Note 53 — Chapter XIX · LEAD AND ITS COMPOUNDS
Reading edition
According to the Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories for 1897, there were 370 cases of plumbism reported as having occurred during 1897 in white lead works. The average number of persons employed in such works was, in 1896, 2499, and of these some were engaged in the manufacture of red and yellow lead. One person out of seven of those employed in white lead works suffered from plumbism during that year. For 1898 the statistics as indicated below did not show any abatement, a circumstance which led to a communication being sent from the Home Secretary to the manufacturers as to the desirability of replacing the old stoves by others of newer design, and the introduction of other mechanical and structural arrangements with effective precautions.
Month. Males. Females. Total.
January 14 31 45
February 22 14 36
March 13 24 37
April 14 19 33
May 18 28 46
June 21 9 30
July 28 9 37
August 31 5 36
September 67 1 68
October 38 2 40
November 34 1 35
December 46 1 47
This table shows the transference of the incidence of plumbism from female to male operatives. Since the introduction of new stoves for drying, also other methods of mixing white lead, plumbism has considerably decreased.