in the SUM of SIS 80, with interest from
18th October, 1854.
The next taken up was that of Jas Coch-
rane rs The Adams Express Company, in
which suit was bong lat to recover damages for
the loss Of a trunk which had been entrusted to
said company for transportation from Washing
ton, ID: e to WoOdbine, Conn, which trunk
was alleged tC have been lost by carrlessness of
said company The jury found for the plaintiff;
damages $50, with interest from date Of verdict
The next case taken up was that of Patrick II
King rs: william NJ Grips, action on an ac-
count for goods sold and delivered; non suit
The Court then adjourned until Tuesday next,
at III o'clock =.
BUILDING OPERATIONS late tour Of OBJ
servatiOn we noticed that not only many substan-
tial improvements to the city in the house build
ing line are in progress but also that the designs
Of many of the new structures are distinguished
by more than ordinary beauty and taste
In the First Ward, at the corner Of Nineteenth
and streets, the Messrs. Baldwin are building
a large nrst-class four-story brick, with heavy
brOwn-stone window and door heads This
house II to have fourteen rooms, and in their II
Tangement and fitting up, all the modern contri-
Vances have been enlisted to produce i model
residence This BEAUTIFUL house is the property
LOT A,sSoss Raw, E'q Of Georgetown,
"a SOoe0She most unique and tastrfIlly desig ned
h0asss Ue nave seen lately has just been compile
- brAeHs. Jos. b. Williamson and James
Iartoa, (bolh young contractors, for Mr.. Josiah
Meiy1QBHDt street north, between Tenth and
EteyeneegHett' IL has refined neatness and
nm stl hat rls anh
so6419D$4Sh the uneducated eye.
- property adjoining the fine residence of
-yThn vi Carlisle, Esq on Indiana avenue, near
Third street, Is being improved by the entire
heonstructon Of the Interior IL is to be, when
eomElet d, hfst-claSs house, capable OF com
~ ~ Ding s7UD or SNtO per annum rent. This
is owned by Mr.. CARLISLE. +...