Fitzgerald, Gerald

English

Edinburgh Research Archive

THESISL- • j) • t =5 i °j •OCCUPATIONandPHYSICAL CONDITIONo fW 0 R K S R Sin theCITY of LONDONGerald FitzgeraldM.B., C.M., First Class Honours 1890.F 0 R E W 0 R D.In the early period of the War I had an opportunityat the City of London Recruiting Depot to investigate the.physical condition of the "City" workers. The opportunitywas unique- its like has never occurred before and may•never occur again - and I took advantage of it to collectvarious statistics. Of these perhaps the most interestingis the bearing of occupation on physical condition and Ihave embodied the results of this in the following Thesis.My thanks are due to the clerical staff of the Depotfor help in assembling the material, to the StatisticalDepartment of the Ministry of National Sex-vice who workedout the percentages for me and to the Chief Commissionerof Medical Services for. official permission to use thestatistics.1.ENQUIRY and RESULTS.The object of this enquiry is to try in some measureto show how different occupations stand in regard todevelopment, defects and disease.The men dealt with were the workers of the "City". Toa large extent these belong to a special class - theemployees of the great financial and mercantile institutionsof London - and it is their condition that constitutes thechief interest of the results obtained.The investigation is confined to the six months, 18thAugust 1914 to 13th February 1915, because during thisperiod the men examined Y^ere practically all dravm from theCity proper. Afterwards drafts were sent from elsewhere andas regards the special workers of the City the resultsceased to have any value.The men were all voluntary recuits between the ages of19 and about 40. Each was fully and carefully examinedeven during the rush of the early months of the War andcomplete records were kept. About half of the examinationswere made by myself and the remainder chiefly by the lateColonel Lees Hall, R.A.M.C. and Captain William Murray R.A.M.CThe total number of men examined during the six monthswas over 8000, which for an enquiry of this kind is sufficientto give a reasonable basis for average results, and they were2*.either passed as fit for general service or rejected.The causes of rejection are classified as follows :-(1) Under Height Standard(3) Under Chest Standard(3) Congenital and Acquired Deformities(4) Defective Vision(5) Deafness and Diseases of the Ear(6) Diseases of the Uervous System(?) Defective Teeth(8) Hernia(9) Defective Lungs(10) Defective Heart(11) Varicose Veins(12) Genito-Urinary(13) Venereal Diseases(14) Skin Diseases '(15) MiscellaneousThe minimum height was Go in., the minimum chestmeasurement 33 in., and the minimum vision taken withoutglasses, 6-6 with either eye and 6 - 60 with the other.All men wojee rejected who showed deformities which wouldinterfere with military efficiency, appreciable deafness oractive ear disease, organic nervous disease or functionalscondition likely to interfere with efficiency, teeth toodefective for proper mastication - no allowance was madefor artificial dentures, all hernias, ofganic lung diseaseand asthma, organic disease and severe functional disordersof the heart, varicose veins likely to cause trouble inmarching, any serious genito-urinary disease - no systematictest of the urine was made, gonorrhoea or active syphilis,and skin disease if severe, disfiguring or contagious. Themiscellaneous class of rejections includes a great varietyof diseases none of which are numerous enough to be of anystatistical value.The declared occupations numbered over 300 and areclassified in the following groups(1(2(3(4(5(6(V(8(9(10Professional and CommercialSkilled Manual WorkersWarehousemenClerks etc.Distributive and DomesticMiscellaneousShop AssistantsUnskilled Manual WorkersManufacturing TradesPrinters and CompositorsThe above arrangement forms a descending series ofphysical efficiency and this order is adhered to throughout.The numbers and the individual occupations in thevarious groups arePROFESSIONAL and COMMERCIAL.This group numbered 390 and includes the followingoccupationsPROFESSIONAL :Actors 9Artists 11Authors 2Analysts 2Architects 9Barristers 5,Clerical 2Civil Service 14Dentists 6Journalists 16Librarians 5Medical 3Missionaries 2Pars ons 2'Reporters 2Schoolmasters 23Solicitors 15Surveyors 6Valuers 2Miscellaneous 105.COMMERCIAL :Agents 27Agents (Commission) 3Brokers (Produce) 11Brokers (Stock) 8Buyers 3Cheese Factors ?jCompany Directors 19Merchants 13Manufac turers 6Interpreters 2Ship Owners 2Stock Exchange 5Travellers 128Miscellaneous 5SKILLED MANUAL WORKERS.This group, arranged under three sub-heading^, numbered647 and included the following occupations :-ENGINEERS :Boilermakers 6Engine Drivers 11Engineers 159Enginemen 3Electricians 62Fitters 74Mechanics 386.ENGINEERS (continued) :-MotennenMiscellaneousMARINE :Lighthouse—keepersMercantile MarinersSeamenMiscellaneousBUILDING TRADE :BricklayersBuildersCarpentersCranemenCranedriversHousedecoratersMasons?lumbersScaffoldersSteeplejackStone RepairersSlatersPaintersPlasters22210717195404515636O/-j1426127.WAREHOUSEMEN.This group includes 674 men.CLERKS.This group numbers 2054 and includes the followingoccupationsAccountants 33Cashiers 8Clerks 1958Draughtsmen 29Printers Readers 2Secretaries 11Ticket Writers 3Writers 9Miscellaneous 2MISCELLANEOUS.This group numbered 774 and includes the followingoccupationsAttendants 13Eailiffs 3Bioscope Operators 2Bootblacks 3Bus Conductors 4Cable Operators 3Canvassers 3Checkers 158.MISCELLANEOUS (continued)Coachmen 16Collectors 8Commissionaires ISCyclists 4Dealers 13Designers 3Draymen , 2Engine-cleaners 4Farmers 33Farm Labourers 11Footballers 5Feather Samplers 2Hammermem 2Hawkers 21Horsekeepers 12Independent 67Improvers 5Jockeys 2Liftmen 4-3Lightermen 6Messengers 103Musicians 16Newsvendors 41Pawnbrokers 9Planters 7Post Office Servants 2Postmen 139.MISCELLANEOUS (continued) :-Police Constables 3Press-hands 4Prospectors 2Ranchers 5Roundsmen 3Railway Servants 9Scavangers 22Scullers 2Stevedores 10Storekeepers 34Students 24Telegraphists 6Telephonists 15Timekeepers 2'Van Boys 3Van Guards 16Waiters 61Window Cleaners 14Watchmen 2Window Dressers 3Unclassified 24DISTRIBUTIVE and DOMESTICThis group, arranged under three sub-headings, numbered634 and includes the following occupations10.TRADESMEN :Bacon DryerBakersBooksellersButtermanButchersChemistsClothiersCoffee RoastersConfectionersDairymenDispensersDruggistsfishmongersfish Curersfruit and FloristsOil TradeOil MillerPicture DealerSweet BoilerStationersTea TradeTea SamplersTobacconistsTobacco StrippersUndertaker1282176212151425242'11311172666111.FOOD and DRINKBarmenCaterersCellermenCooksBoilerFish FryerHotel ManagersRestaurant AssistantsScullerymenStewards, DOMESTIC :-ButlersCaretakersChauffeursChambermenCall BoyFootmen and GroomsGardenersHousekeepersHairdressersServantsStablemenValets7043356112243646242148118224513SHOP ASSISTANTS.This group includes 369 men.UNSKILLED MANUAL WORKERS.This group numbered 1708 and includes the followingoccupationsCarmen 324Labourers 517Packers 229Porters 593Miscellaneous 45MANUFACTURING TRADES.This group numbered 844 and includes the followingoccupationsBarometer Makers 2Basket Makers 3Bat Makers 3Blacksmiths 14Bookbinders 25Boot Makers 27Box Makers 8Brass Finishers 4Brassfounders 2Brewers 8Brick Makers 4913.MANUFACTURING TRADES (continued)CoopersCabinet MakersColliersChasers (Silver)CuttersCutters (Box)Cutters (Cardboard)Cutters (Ivory)Cutters (Fret)Cutters (Skirt)Coach MakersClothworkersCard MakersChair MakersCycle RepairersCase MakersDyersEnamellersEngraversFurriersFactoryhandsFrench PolishersFarriersFrame MakersForemen649521034231632'522762132283343314.MANUFACTURING TRADSS (continued)Fancy Leather WorkersGalvanizersGrinders (Stone)Gold BlockersGlass BevellersGlass YforkersGlass BlowersHarness MakersHat BlockersHat MakersInstrument MakersInk MakersIron MouldersIron. Plate WorkersJoinersJewellersLaundry-handsLeather VforkersLamp MakersMouldersMetal WorkersMount FittersMachinistsMantle Trimmers222522523138832522221249339615.MANUFACTURING TRADES (continued)Miners (Coal) 4Paper Stainers 3Packing Case Makers 13Polishers (Metal) 11Potters 2Pipe Fitters 01 JPlaters (Electro) 2Photographers 17Pressers 12Piano Makers 2Pavioners 5Saddlers 5Scale Makers 3Sorters (Cork) 2Stampers 3Sponge Trimmers 2Skin Dressers 2Stereotypers 3Steelworkers 2Stick Makers 9Solderers 3Sawyers 17Tailers 110Trunk Makers 4Type Founders 4, 16.MANUFACTURING TRADES (continued)Turners 6Tinsmiths 18Upholsterers 12Umbrella Makers 6Weavers (Silk) 2Wood Carvers 6Watchmakers 7Writers (Sign) 6Wheelwrights 5Wiremen 8Wireworkers 4Miscellaneous 37PRINTERS and COMPOSITERS.This group included 339 men.The results are given in tabular formTable A shows the occupational groups in order ofefficiency and the number of rejections in each group foreach cause of rejection.Table B shows in the same way the percentages ofrejection in each group for each cause of rejection.Table C gives the relative order of the occupationsin each cause of rejection.17.Mo comment of any kind is required as the Tables havebeen constructed to bring out all the results clearly bothgenerally and in detail.It may, however, be pointed out that the results fallwithin what might have been expected. That the Professionaland Commercial group should come first was certainly to beexpected. Professional men as a class have a higher standardof physical fitness and the young business man of London isa judicious blend of brains and athleticism.// The high taken by the Skilled Manual Worker is largely./the effect of what may termed occupational selection' .. Itselects the more efficient for the more desirable occupationsand has specially free play in this group. The reverse sideoi occupational selection, the leaving of the weaker for theless desirable occupations, is well shown, in the unfavourableposition taken by the Unskilled Manual Workers.The high standard of the Warehousemen and the contrastbetween them and the allied group of Shop Assistants maybe explained by the fact that the former are nearly allyrecruited from the country - curiously enough from WalesAand Cornwall.The large group of Clerks are nearly all drawn fromLondon and may be taken as a typical product of middle classurban life. That they come out a© well is one of the mostsatisfactory features of the enquiry.18.The position of the Distributive and. Domestic groupwas to be expected from the unfavourable conditions ofmany of its occupations such as barmen and bakers and thesame applies to the Printers and Compositors.The bad record of. the Manufacturing Trades gives foodfor serious thought and it is a point of special interestthat the relative position can be seen in London. In apurely manufacturing town the majority and probably thefittest are forced into the dominating industry and anycomparison with other occupations is obscured.Although it does not come within the scope of thisenquiry a brief reference may be made to two points atpresent of public interest. One is the remarkable absenceof venereal disease - only eight cases, most of themsyphilis, were detected. The other is the high standard asa whole, over 70 per cent were A1 men, which does not bearout the commonly accepted statements about a Gill population.The data for these statements were no doubt obtained froma later stage of recruiting and, taken by themselves, arehighly misleading.o H>i-3Oc+£D I—1WCD C_i. CDO<+CDP.(—1 ••roroM3O-J•onro••CO00rooH••roVO ro••—Jo->(-■-»•HHon••CTNonf—' ••roH••OJCTNrovD••H••HCOH•on-J••HOJM•t041—1 ro••Qoo H>n3Oc+ 93 (—1S>CDCJ.CDOc+ CDCD 4-romm 43- ro CDIOM•MO rocdMn Mn 43-a43-4-MO4-MM00 1—' 0 •^1 mm [Ob-o H)•3oc+ 93t3iH* PCDP434 H* Pc+4028°01 o02H*c+O 4CQ93Oc+s H-(g1-3gPCD CQ=roMMPMJlMO MnMMh1 -J4•cd--jCDcdro43-M MnCD ro MMvO•a mm MM aro4-h Mnbncj PCQMI—1 CDP.sg93MO 4Pi*CD4CQCOP' o p>m03H-CQ c+93g-CQMMcr-ro•* 43-MM ro • 4-oo MnUl a» 43-ro onro a mof—1-MIOCoCT- IO 00MO a 43-roUH-CQ c+4 H-CPc+F»<CD8°UICD CQc+H* OSH-03oCDH(—' 93PCDO P03ro Co00MMH1 4-HMM MnMOaCh-dJUlMa-jcdIOMncd•HVOMMIO I—1—I a cdmm I—1 a cd t—1 ro r—102MMl—1oa 00Mn MMH 00Mnroa ro-o 4-H1 a• ro4-10Mn00roomj1• CD-MIOmmonIOcd--jmmMMOH1CD4XCQ CDc+O934CDP1 0 pCQ1CDPmm mmm0CQh>I—■ CDfP O 4i*CD4035H, roCQ03H- oM8°oo ro 4 o H-93 I—143P-0CD0202H-OOCDO92POHP.qH*-PMH,P924)crt?d-HH-H-CQOOCDPH-402CDH-PCDq02MMH 00Oammm43-HCDMMro43-r—1rom a M0r-j a4-MJl43-H>a ro4-10if. a 1a •M1i-11 MnI MMI4-H mjlcd M H4aMM43- h mjib- H Mnb-CDroaCDromjli—'acdroaroaMMMnh-JCoCDMa -omh CDroi-1 MJl4- a roI-JMaMn4-Ma004-MM MM03Mna0 M04- ro -mcd aMMHa43--MMM0MMa4-ro 43-r->a 104- a 1—14-■biMM •a -OMMa. -Jrooni-1a 10-0 —Jro 0aromjli—'aMOCD10- Co03Mn1—1a4-00 Ha4-MJir—1 roMM a -mmj143-1—1 b-ro-oroae CDI—'4-1—1 ONro10MMCTsroCDa 10b-roroCD•a CD~~JaMn43-Mnr—■a10CDM MMI a; 00ro a4-cd 4-M 00MMro Coc».H-1 4-4-•MMMnro•41-MJlMM M0roa4-MnMaMM4-roMM MMcdcdMnr—1CoOSmjlt—1a4-ro CocdMMa4-M0MMrocdHt—1 oromorh100acd43-M MM r—1 a 4-MMMMro10-aacda -^jmjlb>roMn1—1 Mn02am0I—1 MMMmoMnMna»oo4-as 4-MMcdl—1mj1miomdmji10cdioO4-000I—1UnderHeight Standard UnderChest Standard Congenital&Ac¬ quiredDeformit es DefectiveVisionrob-MnDeafness&Dis¬ easesoftheEar Diseasesofth NervousSystem1—1 cd4- 43-r—' a MMOIOaMM4-h-3a CDMa-JMJlro amo—ia-or-1a ro--JcdmmCoMMDefectiveTe tha00robsMJlMn1—1amo4-cdIoa104-ro CobIO-Oa cdro—racdcdhMMa—IM0roMnro aMnHernia DefectiveLungsMO1—'0a M00DefectiveHeart--jh-1 *• 00Mn4-HMMro-o•■ --JMnfomm MM aioMncdh mj1mj1ro "(DMnVaricoseVeins Genito-Urinary10Mn Mnro4-rocdh MMMjJVenerealDis ases SkinDiseases Miscellaneousro1—1MMM0aaMnioRejectedf NumberExaminedo H) D"CD4K0 H- PCDP >O" o <CD1t3 1>■0IQ 1M 1O 1Pa1j gro1H4IPS31K 1Oro1̂3Ml.1wCD1OO1Ssjc+imCDP.tx) CDHOtDt"1Hbd3SJ!J1T ABLE C. - RELATIVE ORDER OP OCCUPAi [ONS IN PERCENTAGES OP REJECTIONUnder Height Standard•iUnder Chest Standai dCon Genital and AcquiredDeformitiesClerks etc . .2 Professional and Commerd al 5.8. Warehousemen .2Professional and Commercial •3 Skilled Manual Workers 6.3 Shop Assistants .3Warehousemen .4 Distributive and Dom,esti 6.9 Clerks etc. .4Shop Assistants .8 Warehousemen 8 . Distributive and Domestic .6Miscellaneous .9 Unskilled Manual Workers 9.2 Manufacturing Trades .8Skilled Manual Workers 1 .4 Shop Assistants .9.7 Skilled Manual Workers .9Manufacturing Trades 1.5 Miscellaneous 10.3 Unskilled Manual Workers l .1Printers and Compositors 1.5 Clerks etc. li. Professional and Commercial 1.3Distributive and Domestic l .6 Manufacturing Trades 12.3 Miscellaneous 1.3Unskilled Manual Workers 2 .6 Printers' and Compositors 14.7 Printers and Compositors 1 .8Defective VisionDeafness and Diseaof the Ear?esDefective TeethProfessional and Commercial 4 .1 Shop Assistants Clerks etc. 1 .Miscellaneous 4.1 Clerks etc. .4 Distributive and Domestic 1.2Skilled Manual Workers 4.3 Miscellaneous .4 Warehousemen 1.3Manufacturing Trades 5.2 Professional and Commercial .5 Manufacturing Trades 1.4Shop Assistants 5.7 Skilled Manual Workers •5 Printers and Compositors 1.5Warehousemen 6.7 Distributive and Domestic .5 Shop Assistants l .6Clerks etc. 6.7 Unskilled Manual Workers .8 Unskilled Manual Workers l .6Unskilled Manual Workers 7 . Warehousemen 1.2 Miscellaneous 2 .1Distributive and Domestic 7.3 Printers and Compositors 1 .2 Skilled Manual Workers 2.3Printers and Compositors 9. Manufacturing Trades 2 .1 Professional and Commercial 3.3TABLE C. Continued)Hernia Defective Lung; Defective HeartWarehousemen .4Miscellaneous .6Professional and Commercial .8Clerks etc. .9Skilled Manual Workers 1.1Distributive and Domestic 1.2Manufacturing Trades 1.4Printers and Compositors 1 .5Shop Assistants 1.6Unskilled Manual Workers 2 .2Professional and CommercialDistributive and DomestjpClerksShop AssistantsWarehousemenMiscellaneousSkilled Manual WorkersUnskilled Manual WorkersPrinters and CompositorsManufacturing Trades.5.6.8.81 .1.31.71.71 .82 .2Skilled Manual Workers 1 -4Professional and Commercial 1-8Unskilled Manual Workers 2.2Clerks etc. 2.5Warehousemen 2.7Miscellaneous# 2.7Manufacturing Trades 3-2Shop Assistants 3 *5Distributive and Domestic 4.Printers and Compositors 4 .4IVaricose VeinsWarehousemen .2Skilled Manual Workers .5Printers and Compositors .6Clerks etc. .7Shop Assistants .8Miscellaneous 1.2Distributive and Domestic 1.4Manufacturing Trades 1.4G-enito UrinaryProfessional and CommercialUnskilled Manual Workers1.51.8Professional and CommercialClerksManufacturing TradesMiscellaneousSkilled Manual WorkersUnskilled Manual WorkersPrinters and CompositorsDistributive and Domest.WarehousemenShop Assistants.2.4.4• 5•5.6.8.91.6MiscellaneousClerks etc.Printers and CompositorsShop AssistantsWarehousemenDistributive and DomesticUnskilled Manual WorkersProfessional and Commercial4&lsceilaneousManufacturing TradesSkilled Manual Workers.7• 71.11.21.41.71 .81..8TT§2.6

Occupation and phisical condition of workers in the city of London

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Occupation and phisical condition of workers in the city of London

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