The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-02-17
THE GREAT
WHITE PLAGUE,
Interesting Facts and Figures Con-
cerning tuberculosis Death Rate
Among Workers in Dusty Trades

Editor Labor Argus:
In conjunction with industrial chro
nology experience, occupational NOR.
tality statistics would no doubt be
doubly interesting from the fact that
dusty trades furnish unquestionable eyi.
dence of he health injurious effects of
exposure in these occupations. 1t is the
opinion of many authors that intelligent
study OF ventilation on the part of those
VINO are responsible for. such conditions,
the death mortality and the evident causes
OF consumption would be greatly reduced.
Men who employ large number of
workmen should look to the health of
these men as much as they do to their
output, for the fact remains clear. n
man working under sanitary conditions
is more liable to increase his output
than under adverse conditions
Our city is a good example as regards
factories, but if one will observe the
windows are down summer and winter,
and worse still, most of them are painted
or stained SO as not to permit even a
sufficient amount of light. This is a
wrong idea on the part of men who are
given credit for a fair amount of inteIli-
gence.
The United States Cencus Bulletin
No a gives an Interesting account Of
42 of the so-called dusty trades, showing
for example, that of polishers who die
between 25 and 34 years of age, Sc per
cent. of such deaths are due to tubercu-
losls, 70 per cent. of the grinders die
of this disease as well, and the percent
age of other trades is given as follows:
80 per cent. of toolmakcrs, SO per cent
OF gold leaf makers, 60 per cent. of brass
workers, 56 per cent. of printers, &c per
cent. of compositors, 81 per cent. of en-.
gravers, SO per cent. of stoncmasons, so
per cent. of marble cutters, Sc per. cent.
OF glass blowers, As per cent. of plasters,
10 per cent. of paperhangcrs, 62 per cent.
of photographers, 6S per cent. of hosiery
and knitting employees, SO per cent. spin
ners, SO per cent of weavers, so per cent.
ropemakers, So per cent. of cabinet
62 per cent. of woodturners. 50
per cent of hattcrs, 50 per cent of silk
mill employees, 5S per cent. of upholster-
crs.
we find another interesting account show
ing the vast mortality in dusty occupat-
ions. OF the deaths from all causes
among males 10 years of age and over
in the registration area of this country,
1S.S per cent. were form tuberculosis.
The corresponding portion of deaths
from dust was 36.9 per cent 26 per cent.
from mineral dust 24S from veoeto hle
fibre dust and 32.1 per cent from ami
NAL and mixed fibre dust In each oc-
cupation group, the highest consumption
mortality was among persons from 25
TO "a years of age, the proportion of
deaths from consumption for that age
group being 57.2 per cent. in occupations
exposed to metallic dust, 47.6 per cent
per cent. in those exposed to vegetable
fibre dust, and 53.3 per cent. in those ex-
posed to animal and 31.3 per cent. of
males in the registration area of the
United States
While these figures are startling they
are the facts of study by men who make
it business. AS an example, placing
at only 5000, the total average economic
gain to the nation would be $3,OsO and
for every avoidable death of a wage
Garner from consumption representing
the enormous total of $6S, 400, 900 as
the aggregate annual financial value in
the profitable saving in years of adult
human life.