172 REPORT — 1855. 



ing factory labour. Dr. Malcolm proceeded to draw attention to the influence of 

 factory life as founded upon the medical statistics of the largest factory town in 

 Ireland, with the view of showing that there are still injurious lesults due to factory 

 employment. He premised a brief description of the processes through which the 

 flax passes from the rough state to the yarn, in order that the exact amount and 

 nature of the employments in flax-spinning factories may be fully comprehended. 

 He also alluded to a few interesting points in connexion with the intimate structure 

 of the flax fibre, whereby it was shown that silica enters largely into its composition, 

 and also that in other respects its elementary fibre was essentially firm and unyield- 

 ing ; these and the foregoing subjects were illustrated by several diagrams and speci- 

 mens of the flax itself, as it appears after undergoing the different processes. The 

 a priori conclusions as to the capability of the different branches of factory employ- 

 ment to induce disease were then severally detailed thus : — 1. The influence of the 

 flax and tow dust on the organs of respiration. It was shown that these particles 

 are necessarily a source of irritation, and that their continued inhalation must sooner 

 or later induce organic disease. 2. The position of the worker : this influence is 

 manifested primarily in articular affections, and secondarily in inducing thoracic and 

 gastric maladies. 3. The high temperature of the spinning-rooms . this cause, com- 

 bined with the moist atmosphere, and in addition the sudden transitions of tempe- 

 rature to which the worker is exposed, conspire to disorder the respiratory func- 

 tions, and afterwards predispose to a more general contamination of the system. 

 The author next submitted the results ascertained by statistical laws based on actual 

 experience. 



Belfast contains about 112,000 inhabitants, of whom about 36,000 belong to the 

 operative class. Of this latter number, about 11,000 are factory workers, a suffi- 

 cient and extensive basis upon which to rear conclusions respecting the objects of 

 this paper. The tabular returns brought forward were made out from three sources ; 

 viz. 1st, the examination of 2078 female workers, by means of certain queries indi- 

 cating the particular employment, the age, the time at mill-work, the condition of 

 health, and, as far as could be ascertained, the medical history, including the num- 

 ber of times off work on account of ill health, the duration of past serious illnesses, 

 and, as far as possible, the nature of the illnesses themselves- 2nd. Returns from 

 the Belfast General Hospital records, showing the relative number of factory workers, 

 and the nature of the diseases for which they were admitted into hospital. 3rd. Similar 

 returns from the registers of the six dispensary districts into which Belfast is divided, 

 showing the number of workers treated, and the diseases under which they suffered. 

 4th. The author's experience as medical attendant for several years of public insti- 

 tutions, which afforded abundant opportunities and a personal inspection of the 

 workers at the factories. The results of the evidence thus furnished were compared 

 with the returns of disease amongst the entire population for whom medical relief 

 has been provided by hospitals and dispensaries, that is amongst that section of 

 society of which the factory operatives form a part. 1st. The examination of the 

 2078 female workers, omitting the tabular statements, gives the following general 

 result. Among the " spinners," it was found, as expected, that headaches, gastric 

 ailments, and complaints of the limbs predominated. The "preparers" complained of 

 these affections in a'less degree. 2nd. The hospital cases showed a large proportion 

 of injuries, cutaneous diseases, aflFections of the chest, especially phthisis, and of the 

 limbs. In comparison with the returns of all cases admitted into hospital for a 

 period of several years, it was ascertained that an increase of the general average was 

 observed among the workers in the following affections, viz. diseases of the skin, 

 injuries, pulmonary consumption, uterine diseases, nervous maladies, and aflections 

 of the limbs. 3rd. The dispensary returns give the following result upon a basis of 

 2053 mill-workers : affections of the chest, digestive organs, the skin and uterus, also 

 fevers, syphilis, and affections of the limbs greatly predominated. Compared with the i 

 general average of 35,039 cases as they occurred in the districts, we find that 

 diseases of the chest, gastric ailments, uterine and syphilitic diseases, fever and 

 affections of the limbs are in higher proportion amongst the mill-workers. 



The hospital returns in reference to the diseases of " hacklers," extending over a 

 number of years, elicited the fact that chest diseases were in the high ratio of 30 per 

 cent-, and that diseases of the skin and affections of the limbs were also in consider- 



