332 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[November, 



her two sisters, and only brother all died of con- 

 sumption, under fifty years of age. All the 

 children of my mother's sisters and brother, 

 though they lived to a good age and enjoyed 

 good health, finally died of consumption. On 

 my father's side there was not a taint of any dis- 

 ease, but great strength and vigor. Three of my 

 brothers, active, energetic men until within a 

 few years of their death, died of consumption at 

 the ages of fifty-five, fifty-seven and seventy- 

 eight respectively ; and a sister died of the same 

 disease at sixty-six. I mention these cases to 

 show that the germs of the disease were with the 

 family. Thirty years ago mj' eldest sister, then 

 above fifty years of age, was reported by her 

 physician, Dr. J. P., a victim of tubercular con- 

 sumption, to which disease she would succumb 

 before the coming summer. She was a lover of 

 plants and flowers, and cultivated them in-doors 

 and out. The spring saw her again moving 

 among her plants, and the winter found her con- 

 fined to the house, and sometimes for weeks to 

 her bed-chamber, which, like the sitting-room, 

 was literally a greenhouse. Visitors and friends 

 often spoke to her of the impropriety of having 

 so many growing plants in her room, reminding 

 her of the tradition that they were injurious. 

 Still, every spiing found her again on her feet, 

 in the yard and garden, nursing her plants, and 

 every winter confined to her room. And thus 

 she lived, year after year, until two years ago, 

 when, at the age of eighty-five, she passed away. 

 I have seen a few others with plants growing 

 and blooming in their chambers, but never one 

 who so lived among tliem as did my sister. 

 Winter after winter we looked for her death, the 

 cough, expectoration, and weakness justifying 

 our apprehensions, and yet her eighty fifth year 

 found her cheerful and happy, living among her 

 plants and enjoying the society of her friends. 

 Maj' we not believe that the vast exhalation 

 from these plants — water purified and medicated 

 by their vital chemistry — prolonged her life ?" 



Finding that most of my correspondence 

 yielded but barren results, I determined to 

 avail myself of non-professional experience ; and 

 accordingly, I began visiting the gardeners and 

 florists of Philadelphia, requesting answers to a 

 list of questions bearing on this subject. Only a 

 brief summary of the results obtained can be 

 here given. Thirty florists have already been 

 visited in this way. 



Twenty of these, with ages ranging from 

 twenty-five to eighty years, are strong and vigor- 



ous, and have always enjoyed good health. They 

 all work from ten to sixteen hours daily, and 

 have folloAved this pursuit for periods ranging 

 from six to sixty years. f 



Of the remaining number, four are occasion- 

 ally attacked with rheumatism of mild type, 

 ascribing their symptoms, and doubtless justly, 

 to wettings, the result of carelessness while 

 watering the plants, or from contact with the 

 wet leaves. 



One of the gardeners, a boy, aged fourteen, 

 has been at this occupation for a year, working 

 steadily ten hours daily. Prior to taking up his 

 present employment he had been working at the 

 drug business for a year. While thus engaged 

 his health failed considerably, and he became 

 pale and emaciated. He had never been strong 

 previously, though not to say diseased. No 

 sooner had he adopted his present avocation 

 than he began to improve in vigor, and now he 

 is the picture of robust health. 



Another florist, aged thirtj'-one, says that 

 prior to going into the business he had " weak 

 eyes," but that as soon as he became a florist, 

 eight years ago, his eyes began to improve, and 

 in a few years entirely recovered. 



Still another of the remaining ones has been 

 subject to severe colds since he has been work- 

 ing among plants, but he admits that he has 

 been exceedingly indiscreet about clothing, etc., 

 in gomg from the hot-house to the outer air. 



Mr. W., aged thirty-five, has been in the busi- 

 ness for twenty years, and is among his plants 

 at least ten hours daily. Phthisis is hereditary 

 in his father's family, and my informant himself 

 (Mr. W.) has long since been pronounced a con- 

 sumptive by his physician. He states, however, 

 that he has always had good health, except 

 simply the annoyance of a slight cough and a 

 little expectoi'ation occasionally. He is still 

 nursing his plants and enjoying life. 



This gentleman kindly related to me a brief 

 history of his deceased brother, and also that of 

 their father, likewise deceased ; and, for the sake 

 of convenience, I have classed them among those 

 whose histories I obtained directly. 



The brother died at the age of thirty-six years. 

 He was engaged in gardening from boyhood up 

 to within a year of his death, — continually at 

 work among his plants. During all the time he 

 followed this vocation he enjoyed fair health. 



t The histories of three of these subjects have been furnished 

 through the kindness of Professor J. T. Rothrock, to whom my 

 wants had been made known. 



