INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS OF HEALTH 387 



At the outbreak of the World War a sudden increase in the 

 demand for all sorts of supplies and munitions led the managers 

 of industry to increase the number of hours of work and to 

 speed up the workers in the factories. In England it was soon 

 found, however, that this plan, instead of increasing production, 

 actually diminished it, and resulted in a great deal of ill health 

 and physical breakdown among the workers. A commission ap- 

 pointed to study the health of munition workers found : (i) In- 

 creasing the number of hours of work is bad for the health of 

 the workers and for the quality of their work. (2) Working 

 day after day without weekly rest days is bad for the health of 

 the workers and for the quality of production. 



As a result of this and similar investigations many factories 

 in Europe and in this country have established new methods for 

 determining the speed at which work should be done. The day's 

 work is divided into short shifts, or "tricks," which permit pro- 

 duction to be increased while the fatigue and accidents are 

 diminished and the health of the workers is improved. 



289. Mental-health conditions. One of the most important 

 factors in the poor health of workers is irregularity of employ- 

 ment. This produces very marked physical effects, because it is 

 usually accompanied by low income, and therefore inadequate 

 nourishment, unsuitable housing and clothing, lack of proper 

 recreation, and so on. Moreover, irregularity of employment 

 leads to worry, more often than any other one thing connected 

 with work. This worry leads to bad mental habits, irritability, 

 nervousness or mental strain, and loss of sleep. On the physical 

 side it shows itself in indigestion and general weakening of the 

 whole system. There are other sources of worry besides irreg- 

 ularity of employment; but whatever the reasons may be in 

 any particular case, it is bad for the health of the body, and it 

 may be considered in itself an unhealthy condition of mind. 



Closely related to worry, and in many ways similar in its 

 effects, is jear. Such anxieties result not so much from the con- 

 ditions in any particular occupation or establishment as from 

 the general working and living conditions in a given industry or 



