Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-06
HURTFUL OCCUPATIONS.
Employments Which Injure the Eyes,
Lungs, or Other Organs.

From the Boston Globe.
There are many occupations in which the
eyes have to suffer very small objects must
be critically scrutinized, frequently by arti-
fetal light The objects, in order to be dis
tinctly seen, must be brought quite near the
eye; this necessitates great straining Of the
eye. The eyeball being compressed somewhat
by the muscles, causes congestion, which is in
creased by artificial light in which there is ex-
cessive 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 aforementioned causes. They
lead sedentary life, sitting at work in a con-
strained 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 numer-
Gus: Engravers are also subject to spasms in
their fingers. with disease of the skin ON the
hands and forearms
Matchmakers 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 I'm order to hold delicate pieces" q
worn appearance and almost complete destruc-
ton is produced by the constant rubbing of the
hle. Seamstresses are sometimes poisoned by
the stutfs they work upon. Many instances
nave occurred OF arsenical poisoning in those
who sewed green goods, which is colored with
arsenical salts. A physician of Boston found
o.2l grains OF 1t in one square foot of goods
An itching, eczematous eruption has been
produced by tissues colored with bright ana
line dyes.
Silk thread is also soaked in the acetate of
inht nd ~
pass 1t through the mouth in threading needles
then bite 1t off with the teeth, have suffered
from 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 suffered
from muscular pains and great fatigue of the
lower limbs, with dyspepsia and other evils;
while other writers agree that moderate 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, &c, fully account for
the symptoms. As the health Of women is
vastly more important to the national vigor
than that OF men. special care should ever be
taken to guard it. While there are many
workrooms where the machines are run by
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," because
1t was first noticed in penmen. 1t occurs in
all classes of writer's pianists, violinists tele-
graph operators and others.
Musicians who play on wind instruments
contract emphysema, on account of the strain
brought to bear on the lungs by thoracic mus
cles, while the expulsion of air is hindered.
Those who Use their voices a great deal and
are obliged to speak in loud tones for a long
time, often in an impure atmosphere, suffer
greatly from the constant strain of the vocal
organs. Such is the case among actors teach
ers, singers and speakers. The most common
disease among them is pharyngitis, 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 great consideration.
This is the best way of warding of disease of
the throat and loss of voice.
People run away with the idea that gym
nasts, athletes, wrestlers, are perfect Hercules,
and cannot know disease. It's a mistake
They undergo very universally at times severe
tests OF muscular exertion, and as a result of
these efforts, combined with their irregular
manner Of living, are usually short-lived men,
dying of phthiss and heart disease
Railroad employees are exposed to accidents,
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 fremen, by the sudden
changes of weather. according to Duchespe
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. and after twenty
years rarely are able to continue in the service.
Many lose their eyesight, their hearing be-
comes dull and pains in the lower limbs render
walking or standing upright tiresome and diff
cult. He attributes these symptoms to an af-
lection of the spinal cord, produced by long
standing and constant vibration of the locomo-
tives
The following table shows the death rate:
E,sr.vers Phtbisis. Agss