The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-02-20
OCCUPATIONS AND DEATHS,
The Agency of Alcoholic Drinks in Pro-
ducing High Rates of Mortality-Sug-
gestive Facts and Figures.


The Agency of Alcoholic Drinks in Pro-
ducing High Rates of Mortality-Sug-
gestive Facts and Figures.
The death-rate of different occupa-
tions yields some curious results. TAX
ing as basis of comparison the NOR
tality of all males of similar ages in
England and Wales as 1000, the
death-rate of the class mentioned is
compared with this as standard.
When the rate of the examined class
exceeds this number, that class forms
an example of unhealthy occupations;
when it falls short, it belongs to the
healthy occupations. Thus, the first
place among healthy occupations is
held by ministers of religion, the death
rate of this class being $50. Next, we
have gardeners and nurserymen, who
stand at 500; farmers and graziers, 631;
agricultural laborers, 701; school
masters, 719: the other trades which
follow closely on these being grocers,
coal merchants, paper manufacturers,
wheelwrights, ship-builders and ship
wrights and coal miners. The figure of
mortality for all these trades is under
us. On the other side, that of the I'M
healthy occupations, the first place is
held by the trades which are concerned
in the manufacture and distribution of
Intoxicating drink, and which, as is
well known, entail many temptations
to drink it to excess. The list of I'M
healthy occupations is headed by the
class of inn and hotel servants, whose
figure mounts up to 2,205, being nearly
double that of the medical profession.
The highest places next to them are
held by general laborers in London
and by costermongers, hawkers and
street sellers, the former class with
1920, the latter with 1879. 1t is prob
able that both are largely made up of
broken men, the wrecks of other call
ings. lnnkeepers, publicans, spirit,
wine and beer dealers follow. with a
figure of 1,521, and brewers with 1861.
In support of the belief that these high
rates of mortality are chiefly due to al
coholic excess, DR.. Ogle has compared
with them the mortality assigned to
diseases of the liver, the organ through
which such excess chiefly declares
itself, and has obtained results
which are entirely in harmony with
those of the trade returns. Next to
the trades concerned with alcohol the
highest rates are furnished by occupa-
tions which involve the breathing of
dust = other than coal dust -
and especially of dust of sharp
and gritty character or largely COM
posed of mineral matter; next, those
in which there is exposure to lead
poisoning, as with plumbers, painters
and filemakers. The earthenware
manufacturers, who are much exposed
to mineral dust, have figure of 1,742;
filemakers, who work upon leaden
cushion, reach 1867, and the plumbers
and painters, who are also exposed to
lead, reach 1902. 1t will furnish re-
markable contradiction to a prevailing
impression that butchers have high
death rate, their figure of mortality
amounting to LILO, the causes of
death among them being partly due to
the diseases of intemperance, and
partly to phthisis and other maladies
from which they have long been sup
posed to enjoy special immunity
Chambers Journal.