Human Longevity. 55 



Colliers and well-sinkers, — a class by themselves, — seldom 

 reach the age of 50. — Employments producing dust, odor 

 or gaseous exhalations. These are not injurious, if they 

 arise from animal substances, or from the vapor of wine or 

 spirits. Tobacco manufacturers do not appear to suffer from 

 the floating poison in their atmosphere. SnufFmaking is more 

 pernicious. Men in oil mills are generally healthy. Brush- 

 rnakers live to a great age. Grooms and hostlers inspire am- 

 moniacal gas, and are robust, healthy and long-lived. Glue 

 and size boilers, exposed to the most noxious stench, are 

 fresh looking and robust. Tallow chandlers, also exposed to 

 offensive animal odor, attain considerable age. Tanners are 

 remarkably strong, and exempt from consumption. Corn- 

 millers, breathing an atmosphere loaded with flour, are pale 

 and sickly, and very rarely attain old age. Malsters cannot 

 live long, and must leave the trade in middle life. Teamen 

 suflfer from the dust, especially of green teas; but this injury 

 is not permanent, Coffeeroasters become asthmatic, and 

 subject to headache and indigestion. Papermakers, wiien 

 aged, cannot endure the effect of the dust from cutting the 

 rags. The author suggests the use of machinery in this pro- 

 cess. In the wet and wear and tear of the mills, they are not 

 seriously affected, but live long. Masons are short-lived, dying 

 generally before 40. They inhale particles of sand and dust, 

 lift heavy weights, and are too often intemperate. Miners 

 die prematurely. Machinemakers seem to suffer only from 

 the dust they inhale, and the consequent bronchial irritation. 

 The (iron) filers are almost all unhealthy men, and remarka- 

 bly short-lived. Founders (in brass) suffer from the inhala- 

 tion of the volatilized metal. In the founding of yellow brass 

 in particular, the evolution of oxide of zinc is very great. 

 They seldom reach 40 years. Coppersmiths are considera- 

 bly affected by the fine scales which rise from the imperfect- 

 ly volatilized metal, and by the fumes of the spelter, or solder 

 of brass. The men are generally unhealthy, suffering from 

 disorders similar to those of the brass founders. Tinplate 

 workers are subjected to fumes from muriate of ammonia, 

 and sulphureous exhalations from the coke which they burn. 

 These exhalations, however, appear to be annoying rather 

 than injurious, as the men are tolerably healthy, and live to 

 a considerable age. Tinners, also, are subject only to tempo- 

 rary inconvenience from the fumes of the soldering. Plumb- 

 ers are exposed to the volatilized oxide of lead, wliich rises 

 during the process of casting. They are sickly in appearance 

 and short-lived. Housepainters are unhealthly, and do not 



