Source 3b

Transcript

[Necrosis means the death of living tissue in a particular area of the body through injury or disease.]

Phosphorus poisoning is one of the most terrible and painful diseases to which the workers are subject. It arises from the inhalation [breathing in] of the fumes of yellow phosphorus used in the manufacture of matches. The Home Office has laid down stringent [tight] special rules for the guidance of factories where this is used, one of the most important of which is that every case shall be at once reported to the district inspector of factories, and to the certifying surgeon. Last month a man named Cornelius Lean, who had been working at Bryant and May’s, died. An inquest [official investigation] into a death was held, and it was found that death was due to phosphorus poisoning. This led to inquiries being made, and it was discovered that no less than seventeen cases had occurred, none of which had been reported. This led to the Home Office taking proceedings. Messrs. Bryant and May, Limited, were summoned by Mr. Vaughan, inspector of factories, for not reporting the case of Caroline Hawkins, lately at work in their factory at Bow, who is now suffering from necrosis of the jaw

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