The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-09-24
A TERRIBLE DISCLOSURE

WASHINGTON United States
public health service has recently
made a special study and examination
of the health of persons engaged in
the garment industry of New York
city. In it's report it says that the
Joint Board of Sanitary Control of the
Industries and the various labor unions
connected Herewith joined in the
study and co-operated in the investi-
cation and performance of the United
States officials Two thousand male
workers and two thousand female
workers were examined and a trifle
over per cent. of the total number
of persons examined were found free
from physical defect or disease. A
total of 13,457 defects of all kinds
were found, 9,451 defects being among
the males and 1916 among the fe-
males. The examination disclosed an
average of 4.36 physical defects or
disease to each person examined.
While all of the defects We're not ser
ious, many of the physical conditions
produced an injurious effect upon the
individual. 1t was discovered, how
ever, that there were no vocational
diseases peculiar to the garment
trades, but the industry being seden-
tary, it intensified the bad effects up
on health and efficiency of certain
inherent physical defects and dis
eases
Low WAGES AND CONSUMPTION
The prevalence of tuberculosis
among males was found to be ten
times that in the United States army.
Among females tuberculosis was three
times the army rate. The most dam
aging effect disclosed was that the
dreaded white plague was most prev
alent among the lowest paid class of
workers.
Aside from tuberculosis, the most
common physical troubles were de-
tective vision So per cent; faulty pos
ture, so per cent; chronic nose and
throat complaints, 26 per cent; defec-
tive teeth, 26 per cent; weak and flat
feet, 26 per cent; diseased tonsils, IS
per cent; defective hearing, 10 per
cent; nervous affections, us per cent
Only II per cent. suffering with bad
eyesight wore glasses and only 2,35
per cent. of these had glasses which
fully corrected the defects.
The Inspectors were led to conclude
that a large number of the garment
workers affections arose from ignor-
ance or neglect of personal hygiene.
Proper methods of instruction were
recommended for the better educa-
uon of such sedentary workers in per
Sohal hygiene, especially the correc-
ton OF visual defects, correct posture
OF habits and if better instruction is
afforded school children in these prin-
clpIes, improved health results would
be more quickly obtained.
In thirty-four of the work shops y
careful investigation was made of the
llSht at the stations in the shops
where workers are looted. Over one
haIt OF the working stations. 1900 in
all We're found to possess inadeouate
illumination. The light from windows
was INSTRUCTED by piles of garments
Ihey were unclean and poorly arrang-
ed. unshaded lamps and bad reflec-
tors were used in many cases either
too high or too low to afford proper
night More large units for local H..
Elimination should be used and fewer
smaller units.
Additional reports will be made in
the future by the public health service
with regard to health and hygienic
conditions of workers in other trades