The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-13
POISONED BY NICOTINE.
Movement for the Relief of Girls
Employed in Tobacco Factories.


Employed in Tobacco Factories.
Reclaiming children from a slow
death by nicotine poisoning is a work
which Mrs. Florence Kelley, the state
factory inspector, has undertaken.
She has discovered that over 1000 boys
tories and tobacco packing establish
ments in Chicago. Without exception,
where the child has worked in the fac
tory for any length of time his physi-
cal condition has been found to be most
lamentable. The tobacco has affected
the eyes. the skin is yellow, almost
green, from the effects of the nicotine,
and there are disorders which medical
examination has shown to prevail in
eight cases out of every ten.
Since the establishment of the state
INSPECTION of factories medical certifi-
Gates of the health of their employees
under sixteen Years of age, have been
required from the owners of cigar fac
tories and wholesale tobacco houses.
In this way the physical standard of
the cigar factory children has been
hettered, but still is in such a state
that Mrs. Kelley thinks that radical
measures are necessary The litter
acy of the children is unprecedented
in any other branch of employment.
Of twelve boys and girls who have re-
Gently applied for certificates, not one
could read or write. For the most
part they are of Polish parentage and
come from exceedingly poor homes.
At some of the factories in the city
the children are required to work ten
and twelve hours day Many of the
parents of the children have complain
led and steps are being taken for the
prosecution of employers for violation
of the eight hour law. At a tobacco
factory on Michigan street the records
of the factory inspectors office show
that eighty-nine girls and three boys
under sixteen years of age are en-
ployed. In another on Dearborn street
fifty-three girls are employed in the
STRIPPING of tobacco leaf and packing
of cigars. About the city there are
several score of factories where from
ten to twenty children are hired.
The rooms in which they work.
said Mrs Kelley, ARE sitting with the
strong smell Of tobacco. Girls who
strip the stems from the leaf bend
over their work with their faces close
to the tobacco. In long rows at tables
divided into scores of compartments
sit girls who are rolling cigars. Some
are employed in packing the goods
Medical research has proved that
while nicotine does not affect the man
to any alarming degreee it is disastr-
Gus to the health of children. Most
Of those who have been emnloved in
factories for two months or over have
sore eyes. This is explained by the
tact that when the children are tired
ana their eyes are weary thew hahitu-
ally rub them with their hands stained
WIN nicotine. which causes local irri-
tation. For the most part thew are
weak and puny. There is a ncFfceable
depression of energy. The constant
innalatlon OF tobacco causes dyspepsia,
aIstress OF the action of the heart and
tne' general physical condition of fhe
tobacco working children is far below
the average. io"
Inc lack OF medical statistics makes
IL impossible to compare the average
term OF life of the children in the To-
bacco factories with those of other
trades But from investigations made
by DR.. Roger Tracey of the New YORK.
CITY board of health it was deduced
mat the death rate was larger amonr
cnlldren working in tobacco-was much
larger than the average. 1t was also
Steaneo lnat they were affected for
iiIe py nicotine poisoning, especially
the girls, who, it was claimed were
confirmed invalids. The Illinois statis-
ties of labor for 1892 show that the
average weekly earnings of the child
rem IN this branch of trade were s4.32
at ten hours of labor each day. Those
who put up packages are paid bv fhe
piece. and are compelled to work very
nara IN order to earn the average
wares. More sickness among them is
reported than among other factory
cna!dren. Their illiteracy was also re-
1t is a habit of the cigar rollers tn
bite off one end of the cigar Their
teeth are stained and their fingers and
mails are discolored. Their skin seems
to absorb the nicotine and the state
OF tnelr nerves is really apparent.'~