Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-28
HURTFUL OCCUPATIONS.
Employments Which Injure the Eye
Lungs OF Other Organs.


There are many occupations in which the
eyes have to suffer, as very small objects
must be critically scrutinized, frequently by
artificial light The objects, in order to be
distinctly seen, must be brought quite near
the eye; this necessitates great straining Of
the eye The eyeban being compressed some
what by the muscles, causes congestion
which is increased by artificial light in which
there is excessive heat Rays OF yellow color
are very trying to the eyes.
Engravers, lapidaries, watchmakers and
sewing girls are subject to affections Of the
eyes, due to the above mentioned causes
They lead sedentary life, sitting at work in
a constrained attitude, with the body bent
forward and shoulders rounded, SO that the
thoracic movements are interfered with.
This produces consumption, the cases Of this
disease among engravers and seamstresses
being very numerous. Engravers are also
subject to spaSms in their fingers, with dis
ease Of the skin on the hands and forearms.
Watchmakers who do the repairing have
the nail on the right thumb thickened and
scaly from their manner OF opening watches
The nails on the thumb and index finger Of
the left hand show at the point where they
approach each other sin order to hold deli
cate pieces" worn appearance, and almost
complete destruction is produced by the con-
slant rubbing Of the file. Seamstresses are
sometimes poisoned by the stuffs they work
upon. Many instances have occurred of ar
senical poisoning in those who sewed green
goods, which is colored with arsenical salts
A physician Of Boston found S.21 grains of
it in one square foot Of goods. An itching,
eczematous eruption has been produced by
tissues colored with bright aniline dyes.
Silk thread is also soaked in the acetate Of
lead to increase its weight, and persons who
pass it through the mouth III threading
needles, then bite it off with the teeth, have
suffered with lead poisoning.
The influence Of sewing machines on the
health Of women has often been discussed by
eminent men, with conflicting arguments and
evidence. The most elaborate investigation
is by Duchesne He found that women suf-
fered from muscular pains and great fatigue
of the lower limbs, with dyspepsia and other
evils; while other writers agree that mod
crate work on the sewing machine is rather
beneficial for health than otherwise, and that
only where women work from eight to ten
hours at the treadle evil results are apparent.
1t seems clear, therefore, that the chief source
of their troubles is fatigue, which, with their
habits of life, food, associations, etc., fully
account for the symptoms. AS the health Of
women is vastly more important to the ma
tional vigor than that Of men, special care
should ever be taken to guard it. While
there are many worNooms where the ma
chimes ore run by steam or water power,
there are many where the machines are run
by the muscles of women.
Persons performing delicate operations
with their fingers, requiring long practice to
learn and frequently repeated, sometimes
suffer from what is called writers cramp,n
because it was first noticed in penmen. 1t
occurs in all classes of writers, pjanists, vio-
linists, telegraph operators and others.
Musicians who play ON wind instruments
contract ernphyseIlia on account Of the strain
brought to bear On the lungs by thoracic /
muscles, while the expulsion of air Is him |
dered. Those who use their voices & great
deal and are obliged to speak In loud tones
for long time, often in an impure atmos-
phere, suffer greatly from the constant strain
Of the vocal organs. Such is the case among
actors, teachers, singers and speakers. The
most common disease among them is pharyn
gifts, known to all as ''clergyman's sore
throat" This is due largely to improper
breathing and want Of knowledge In giving
forth the voice. Such persons cannot know .
too much about that beautiful organ, the .
voice, and should study with those who make +
it a great consideration This is the best way
of warding off disease Of the throat and loss
of voice
People run away with the idea that gym
nasts, athletes, wrestlers, are perfect Her.
cules, and cannot know disease 'ris mis-
take. They undergo very universally at
times severe tests of muscular exertion, and
as result of these efforts, combined with
their irregular manner of living, are usually
short lived men, dying Of phthisis and heart
disease
Railroad employees are exposed to acct
dents as well as various disorders of the
nervous and circulatory systems produced
by the constant Earring to which they are
subjected. In the case of engineers and fire
men, by the sudden changes Of weather, &C
cording to Duchesne, their health for the
first few years improves and some gain flesh,
but, TO use his expression, they are, as rule,
tired out at ten years service, sufferers at the
end Of fifteen, aud after twenty years rarely
are able to continue ia the service. Many lose
their eyesight, their hearing becomes dull,
and pains in the lower huhs render walking
or standing upright tiresome and difficult
He attributes these symptoms to an affection
of the spinal cord, produced by long stand
ing and constant vibration Of the locomo
tlveS.-Boston Globe.
A Simple Scientific Trick.
In large factory one of the workmer
carelessly allowed his hammer to slip from
his hand 1t few half way across the room
and struck fellow workman in his left eye