HEALTHINESS OF CERTAIN OCCUPATIONS. 31 



connected with soap boiling, tanning, parafine-making, and candle- 

 making, belong to this class. On account of the disagreeable 

 odours emitted, they are, in the Public Health Act, designated 

 noxious trades. It is remarkable that these occupations have, 

 from time inmemorial, and in all countries, ranked amongst the 

 healthiest of the industrial employments. The average life of 

 the workers is over sixty years.* 



Will you notice that, in one hundred sick among the charcoal 

 burners, there are only two consumptives. This is the next 

 lowest death-rate to that of the coal-miner ; and for the reason 

 previously mentioned, that the carbon is protective to the 

 lungs. Parafine-makers, although exposed to powerful vapours, 

 enjoy a similar remarkable immunity from consumptive disease. 

 This is accounted for by the antiseptic properties of parafine. 



Of those who are affected, not so much by dust, as by 



THE EFFECTS OF CONSTRAINED BODILY POSITION 

 CONJOINED WITH DEFECTIVE VENTILATION, 



we restrict our attention to three well-known classes. These 

 are, firstly, the needle-women of every class, including milliners 

 and dressmakers ; secondly, tailors ; and thirdly, shoemakers. 

 Their surroundings in their essential features are alike ; they all 

 work under the disadvantages of a sedentary and constrained bodily 

 posture, in over-crowded and ill-ventilated work-rooms. They are 

 but little addicted to out-door exercise, and their habits of dieting 

 are extremely faulty. From their excessive tea-drinking, they are, 

 with few exceptions, confirmed dyspeptics. Pale in complexion, 

 spare in bodily condition, they age prematurely. The women are 

 afflicted with anosmia, which means the loss of red blood, giddiness, 

 palpitation, shortness of breath, weak and trembling limbs, 

 and, generally, the complete suspension of those functions upon 

 which their health and usefulness depend. These symptoms, for 

 the most part, terminate in consumption, unless their occupation 

 is timeously relinquished. The conditions under which they 

 carry on their respective employments, are so analogous that we 



* It is mentioned, as a matter of history, that during the plague called 

 the " Sweating Sickness," tanners, curriers, and such as were employ 

 unpleasant smelling businesses, all escaped infection. 



