The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-02-15
HOW TO KEEP WELL.
Some Helpful Hints from the Health
oePartment-Printers and
Consumption.

There are few trades more subject
to an excessive death rate from con-
sumption than that of the printer.
The statement is made by a well
known expert for one of the leading
life insurance companies. And he
adds that this is fully borne out by
the experience of his company with
printers as risks. Tabulated figures
show that out of 1884 deaths 527
were from consumption, a death rate
from this disease alone of over 3S per
cent
But this is not the whole story. IN
addition to the deaths from consump-
ton, IL per cent died from some
other tuberculous disease, per cent
from asthma, IL from bronchitis, los
from pneumonia, and II per cent from
other respiratory diseases, making a
total mortality of 53.7 per cent from
disease of the lungs and air passages.
Now, we said last week that con-
sumption, bronchitis, pneumonia and
influenza were bad air diseases. This
means that impure air is big factor
in producing these diseases. The
figures just given as to the death rate
among printers also mean-if they
mean anything-that printers need to
go on strike for more fresh air. That
while they are demanding and are
receiving good wages, plentiful and
unfailing supply Of good air should
also be written in the contract.
Another appalling feature of the
high death rate among printers from
consumption is the fact that most of
the deaths occur while the victims
are young and in the early prime of
their working lives. In proof of this
statement, glance at these figures:
Out of 299 printers that died between
the age Of Is and "a years, 142 or
AS per cent died of consumption; out
OF 1872 deaths between the ages of 25
and "a. 217 or 5.4 per cent were
caused by consumption, while between
the ages of IS and A, out Of 297
deaths there were 116 or 39.1 per
cent; and between the ages of SIS and
81 only 9.5 per cent But in this trade
the consumptiVe mortality is exces-
siye for all the age groups under so.
According to the q. 8. census OF
1900 there were 141.O0O printers and
pressmen, about 5000 photographers
and about 5000 electrotypers and
stereotypers, making a total in these
allied trades, in each of which the
consumption death rate is excessive,
Of $4,000. The average consumptive
death rate from these trades is 800;
that Is, 39.9 per cent Of all deaths
among printers, pressmen, lithoTapn-
ers, stereotypers and electrotypers
are due to consumption. Add to this
the deaths In the same trades from
other forms of tuberculosis, bron-
chitis, pneumonia and influenza, all
bad air diseases, and you have a total
Of over so per cent.
The writer used to be around print
ing Offices q great deal He happens
TO remember that the printers had a
habit Of knocking on their cases
whenever an unusual or startling
piece Of news came into the compos-
ing room. Certainly the facts and
statements submitted in this weeks
talk should at least make the typo
'sit up and take notice" and possibly
call chapel meeting to discuss fresh
air and how to get more Of 1t into
their work places not forgetting
either their brothers, the pressmen,
IN the basement
II is doubtless true that the con-
dftions under which printers work are
improving all the time. But the fact
remains that they are still bad
enough to be largely responsible for
the high death rate among those who
follow this calling. Then, too, the
work places are not wholly respon-
sible. There are other factors which
enter into the problem, among which
are irregular habits, lack Of proper
food and rest But In any event. t
rests largely with the printers them
selves as to the things to be done
to stop the frightfuI death rate IN
their ranks from consumption.-P.)