Published in the Canadian Illustrated News on June 5, 1875, this caricature of death lurking around a factory -- the "grim reaper" waiting for his chance to cut down the men and women working inside -- depicts the deplorable health conditions which existed in the late nineteenth century. Poor ventilation, lack of cleanliness, and inadequate rest-time at meal-breaks or between meals were all causes of fatal diseases such as smallpox, cholera, dysentery, and fever. In QuÄbec, the first factory-inspection legislation was passed by the Legislative Assembly in 1885. It was largely ineffective, however, because of the limited number of inspectors and the weak penalties provided.
