TOBACCO-WORKER, WEAVER, AND JOINER. 27 



at once inform you what occurs to the artificers employed in 

 the other branches of this same group. 



THE EFFECTS OF VEGETABLE-DUST. 



The occupations, which are productive of vegetable-dust, in- 

 clude a somewhat promiscuous and apparently incongruous variety 

 of workers. Among these we have the cigar-maker, and the 

 tobacco and snuff-worker. Although they enjoy an average life 

 of fifty-five years, they nevertheless, head the list with thirty-six 

 cases of consumption in every hundred. This unexpected result 

 is, doubtless, owing chiefly to the irritant effects of tobacco-dust 

 on the lungs ; but in some degree, I am of opinion, to the chemical 

 ingredients superadded during the manufacturing processes. 

 Amongst the different classes of workers in textile fabrics, the 

 weavers, engaged in the cotton, flax, and hemp branches, are un- 

 questionably the chief sufferers. The mortality from consump- 

 tion, at one period, was so great as to lead the Privy Council 

 to inquire into its causes. Dr Greenhow, who undertook 

 the investigation, showed that it was during the preparatory 

 processes, that most dust was given off, and the greater amount 

 of disease engendered. These processes are known as " hackling/' 

 " carding," " sorting," and " dressing." * 



It is stated, on the best authority, that three-fifths of the flax 

 mill-workers of Belfast the chief centre of that textile manufac- 

 ture are consumptive. In other words, sixty in every hundred 

 die of that disease.t 



The average life of the weavers of this restricted class is 

 forty-four years, whilst that of weavers in general is about fifty- 

 seven. 



Carpenters, joiners, and cabinet-makers, are affected by their 

 dusty occupations each group having fourteen consumptive cases 

 in every hundred. These facts afford conclusive evidence that 

 their work is considerably less hazardous than that of the stone- 

 masons. I find it generally, but erroneously stated, and taken 

 for granted, that the risks of the former class are equal to those 



* Vide Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council for 1858-60. 

 t Vide Essay on Health of Belfast by Dr Purdon. 



