The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-10
Healthy and Unhealthy Occupations.

Healthy and Unhealthy Occupations.
There is said to be dust everywhere,
but what constitutes dust is variable
material. Many occupations, the work
ing of fibers no less than the working
of metals, develop dust and seriously
affect the lungs. Iron often settles
there. A workman, who had polished
iron, died, and his lungs were found to
be hardened and actually one per cent.
of iron in their substance. Grinding,
particularly needle grinding, is very
fatal. These grinders die at the aver
age of thirty-one. The grinding OF
other metal products is unhealthy, but
to less terrible degree, and grinders
are proverbially neglectful of proper
precautions. Making ground glass is a
hard life, and hardly any Of the work
men at it are sound. Thirty-five per
cent. die of consumption, and many lose
their teeth and suffer virtual lead
poisoning. Diamond cutters are gen.
orally sick men. Vegetable dust is I'M
healthy, too. The men who prepare
molds for castings sprinkle them with
powdered charcoal. They have finally
catarrh with black expectorations,
and die of the disease. Millers do not
suffer from inhaling dust, but they have
a singular skin disease, oftenest affect
ing the left shoulder, where they carry
meal bags. 1t itches at night only,
and, according to some authorities, is
not vegetable matter but an insect.
Making brushes is very bad for the
health, as the bits of bristle get into
the lungs. In button making, bone
dust is not injurious, but mother of
pearl is, very. Feather handling is ex-
ceedingly bad for the lungs and throat,
and for the eyes, and artificial flower
making brings poisoning with it.
Working in copper actually makes
the hair green and the teeth, and it is
said the bones, but it is not injurious.
Copper is seldom worked alone, and
what is called copper poisoning is
probably lead poisoning. Seamstresses
suffer from poisoning from the stuffs
they work. They also hurt their
eyes, but the sewing machine, it is
now held, is rather benefit than an
injury if used only a few hours day.
1t is the all-day work at it in bad air
that has given it its bad name. To-
bacco- working involves a week or two
of sickness at first, but this is over
come, and after it the workmen are
said to be particularly free from cpl
demic diseases. However, its effects
upon women are said to be permanent
ly bad. There is great lack of chill
dren with them. Bleaching is cause
of serious trouble from eczema, which
comes from the hot water and lye,
which also gives washerwomen cracked
hands and eczema. Ninety per cent. of
the people employed in preparing sui
phate of quinine are taken down with
severe eczematous troubles and often
high fever. This is a disease that
overcomes new workmen and which
they have only once. Gasmen also
have skin troubles from the violent
sweating brought on by the heat, and
changes of temperature also develop
rheumatism. There is no bronchitis
or lung troubles among them.
The only way in which mirrors can
be made without the horrors of mer-
curial poisoning is by using silver and
letting quicksilver alone, but consider
able can be done to improve the condi-
ton of mercury workers if they can be
made to keep clean, and not to eat in
their workshops. Match-makers (not
matrimonial, but materially have their
intellects dulled by the fumes they in
hale, and suffer dreadful necrosis of
the jaw. No one with perfect teeth can
make matches and not lose his jawbone
and teeth. Working in rubber pro-
duces rubber poisoning" which is
accompanied by catarrah and eczema,
and is marked by a singular develop
ment of dependency, that leads to de-
spair and the abandonment of the work,
after which recovery comes naturally
in. 1t is a singular fact that offensive
odors are not unhealthy. Tanners are
proverbially well. In cholera plaques
tanners are exempt. Butchers hardly
ever know what consumption is. Even
scavengers of the lowest order are very
well, and stable boys are VIGOROUSLY
healthy.