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expectation of life at 20 is 34 years. They exhibit a high mortality from apoplexy,
paralysis, and other diseases of the nervous system, probably in a measure due to
their sedentary mode of life and the posture in which they work, and perhaps also to
irregular habits. Their mortality from phthisis is about one in four of the deaths.
Altogether, in itself, shoemaking does not appear to be so unhealthy as some occupations
on our list.
6. Bakers.—I have already stated some particulars about this trade in one of my
monthly reports (No. XC.). Their seven years' death-rate was 916 per 10,000, or 132
per annum. Iu England in 1851 it i3 stated at 178. Here again we seem to have
some advantage. Their expectation of life at 20, calculated on our seven years
experience, is 28 years. The unnatural life our bakers lead is sufficiently familiar to
you. The fatal diseases to which such a life, the extremes of temperature to which
they are exposed, and the heavy weights they sometimes have to lift and carry all predispose
them are bronchitic and asthmatic diseases (including emphjsema of the
lungs), heart disease, apoplexy, paralysis, &c. The deaths frcm bronchitis constitute
25-8 per cent., and from phthsis 24 2 per cent., that is to say, half the deaths of bakers
arise from these two diseases directly, and another fourth from heart disease, paralysis,
&c. The remedy for all this is obvious.
7. Carpenters and Joiners have with us together a seven years' death-rate of 852
per 10,000, or 121 per annum. For England generally it is stated at 194. Their
expectation of life is 31 years at 20 years of age. They seem to suffer considerably
from fatal miasmatic diseases, probably the result, in the case of journeymen, of
unwholesome domiciles. They suffer equally with bakers from phthisis, but less than
them from bronchitic and heart diseases, although their bronchitic mortality is still
considerable. They show a considerable mortality from apoplexy, paralysis, and
other diseases of the nervous system, which, as their mortality from heart disease is
not large, is probably associated with other causes. Carpenters are in excess in this
parish, being employed about new buildings, where they are exposed to draughts of
cold air and have sometimes to raise heavy weights. It is important to note that the
joiners who work in close dusty workshops, differ in many respects from the carpenters,
for their expectation of life is much shorter; it does not exceed 24 years at
20. They suffer less from fatal bronchitis (147 per cent.) ; but their mortality from
consumption is very highs 44 out of every 100 deaths being from this cause. They
have a lower mortality from heart disease (8'8), and a higher one from kidney
diseases (8'8). They would live longer if their workshops were well ventilated and
kept free from accumulated wood-dust, some means being taken also to lay the dust
during working hours.
8. Tailors.—The seven years' death-rate of our tailors is 837 per 10,000, or 119
per annum. In England in 1851 it was 199 per 10,000. The great difference
probably arises from our tailors not working in large crowded establishments like
some of those in the City and at the West End of London. Their expectation of life
is 33 years, a little lower only than that of our shoemakers. They exhibit a high
mortality from bronchitic affections and phthisis; half the deaths or thereabouts
proceeding from these two diseases, the result very probably of close confinement, a
hot dusty atmosphere, and judging from the prevalence of liver aud kidney disease, one