A Cruel Trade.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5016, 25 May 1889, Page 3

A Cruel Trade.

Tho Registrar-General has made an error in his recent returns. He has entered the death of “ a female, nged thirty, who had worked for seventeen years in a match factory, from necrosis (phosphorus) of right side of upper jaw,” under the head of “ pyaemia.” It should have stood under Iho head ot “ legal homicide.” This young woman was killed precisely as scores of men are mangled every year on our railways, in our mines, and by unfcnced machinery. It has been declared by medical authorities over and over again that tho terrible disease of which she died is absolutely preventable by the use of simple and well understood precautions. These precautions, however, cost money, and tho life of a working woman costs nothing. The law that forbids the sale of poisons does not forbid the horrible inoculation of phosphorus in the daily course of work, and tho pnblic knows nothing of the “ fossy Jaw ” which is one of tho familiar dangers of hfo to the East End match girl. Until the public does know, and does care, and dares to employ its one effective weapon—the boycott - these girls will continue to die, and wo who buy our matches at lid per dozen boxes will continue to be accessories to their fata. —Fall Mall Qmtte,