I am editing/rewriting an earlier work on Hawaiian printing history (the
authors are long dead) and am stumped by the reference, "he was suffering
from tuberculosis, always a threat to printers." This was being written in
the 1960s about a printer here in 1827.

Has anyone seen a reference to TB as a "printer's disease" before? I have
consulted printers, retired printers, doctors and the med school, all to no
avail. My choice is to whack the reference, and just say "he was suffering
from tuberculosis." However IF for some reason--harsh ink fumes weakening
their lungs is the only possibility that comes to mind--printers were prone
to TB, then I'd like to expand on it and explain why.


I realize this is off the track of a Twain thread, but thought someone
might have passed this topic during some other research. Thanks very much.

Mac Simpson
[log in to unmask]

Incidentally, my Oxford Twains arrived in perfect shape on
Friday--seventeen days USPS book rate from NYC to Honolulu. I love the
illustrations, though with three major deadlines landing early this week, I
confess to not doing more than fanning through them this weekend.