THOMAS YOUNG, Esq., M.D.

"10552. Do you happen to know the usual hours of labour in those establishments (factories)? Never less than twelve hours, exclusive of meals."

"10553. As a physician, do you believe that even the shortest hours of labour you have mentioned are too long to be consistent with the health and welfare of the individuals so employed? I do."

the

JOHN MALYN, Esq., Surgeon.

"10659. I am not aware of the time allowed to operatives for purpose of taking sustenance, but I suppose it to be short, for I have repeatedly witnessed severe forms of dyspepsia, arising in a great measure from, or at least aggravated by, swallowing food without mastication, in which state it was never intended it should have been swallowed."

"10661. Nature requires, at least, would desire, to have a short period of repose after taking a full meal, that the phenomena I have described may not be interfered with."

"10683. Do not you think that the sense of weariness and fatigue would have a direct tendency to induce tippling, in order to give the body an artificial stimulus ? It would have that tendency."-"Ten hours labour is sufficient for persons of eighteen years of age."

JOHN BLUNDELL, Esq., M.D.,

Says, "that more than twelve or thirteen hours bour is decidedly injurious, and that long-continued standing is more wearying and injurious than more active and varied exercise," and that being carried on in a "heated and impure atmosphere" makes it “yet more injurious." "I think," he says, "that twelve hours a-day, including two hours for meals, is quite sufficient time for human beings to labour for a continuance."

THOMAS HODGKIN, M.D.

"10901. Do you, in reference to the general experience of mankind, and the principles of medical science, believe that the customary hours of a day's labour, namely, twelve, including the necessary intervals for refreshment and rest, are, in ordinary cases, as long a term of human labour as is consistent with the preservation of a perfect state of health? It seems to me a very rational distribution of labour and rest."

"10908. Should you think that labour or attention so long continued, as has been just described to you (thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and even eighteen and nineteen hours a-day), although it might, in ordinary cases, be denominated light and easy, yet still requiring constant attention and inducing much fatigue, would not produce considerable weariness and many injurious effects on the human constitution? I should think that it would; I have no doubt of it."

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"10910. Then you would conceive that the erect position in which this labour has to be endured, would, generally speaking, give additional severity to that description of labour? I think that it would."

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