The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-02

,cSHy ftnne anything requiring uDacctIstonaed
muscular cxertion,, they would have expe-
rienced equal fatigue, suffering, or disease;
but they would not have falsely ascrfbed 1t
TO tho "injurious effect of the sewfng-na-
chine" A girl whose business Is to work a
sewiug-machine applies TO q physician for
general or local Illness as soon rs ne learns
her daily occupation he astntely says, 0, i
is from too constant use of this instruments" !"
and forthwith notes the case In liis memory
rontirmative OF the current raitnor OF the
unhealthincss Of sewing machines:
Now, if he had knowledge OF tue an.eea.
dents OF the case he would nave touhu tI'aU
The girl was i'll from other causes, rom
date anterior to her use OF .hc mach'ncs VI
that her disease originated from certain
day. when she hurried through her work IN
order 10 srt away early TO buy something ior
her coming yeycnin.toilct. That, after extra
walking on this account, she danced far 'hto
the morning, and the next day, weary anu
worn, she went to her daily work, as II not
exhausted by the dissipation OF the previous
day. If she got her feet wet at q period
when such an accident was peculiarly mop
FORTUNE, the result was ascribed to the sew
ing-machine. It is needless to multiply the
like instances where the sewing-machine IL
made the scapegoat for itleness, self-induced
nervous debilites, accidental diseases, or over
work. 1t is twenty years since l first gay q
special attention to the Ingenious effect OF
the sewing-machiue, and have constantly
ever since continued my observations, ana
know positively that there arc no diseases
especially caused by their Use. There Ii no
less disease seen In the operatives upon the
sewing machines when they are propelled by
compressed air or steam than when worked
by the ordinary foot-treadle. There are no
more diseases amonggir working machines
than i'm similar class of girls similarly con-
tined in close rooms, alike improperly heated,
badly neutrality-suspicious. improperly fed,
and clad, and slept at home. There is no
peculiar disease among the sewins-machine
users than chambermaids, female clerks in
stores, workers in furs, lace, or where no
machines are employed.
Among the multitude of female operators
engaged in the immense hoop-skirt factories,
lately so numerous there is no more ill-hcalth
among those engaged with the sowing-ma-
chimes than among those whose labor is en-
| tirely by hand.
And here one word may, perhaps, bo ad-
vantageolISly said, not for its novelty, but
for its bearing in this connection: OUer.
| ,norA scsA produce fatigue, but fatigue is not
| disease. The truth of, the statement Is 80
general as scarcely to be noticed.
We see it markedly among our gallant, en-
! th,siastic fremeu after a nre Of great magnl-
| tude; we see il in our number, ana among
| the car-hOrSes after heavy snowfall. IL Is
as frequently among the sewing-slris When
hurryiug up for ball, or for the CHRISTMAS
and New-Ical's festivities. Toli with lis &C.
| commniment- t-fatigue-is dlsaSreeable, anC
| unhealthy in its tendency when protracted
| and continued, but it does not produce uis
| ease; in fact, in moderation it IS most cond't,
Give to the real health Of both body and
| mind. xxx
The scwing-marhinc has now entered into
general use all over the world. 1t is safe t.
say that without it the late wars in this coun
| try and Europe would have been Impossible
| no such armies could have been equipped oil
sustained. There is not u land, however
| barren, Or people, however ignorant, where
| this domestic instrument is not known, and
where its use is not gradually increasing
From no country comes any charge OF illness
caused from its use, except where, as before
said, this issue is raised by designing busl
ness composition, or where it is Used as
scapeooat for il!-doings Of various kinds,
some of which would find an appropriate
| place for mention in medical Journals pro-
per. One thing, however, is certain, that II
is time such uufounded allegations were set
! at rest.
This, the greatest boon to womanhood,
should 40 longer suffer from such untounded
| aspersionS, and the community should be
| taught to regard all such assertions rs base
calumnieS against their best friend. Let
the patent ireadles" rest upon their own
merits. Ii amy one prefers their motion, OF
it he wishes ten or twenty dollar steam
engine to work his machine, chop bis meat
clean his knives, or black his boots-in short
if he chooses any new manner oil attaining
or applying his power, let him do so, but LEI
him not dcIiilne the sewiDg-machine, dstorl
truth, or plndcr to speculation and deceit.