Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1894 — DESTRUCTIVE OCCUPATIONS. [ARTICLE]

DESTRUCTIVE OCCUPATIONS.

Poisons That Lark for Flax and Artificial Flower Workers. Very little is known of the danger to life and health that exists iu many occupations where women are largely employed. In England a league has been formed to call attention to the facts of the case, and Mrs. C. Mollet has made extensive investigations, In the linen trade, the flax has to be left to soak in the water, and rheumatism, bronchitis and pneumonia seize upon the women who have to deal with it in this stage. In the flax carding department, the fine dust produces lung disease and kills its victims at thirty. In fur cape making, the odor and the fine fluff are both extremely injurious. A singular injury is caused to artificialflower makers, especially those employed in making white flowers by gaslight. The dry dust causes inflamed eyelids, and the work is so trying that women are worn out long before middle age. In the china trade, the slay dust Betties year by year in the laogs until consumption results. In the white-lead trade, horrors are found quite equal to those of the phosphorus match trade. Lead is in itself highly poisonous, and the most dangerous parts of the process of making the ordinary blue pigs of lead into the deadly white carbonate is carried on by women, because it requires less muscular strength than the relt. Cakes of lead are put to ferment in tan and acetic acid for three months, and then the cakes have to be grubbed out of the mixture by band, the poison getting under the finger nails. After being ground to powder nnder water, the dishes of damp lead have to be placed in a stove to dry for a fortnight. The worst part is when these poor women have to take away the dry, hot, white carbonate of lead from the stoves. Even the muffled heads, the woolen respirators, the sack overalls fail to keep out the deadly dust. They rarely live many years; sometimes a few weeks or months bring on the symptoms oPacute lead poisoning, to which they rapidly succumb. This white oarbonafe of lead is used for glazing china and enamel advertisements. The only safeguard would be in prohibiting the manulacture, nnd it would be possible to do so, for various substitutes are already in the market.—[New York Sun.