20 



Of all the occupations, trades and professions in which mankind are 

 employed, that of tanning is, with one exception, the most healthful, 

 and the most conducive to long life. I do not need to add that it is also 

 the oldest of all industries, the most natural and the most important to 

 the physical welfare of man. Let us imagine, for a moment, that the 

 work of raising crops, milk products, fruit, cattle and other food animals 

 were to cease entirely for a period of one year, and contemplate the 

 effect of such an event. The cessation of any other industry which can 

 be named could not produce so disastrous an effect upon the human race. 



Let us examine this question of the healthfulness of agriculture as a 

 profession or occupation more closely, with reference to the reasons. 



In general it may be said that out-door occupations are more healthful 

 and conducive to length of life than in-door industries. In order to 

 successfully till the soil, to raise crops and tend cattle and other animal-. 

 the farmer must necessarily lead an out-door life, as compared, for ex- 

 ample, with mill operatives, shoemakers, book-keepers and other in-door 

 occupations. Those occupations in which large numbers of people are 

 employed together are unhealthful in proportion to the numbers 

 crowded together in a given space. They are also unhealthful with 

 reference to the character of the occupation in which they are employed. 

 Occupations which produce irritating dust, like stone cutting, knife 

 grinding, rag sorting, etc., tend to shorten the lives of workmen and 

 produce consumption, while persons who live largely in the open air, 

 like farmers and fishermen, escape such noxious influences. 



The accompanying table presents some of these facts in a more definite 

 manner : — 



Comparative Mortality of Men i)i Different Occupations in England* 



Clergymen, .... 100 

 Farmers, . . . .114 

 Paper makers, . . .129 



Grocers 139 



Fishermen, . . . 143 



Carpenters, .... 148 

 Lawyers, . . . .152 

 Shoemakers, .... 166 

 Commercial travellers, . . 171 



Bakers 172 



Masons and bricklayers, . 174 

 Blacksmiths, .... 175 

 Railway laborers, . . . 185 

 Woollen manufacture, . . 186 

 Tailors, 189 



Printers, . . . .193 

 Cotton manufacture, . .196 

 Physicians, .... 202 

 Stone quarriers, . . . 202 

 Bookbinders, .... 210 

 Butchers, . . . .211 

 Glassworkers, . . .214 

 Plumbers and painters, . . 216 

 Cutlers and scissors makers, . 229 

 Brewers, .... 245 

 Liquor dealers, . . . 274 

 File makers, .... 300 

 Earthenware makers, . . 314 

 Hotel service, . . . 397 



The foregoing table may be read as follows : assuming the mortality 

 of clergymen as a standaixl, that of farmers is 14 per cent greater, that 

 of lawyers 52 per cent greater, etc. 



• From paper by Dr. Wm. Ogle, at International Congress of Hygiene at London, 

 in 1891. Section on Demography. 



