Mac, I found a couple of ancient references in the National Technical
Information Service database that may answer your questions. I have copied
the pertinent sections below:
Author: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C.
Title: Industrial Accidents and Hygiene Series. Survey of Hygienic
Conditions in the Printing Trades /; by S. Kjaer.; Sep 25,
[1925];
235 p.
Summary: Final rept.
The report contains the results of a study conducted
between
1922 and 1924 of 536 printing establishments. The high
incidence of tuberculosis and lead poisoning could be
controlled by improving hygienic conditions. Lung diseases
appeared to result from dust created in the printing
process, insufficient ventilation, high temperatures, and
lack of personal cleanliness. Lead poisoning particularly
affected compositors, stereotypers, electrotypers,
pressmen
and type-foundry workers. The majority of cases seem to
result from ingestion of lead and could be eliminated by
forbidding eating in the workrooms and by strict attention
to personal cleanliness. Some workers are also exposed to
carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of illuminating
gas used to heat equipment in many different processes and
further study is needed. Operations are described in
detail
with suggestions for improving hygiene of the workplace.
Author: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C.
Title: Industrial Accidents and Hygiene Series. Health Survey of
the
Printing Trades, 1922 to 1925 /; by Frederick L. Hoffman.;
Mar 27, [1927]; 153 p.
Summary: Final rept.
The report is based on a mail survey of 2,096 printing
plants
employing 100,704 persons. Additional data were obtained
from labor unions and records of inspections of printing
plants by local health officers. Low sickness rates were
reported by both employers and labor unions, indicating
that
working conditions were generally healthful. The hazards
of
exposure to lead were sufficiently controlled so that
chronic lead poisoning was of minor importance, and the
proportionate mortality from tuberculosis much reduced
when
compared to the findings of earlier studies. The
improvement
of health conditions is attributed to the replacement of
many small, antiquated, and crowded shops by modern
establishments on a larger scale. A brief bibliography of
publications concerned with health and hygiene in the
printing industry is included.
As an aside, I also found an article that states that Ottmar Mergenthaler,
inventor of the Linotype machine, died in 1899 of tuberculosis at age 45.
Doubtless this information is available elsewhere, but I found it in "Ottmar
Mergenthaler's Wonderful Machine," _American History Illustrated_ 21 (June
1986): 28-9.
Hope some of this helps.
Mary Uhl
The University of Iowa
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