maceutical preparations including pills, tablets (triturated and compressed) for internal and external use, glandular tablets, lozenges, elixirs, syrups, tinctures, ointments, oils, liniments, disinfectants, soaps, tooth and face powders, perfumes, and various proprietary preparations; 13 engaged exclusively in the manufacture of one or more proprietary preparations; 6 engaged in the manufacture of disinfectants; 4 engaged in the manufacture of cosmetics and toilet preparations; 3 engaged in the manufacture of inks and mucilage; 2 engaged in the manufacture of paints, oils, and varnishes; 1 engaged in the manufacture of bicarbonate of soda and sal soda; 1 engaged in the manufacture of essential oils; 1 engaged in the manufacture of matches; and 1 engaged in the manufacture of starch.

Accurate knowledge regarding the hazards of this branch of the industry was obtained by direct information given by the managers and superintendents of the plants; by inspection of the records of the various plants; and by making physical examinations of the employees.

In the factories engaged in the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations, the chief hazards were:

Fires which occurred occasionally in the drying boxes: cuts and lacerations of the hands of employees from the breakage of bottles; skin lesions due to handling alkalies without adequate protection; irritation of the eyes and respiratory passages from dust created in the grinding of different drugs; and mercurial poisoning in the manufacture of bichloride of mercury tablets. In the factories engaged in the manufacture of inks the hazard was poisoning from the careless handling of anilines.

In factories engaged in the manufacture of paints, oils, and varnishes, the hazards were:

Fires which occurred when mixing dry colors; and poisoning from handling, without adequate precaution, paints containing lead, arsenic, or anilines.

In factories engaged in manufacturing bicarbonate of soda and sal soda, the hazard was irritation of the skin of the neck, hands, and arms by reason of inadequate protection of these parts.

In the factory engaged in the manufacture of matches, the hazard was fire due to carelessness,

In all other factories, mentioned above, the only hazards were cuts and lacerations of the hands due to breakage of bottles in the course of filling, corking, labeling, and packing same.

The women and children employed in all of these factories were engaged almost exclusively in filling (hand and machine), corking, labeling (hand and machine), wrapping (hand and machine), packing, feeding automatic pill and tablet machines, and preparing various animal glands for drying and trituration. They were not engaged in compounding or handling drugs, except in two factories where women were employed in making hypodermic and other tablets by hand; in one of these, a woman was engaged in making bichloride of mercury tablets. The adoption of radical changes in the method, which were recommended, here resulted in the elimination of all possibility of mercurial poisoning.

Particular credit and praise must be given to the pharmaceutical houses for the careful method adopted by them for the manufacture and handling of tablets containing habit-forming drugs, these including opium and its derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine, etc.), and cocaine. The women engaged in this work occupy rooms isolated from all other work rooms, their work being carefully supervised and frequent inspections made; all stock is carefully counted and checked up to prevent the possibility of any of these dangerous drugs being purloined. During the noon hour, when the employees are absent, and when the day's work is ended, the doors of all of these rooms are locked. By the use of these careful procedures and precautions, there is absolutely eliminated all danger of the development of any drug habit, such a habit being far more dangerous and injurious to the health and morals of the human race than any other which could be acquired, and constituting a hazard which is more dangerous than that due to fire, poisoning, or unguarded machinery.

CARBOYS

Many chemical factories use large quantities of acids in the preparation of their specific products, the acids usually used being hydrochloric, nitric, sulphuric, and acetic. These acids are usually contained in receptacles known as carboys, these con

sisting of large glass bottles, with a capacity of about twelve gallons each, encased in a wooden box with the space between the bottle and the box wall filled with dried grass, shavings, or sawdust; the neck of the bottle projects several inches above the box and is protected in shipping by the placing over it of two small pieces of wood. While the employees handling these carboys use a great deal of care, carrying them about on wheeled carriers or by means of sticks fastened to the under side of the cleats with iron bands to support the bottom of the box, the storage of these carboys leaves much to be desired.

During the investigation, many of these carboys were found uncorked, thus permitting the fumes of the residual acids to escape into the workrooms; some filled carboys were found closely stacked on top of each other; and some were found standing near steam pipes, or in the direct rays of the sun, either of which conditions could increase the pressure within the carboy to such a degree that it would either be cracked or explode and spill its contents upon the floor. To eliminate accidents from the handling of carboys containing acids, it is suggested that the following information in the form of a poster, prepared by the New York State Industrial Commission for free distribution, be displayed conspicuously throughout the entire plant:

Permit no rubbish or rags near carboys.

Always use a tilting apparatus, commonly known as a carboy inclinator, or a siphon to empty carboys.

When carrying a carboy, see that the pathway is clear so that you will not stumble.

Do not carry a full carboy which is uncorked.

During warm weather, always remove part of the contents from full carboys.

When carboys are received, loosen the stoppers in order to relieve pressure.

Do not pile carboys on top of each other.

Do not place carboys near steam pipes, or near windows through which the direct rays of the sun may fall upon them.

When storing filled carboys, elevate them on strips of wood, or on gratings.

Do not place too many carboys in one place.

Do not permit empty, or partly empty, carboys to remain uncorked. Do not store carboys containing sulphuric or nitric acid in wooden buildings if it is at all possible to place them elsewhere.

In every room where carboys are handled, keep a tub filled with water, and a bottle of solution of bicarbonate of soda for emergency use in the event of acid being spilled on a workman.

Examine all carboys occasionally to determine if the box is sufficiently strong to stand the strain of the weight of the carboy and its contents.

A

FIG. 4 A safe method of lifting acid from a carboy by the use of a glass tube to which is attached a rubber hose and small pump. slight pressure forces the acid out of the carboy into the receptacle. (Photograph furnished by Kalbfleisch Corporation, New York City.)

FIG. 5

Man exhibiting apparatus with which acid may be ejected from a carboy. The attached rubber cone is placed inside the glass bottle and the pump operated which forces the acid out of the glass tube, very little pressure required. (Photograph furnished by Kalbfleisch Corporation, New York City.)