The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-04
NIGHT WORK.

A good medical authority declares that the
mischiefs Of night work, where evil effects fol-
low. arise more from the lnsuficiency and un-
certainty Of the light used, than from any other
cause. The light should be white, strong and
steady, and carefully concentrated by shades
upon the book, paper, or other object. OF en-
pioyment, very different kind of light from
the dull and cloudy yellow just now furnished
by some Ct the gas companies. lnsuhcent,
Pickering, or too difused light is one OF the
most serious causes of brain irritation which
Affects some of the people compelled to work
at night. The body should be well supplied
with nutriment. for it is tact not sufficiently
recognized that mental occupation and night
work OF any kind make exceptionally heavy
draughts on the physical strength. To the
young, night work-that Is, occupation TO q
late hour-is more injurious than to the old;
and beth old and young, whenever they can,
should prefer daylight. But as IN the thous-
and demands of necessity as well as OF ciVilIza-
tion, there must be those who are compelled
to turn night into day, due regard to the
support Of nature must be observed. From
six to eight hours OF continuous sleep in every
twent5-four hours is necessary to every person.
He who works till four should therefore be in
bed tin ten, and even then should have an
hours nap later in the day before he bsgins
his night work again. Many cases OF Sleep
lessness are due not to overwork but to the
over-use oftobacco and the abuse of stimu-
lants. He who cannot compose himself with
ont q potation has overworked himself; aud to
fall into the habit of either keeping up" or Of
getting attuned for sleep by application to the
glass is dangerous. Better not work at night
at all than to do 1t under such conditions. The
day is the natural time for labor;and he is for
tunate whose occupation permits this natural
arrangement as the rule of his life. Yet, as
already observed, the conditions Of society i'm
pose night-work upon many people. And there
are many more who are occasionally compelled
to resort to it. Man ID q tacile animal; and by
the right use ofhis reason can adapt himself
to circumstances. But reason must be con-
suited and obeyed. There is no ''Society" for
the prevention Of cruelty self-lmposed upon
the human animal. He must take care Of his
own case, as but few others are likely to do it
for him, or could if they would.
The abolition OF the tranking privilege,
according TO the superintendent OF public
printing at Washington, will lake away d
large share OF his business. The great num-
ber OF documents printed there for members
of Congress to frank to their constituents will
not be wanted II those members have TO pre-.
nav postage on them, and The superintendent
anticipates therefore considerable falling of
In the amount of printing ordered by Con-
gress OF course there will be large falling
of. Every well informed newspaper under
STOOD right we'll that the abolition OF frank
fnpn would put check upon The great waste
involved in the ''public document" business.
Tne enormous editions of 'extra numbers" OF
ponderous and. to large extent, useless
"documents,n has cost The treasury not less
than twenty millions of dollars OF loss IN the
lest fifleen years. Ii Congress can be connned
to the printing OF such papers only as are
needed In Its proceedings, the saving Will be
q fu4 million year.