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1902, and the results of this investigation were communicated
to the Industrial Hygiene Section of the British Medical
Association in the latter year. Since then the figures have
been carried down to the end of 1903, and the results are given
on page 129. These figures show that consumption was
considerably more prevalent amongst the laundresses attending
the Infirmary than amongst the women working at other
occupations or unoccupied. The exceptionally high incidence
on laundresses aged from 15 to 25 is no doubt explained by the
fact that this age period includes the sorters and markers who
are specially exposed to infection in sorting and marking dirty
handkerchiefs, etc.
The law as it now stands is quite inadequate to deal with
the unhealthy conditions of the laundry industry, and
additional legislation is needed. Such legislation should
include the following provisions:—
1. The standard of cubic space per worker to be not
less than 500 cubic feet.
2. Prohibition of underground workrooms, and of the
practice of hanging articles to dry over the heads of
the workers.
3. Application to workshop laundries of the present
provisions relating to factory laundries for
(a) Providing fans or other means for regulating
the temperature in the ironing room, and carrying
away steam from the washhouse; and
(b) Separating heating stoves from the ironing
room and prohibiting the use of gas-irons emitting
noxious fumes.
4. Application of the provisions of the Factory Act to
institution laundries and small exempted laundries.
5. Provision to be made for the disinfection by boiling
water or otherwise, of all articles immediately on
arrival at the laundry.
6. Alteration of the legal periods of employment so as
to bring them into line with those obtaining in
factories and workshops.