The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-22
Healthy and Unhealthy Occupation

lhcre Is SAID TO be dust everywhere, but
what constitutes dust Is variable material.
Many occupations, the working of tibrcs 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 he hardened and actually one per
cent. of iron in their substance. Grinding,
particularly needle grinding, is very fatal.
These grinders die II. the average of 81.
The grinding of other metal products is un
healthy, but to a less terrible degree, and
grinders are provcrbially ncglcctful or proper
life, and hardly any of the workmcn at 1t
arc sound. Thirty five per cent die of
consumption, and many lose their teeth and
suffer virtual lead poisoning. Diamond
cutters are generally sick men. Vegetable
dust is unhealthy, too. The men who pre-
pare moulls for castings sprinkle them with
powdered charcoal They have finally a
catarrh with black cxpcctorations, and die
of the disease. Millcrs do hot suffer from
inhaling dust, but they have singular
skin disease, oftnest affecting the left
shoulder, where they carry meal bags. 1t
itchcs at night only, and, according to some
| authorities, is not Il vegetable matter but an
insect. Making brushes is very bad for the
health, as bits of bristle go into the
lungs. In button making bone dust is not
injurious, but mother Of pearl Is, very
Feather handling is exceedingly bad for
| the lungs and throat, and for the cycs, and
ARTIFICIAL flower milking 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 poison
| ing. SeamstrcsscS Sutfcrfrom poisoning from
the stulfs they work. They also hurt their
eyes, but the sewing machiuc, ii is now
held, is rather benefit than any injury If
used only a few hours q day. II is the all
day work ut it in bad air that has given It
its bad name. Tobacco- working involves
d week or two Of sickness at first, but this
is overcome, and after il the wol llmcn arc
said to be particularly free from epidemic
diseases. However its effects upon women
arc said to be permanently bad. There is
4 great lack Of children with them. Bleach
| ing is cause of serious trouble from
eczema, which comes from tho hot water
aid lyc, which also gives washerwomcl
cracked handsand eczema. Ninety per cent.
of the people employed in preparing sui
phatc Of QuiniDc nrc taken down with
severe ccZcmatous troubles and often high
fever. This is disease that ovcrcomcs
new worlmcn aud which they only have
once. Gasmcn also have skin troubles
from the violent sweating brought on by
the heat, and changes Of temperature also
develop rheumatism There is no bron
chtis or lung troubles among them. The
only way in which mirrors can he made
\ -. &C - - r~:.o,>;~s
Is by using silver and letting ouicl1silvc,
alone, but considerable can he done in inn
prove the condition Of mercury workers Il
they can be made to keep clean, and not tc
eat in their workshops. Matches in every
house and every pocket arc made at q
terrible cost. Match-makcrs (not malri
moninl, but materially, have their intcllects
dullcd by the fumes they inhalc and suffer
dreadful necrosis of the jaw No one with
| lmpcl feet teeth can make matches and not
| loose his jawbonc and teeth Working in
rubber produces ''rubbcr poisoning" which
is accompanied by catarrh and eczema and
Is marked by singular development of
dependency, that leads TO dispair and the
abandonment Of the work, after which
recovery comes naturally in 1t is singu-
lar fact that offensive odors are not un-
healthy. Tanners arc provcrbally well. In
cholera plaques tanners arc exempt.
Butchers hardly ever know what consunlp-
ton is. Even scavcngcrs of the lowest order
arc very well, and stables boys nro notori-
ously healty.