1809. ] 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
What are the BEST MEANS Of promoting 
the uraLru, increasing the COMFORTS, 
and bettering the MORALS, of those 
employed in MANUFACTORIES. By w. 
YATE HONEY WOOD YaTE, esq. of GLOU- 
CESTERSHIRE, 
HE evils incident to mannfactories, 
are evidently divided -into those 
which respect their health asd morals. 
As these questions are distinct, I shall of 
course discuss them separately. ° 
Tt is noted by physicians, that action, 
air, and temperance, cannot be omitted 
for even sa short a space as two or three 
years, without laying the foundation of 
diseases, which will endure till dissolu- 
tion, § Surely then, it is time that reme- 
dies be adopted for an evil so serious, 
and which is the parent of so much 
misery. 
Ta establishing the means, I must beg 
the candour of the public in reference to 
omissions, which must proceed from ig- 
morance of medical science; and I shall 
only premise, thac the remedies I pro- 
pose, are founded upon the most simple 
principles, and are studiously adapted to 
avoid two important objections, which 
may be made, and usually are, to all im- 
provements which imply them-—trouble 
and expense, he first remedy I shall 
Suggest, 1s the construction of the manu- 
factory at the distance of one mile at 
least from the habitations of the manu- 
facturers. As most of the labour done 
in them. is what is'ealled piece-work, the 
workman is compelled to be diligently 
attentive, by the importance of time, and 
his health receives aid from the exercise 
of walking which he is obliged to 
take forward and backward, “during 
the hours of going’ to- work, and 
returning from it; and perhaps dur- 
ing meals. To effectuate this pur- 
pose, the doors of the manufactory should 
be closed, ‘and permission refused to be 
upon the premises at times of cessation’ 
from labour; which caution would, ina 
great part of the year, be even super- 
seded by the seasons themselves. An 
advantage would also result to the 
master, that it would render theft more 
dificalt, by means of the more easy de- 
tection and g greater danger of sb id tee 
Conv BREE. 
A garden too should be uinifuritily an- 
nexed to thei cottages. 
Some remarks have been made by Dr. 
Percival on this subject, respecting the 
* Manchester manele actories, iy which -he 
On preserving the Health, Sc. of Manufacturers. 2471 
recommends, among other necessary im- 
provements, white-washing, cleanliness, 
sprinkling the floor with acids, fumiga- 
tion, and more especially ventilation. 
Ail these suggestions, though, evidently 
judicious, and always expedient, would 
nevertheless probably never be adopted, | 
on account of the trouble and expense, 
but at times when any epidemic disorder 
compelléd resort to them. Ventilation, 
however, is not of: this deterring chardc- 
ter. It may be remarked, that i “most 
modern manufactories, there are only 
glass windows, which, however, throw 
open, and admit a thorough aif, Light 
too is in general indispensable : that this, 
however, is not in many situations suffi- 
cient, may_be fairly assumed; if the 
smell or the sensation of a tainted at- 
mosphere affect a stranger at entrance, 
more is~evidently requisite. -This desi- 
deratum could, I think, be supplied by 
weather-boarding (as breweriesy part. of 
the space, now occupied by wall, which 
would probably, in some places at least, 
be attended with less expense. In the 
cottages where looms are erected, con- 
‘sumptions are noted to be prevalent dis- 
eases; and this undoubtedly proceeds 
from the empyreama of the ot, wirich is 
constantly exhaling from the wool, and 
can alone be prevented by wentnne 
boarding the weaving-shop, or some 
adequate contrivance. In manufactories, 
where a water-wheel is used, a very sim- 
ple expedient ‘may be adopted, if it do 
not interfere with the work, viz. that of 
annexing a wheel, which should cireutate 
constantly, of a kind similar to a win- 
nowing engine, which would operate in 
the natare of a fan; and at the same 
time, not impede the action or powers 
of the water-wheel. Such expedients 
for ventilation upon the roofs of build- 
ings, and acting either by the current of 
foul’ air escaping from beneath, or the 
wind, are not so uncommon as to be rare. 
Clavaliness is another very important 
requisite. Industricus persons are al- 
most uniformly cleanly, because the 
love of order ts supersedeable only by 
indolence. ‘There are various degrees of 
perspiration attached to different kinds’ 
of labour; and wherever there 1s a con= 
stitutional predisposition to any parti- 
cular disease, catamh (or cold, as T be- 
lieve-we “erroneously term it) calls. this 
disease into action. ‘lhe materials tao 
of certain manufactures, eperate with 
considerable power upon -the hunjan 
frame: with reference tnerefore tu these 
evils, 
