The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-01
Influence Of Sewing Machines on the Health


Influence Of Sewing Machines on the Health
AND MORALS OF WOMEN.
We have received from the publisher, Mr..
Henry G. Lea, Of Philadelphia, the last num-
Der of Rankings half-yearIy Abstract of The
Medical Sciences. The selections of articles
on the different branches Of medical science,
is remarkably good. In practical medicine,
surgery, obstetrics and materia medica, the
best contributions to the English and Cont
mental journals are reproduced, whilst the re-
views bbliographical notices, &C.. are of
more than ordinary interest. A very striking
article, by M. Guibout, of Paris, on the ..in-
! huence of sewing machines on the health and
morals OF work women is published in this
number. The fact that these ingenious labor
saving contrvances have come into such gen
cral use in this country, invests this article with
uncommon interest, and we reproduce its lead
ing features for the consideration of our read
ers. The editor says that "any one who wit
messed the wonderful activity of that ingenious
contrvance, the sewing machine. worked by
an intelligent seamslress, would scarcely i'm
agine that it is calculated to endanger the
morals of work women" This appears to be
the case from a report of M. Guibout to the
Medical Society Of Hospitals. He produces
cases to illustrate his theory. He says: ~='' A
month ago two women, entirely unknown to
each other, and employed in different factories
applied to me for advice on the same day.
The first was pale, Emphatic woman, much
bent and emaciated, and suffering from severe
epigactic pain, dyspepsia, incessant lrucorrhcea,
and a marked state Of general debility.
She attributed all her symptoms TO the eff
fects of the sewing machine. Before her ad-
mission into the factory. when she was in the
habit of using it, she was strong, fresh colored
in vigorous health. and had never suffered
with disease of any kind. Since seven or
eight months she had observed a gradual de-
cay in her health, strength and appearance,
and the diseases aforementioned had set in
and were growing worse daily. She also stated
that whilst the moral effect Of the work had
been very perceptbly felt by her, it was not
so with her companions. and that many Of
them had experienced the most disagreeable
symptoms in this respect
The same author speaks Of another patient,
who was a strong. dark haired woman, of SAN
guine temperament She worked a sewing
machine in large factory, and had enjoyed
perfect health up to the period OF her admis-
sion in the establishment. where she remained
about twelve months and was obliged to leave
on account of the fatigue and pains caused by
the nature of her occupation. She alluded to
the moral effect of the work on herself, and
said that"of five hundred women employed in
the house at least two hundred experienced
the same effects that she had done that the
work women were constantly changing, and
} were unable to persevere at the trade any
( length of time. They entered the house III
good health, but all left it thin and debiItated
More recently, Dr.. Down, physician to ar
asylum for idiots in England, has made some
: observations confrmalory of M. Guiboul's
conclusions. His attention had been attracted
| by the constant recurrence of cases character
Used by pallor lassitude. pain in the back, lei
: chorrhoea, etc, attended by the moral symp
toms mentioned by Guibout. Upon inquiry he
5 learned that these cases occurred amongst the
, women who worked hab,ually at the sewing
=. machine.
Many Of the physicions Of our own Gity
have met with cases presenting all Of the Phy
steal and moral symptoms mentioned by thu
authors above quoted. and concurin attributlns
them to working on sewing machines. The
, constant action of the lower extremities. ant
the see-saw motion of the entire body wea
them out, and cause pains in the back ant
stomach and the symptoms mentioned above
1t is therefore highly desirable, if sewing
machines are To be continued in use, that me
, chanical skill contrive some other motive powe
than the feet of the women who use them.