INDUSTRIAL LABOUR 



BRASS (DURATION 2 MINUTES.) 



423 



workmen, but he is inclined to think that such men apply their 

 efforts more symmetrically than right-handed men. 



Muscular atrophy and paralysis are shown by a more or less 

 pronounced asymmetry of the efforts. For instance, the subject, 

 E.A., who had hardly any power in his right arm, furnished a 

 graph in which the horizontal component of the effort of this 

 arm was insignificant, whilst that of the left arm was equal to 

 6 to 8 kilogrammes, and the same with the vertical components. 

 In spite' of this, the tracings are regular, E.A. being an experienced 

 workman. In short-sighted people the necessity for bending 

 down to the work results in an excess of fatigue. 



Irregularity of muscular action as evinced by spasmodic varia- 

 tions in the heights of the ordinates of the curves is a sure sign 

 of bad work and excessive expenditure of energy, which must 

 tend to undue depreciation of the organism. As has been said 

 above, such defects are only to be remedied by careful study of 

 the respiratory exchanges and close supervision of the attitudes 

 and motions of the workman. Matters which demand the atten- 

 tion of all those who desire the proper organisation of our work- 

 shops. 



319. General Conclusions. To determine the conditions of 

 maximum output (with due regard to all physical and physiolo- 

 gical variables), is the chief problem of industry. It is to be 



