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