Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-21
CHILD LABOR AND HEALTH

The University OF Vienna has estab-
lished a chair OF social medicine. AS
1 Industrial hygiene is the most impor-
tant branch of this subject. Professor
Teleky. the head of the department,
early became interested in tuberculo-
sis as an Industrial disease, and log
ically was led 20 study the effects of
different occupations on wage-earning
children with a predisposition to this
disease. He found that in Germany
as well as in Austria there is an unduly
high tuberculosis rate among youthful
wage-earners. Kayserling has shown
that while in Berlin the tuberculosis
death rate for all the later years of
life has fallen since 1900. no diminu-
ton has been found in the death rate
for children Of wage-earning age. Won
Pirquet attributes the rise in the tuber-
culosis morbidity rate during the years
between 10 and 20 to overstrain and
under-nutrition in apprenticeship life.
TeIeky has shown that sickness in
creases among children who leave
school for work The increase during
the first year Of work is not great,
but in the second and third years ii
is pronounced, and in the fourth year
is higher than the first.
He then took up the question of con-
troll of the choice of occupation so
that some regard might be given to the
welfare of the child, and that under.
developed children, predisposed to tu-
berculosis, might be kept out of occu-
pations in which too great demands
were made on their strength. In vi
emma medical control OF such matters
is easier than with us. because OF the
well established system OF apprentice
ship. Most Industries employ physi-
clans. who examine applicants for APP
prenticeships and may reject the ply
sically unfit. Theoretically. this is a
good system, but Teleky has found il
ineffective in practice. The physicians
are almost obliged to accept or reject
applicants according TO the state of the !
labor market. Also. the best paid in |
dustries get the strongest boys, while |
weaker boys must accept lower wages |
and poorer conditions or go into the |
unskilled occupations. which means |
that the children who most need il are |
not protected.
Realizing that the choice OF occupa-
ton should be made during school life
and with the advice of teacher and doc
tor. Teieky. with the cooperation of |
other physicians. opened a consultation
clinic for school children and their
parents. in which advice was given as
TO the occupation for which the child
was fitted.
He found that disease is produced in
children not only by improper
Of labor-heat, dust, insult.
hcient light. stagnant air--but also by
he work itself-the physical over
strain placed ON an under-developed
organism which should have its ener-
gies conserved for growth. After stud
wing the problem at first hand, and
seeing all efforts 10 prevent the disas-
trous effects of labor on under-devel-
1ped children fail. Teleky finds no
remedy save the raising OF the age.
limit for employment The age of 10,
ne thinks. 10 early enough for children
o enter industrial work: and even at
g the transition from school life to
Industrial life should not be too alb
upt. He agrees with Kaup that for
he youth under Is the work-day should
o limited 10 10 hours, including time
Dr. three meals, with each week at
last three half holidays for study and
port. and each year a two weeks va
ition. The importance of such inves-
cations. says The Journal OF the
merican Medical Association. is that
lid labor by lowering resistance in the
lid may favor the development OF
berculosis In children.