Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-08-12
Labor-Saving Devices for Scden-
tary Workers.


This is the age OF labor saving con- -
trivances, and the saving OF labor Is
generally an obvious gain. In some in
stances, however, 1t may be indirectly
loss or AL injury. Possibly this is true
of certain dew res intended for the use
of literary men, which. though Very
convenient and unquestlonably useful
under some circumstances, may be OBJ
jectionable In others as tending to make
sedentary labor more continuously sed-
entary, and consequently more detrl-
mental to health. 4 man may now Sit
at his desk or library table for hours
without the necessity of rising and walk
ing across the room to consult 4 book.
A revolving book case puts small
library beside his chair. ard patent
book-rests hold half dozen volumes
open before him for instant reference.
All the manuscripts and memoranda
that he has occasion to use are classified
and filed in pigeon-holes or drawers
within easy reach. All the tools and
appliances of his art are literally at his
fingers ends. He may write whole
page, if he chooses, without lifting his
pen from the paper to replenish it with
ink.
On the face of it, all this is as COM
Portable as it is convenient, and for
many classes Of workers it may be
everyway economical and advanta
geous. Sometimes, however, We fear
that the apparent advantage may be
really disadvantage, the seeming gain
an ultimate loss. Much. of course. de-
ponds upon individual temperament
and habit, but for many brain workers,
who have to be in the harness a good
part of the day, We have no doubt that
it is we'll to be compelled to leave one
chair now and then. The mere change
of position, the slight relief to one set
of overstrained muscles. the monetary
exercise of others long kept inactive, all
are good for the BODY, as the diversion
of attention from what is Immediately
under the eye is for the mind. 70 go
across the room, to take down heavy
book from shelf and hold 1t in the
hand while looking up some little point,
is exercise different not in kind, hut
only in degree, from q walk of q mile.
One returns to his writing rested and
refreshed by it, and The stimulus ii
gives to exertion soon makes mp for the
loss of time.
A stylographic pen is - admirable
continuance for some Kids Of work.
Reporters, students takiLg notes OF lee
lures, clerks who have H. make entries
or memoranda here and there IN u large
warehouse, and rybody who mus,
write ION the wing 50 t" STEAK. I'D
it extremely convenient to bav- pen and
inkstand in ole, and alwa,a r''udy fol
use; but for man writii g -tea,!iiy al
his desk, we believe that the relief tC
the muscles of the hand aud arm IL
pausing to dip the pen into tho ink
stand is we'll worth the few seconds il
takes. In the long run it may be just
enough to save one from writer's
crsmp" or pen palsy. In any mechan
ical labor that keeps one set of muscles
in constant and rapid exercise, there il
rest and recuperatIon III occasions
change of motion, however slight and
momentary. The heart, whose throb
bling labor knows no intermissioD 10y
day or night from birth to death, rests
for an instant between its successive
beats and the interval. although almost
insppreciable.i liz necessary to the healthy
performance of its functions. No par
of our muscular or nervous system
was made for incessant and UNMARRIED
activity Boston Jour. of Chemistry.