Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-06
Price Four Cents.
Ailments of Working Women.
Brooklyn Physician's Report on One Hundred ana Fifty Patients.
 From the New York sun

Brooklyn Physician's Report on One Hundred ana Fifty Patients.
 From the New York Sum- In paper recently read before the ,Kines County Medical society, Dr. Chace gives the results of professional experience of two and fifty of this kind of patients had come under his care. The cases were all recorded and tabulated
 These records do not except in very linn tied degree, confirm the popular notions con- corning the ills of workingwomen
 It is not denied that these girls often feel severe fatigue from standing hour after hour, but Dr. Chace maintains that their health depends upon other matters of mo- meat.
 The saleswomen included in this investiea- tion are divided into three classes those who are reduced frcm comparative affluenoe to poverty and must work to live; those who have good homes and do not need to work. but who desire an increase of pocket money for purposes of dress; and, lastly, the poor glrl whom want, both of self and relatives forces to work for the bepaft of the house hold ih wnich she has her szUma.
 The tables show that of eighty-two pa- hents, suffering from the three diseases to which this class of employees seem especially liable, seventy-two are divided between the two classes who are compelled to work. Of the middle class, those who work for pocket money, but ten were found suffering from the causes alluded to. Again, it is affirmed in the report that none of the evils reported for all classes were such as would necessa- rily result from long continued standing. The girls wages are from $3 to $11 week ly, the average being about $6. F1om this sum the two poorer classes pay for board. lodging, dress, medical attendance, car fares. and ferriages, and also contribute certain amount to the support of others. The mid 6 hQy ofe1f nln food, and healthful surroundings which they get independent of their wages, and they can afford vacations. Some of them work ten and some eleven months in the year; few not over six months.
 Of fifty girls of the indepen lent class not one has been prostrated by illness of a seri- ous character or lasting more than three days during the two years they were under ob- servation. They worked during the same hours and performed the same labor in the same way as their poorer sisters. They were not ill, Dr. Chace said, because their hygien- ic environment was better, and because they were not subjected to the prolonged strain upon the nervous system inseparable from those who work for bread under adverse circumstances.
 In the discussion of the paper, Dr. Segur stated that one feature had struck him in the appearance of these girls, and that was "the very general existence of anmmia among
 
 coincided. Anemia is condition in which the blood is i'll nourished and insufficient. The habit among shop girls of eating pastry and confectionery, instead of such wholesome and nourishing food as could be had at the same cost, was referred to.
 Dr. Squibb thought working girls healthy as rule, and stated that they lost less time from sickness than did an equal number of men. He thought the general trouble with them was that they did not distribute their pay wisely between their dress and their food. The Doctors experience with the class was thought, however, to be confined to his own establishment where their conditions of life are exceptionally good
 Dr. Chace said that good and sufficient un- derclothing is one of the unheard-of things among the poorer shop girls, the scanty al- lowance for clothes being expended on exter- nals to please employers. According to Dr. Chace the question resolved itself chiefly into one of wages. The girls suffered not so much because they were obliged to stand as because their wages did not purchase the require ments for good health. They need better lodgings, more vacations and more beef steaks.