Lead is a heavy, soft, malleable, bluish metal. Lead has been mined, smelted, and compounded for thousands of years. It
was used by the Roman Empire to line vessels that stored water and wine. It was also used in
utensils and as a glaze on pottery. It is hypothesized that the fall of the Roman Empire
was due in part to the lowered birth rates and an increase in mental illness due to the effects
of lead. Lead was also used by the Romans for water pipes. The English word "plumber" comes from
the Latin word for lead, plumbum.
Occupational hazards from lead were first reported in 1713 by Bernardo Romanzzini who
described lead intoxication in potters who where working with lead glaze. Ben Franklin also
noted the toxic effects of lead in tradesmen who used it in their occupations.
The usefulness of lead is due to its durability and malleability. It could be easily
formed into sheets, rods, and pipes. Lead was commonly used as a pigment in paint and also
in varnishes and primers.
Lead poisoning in children received little attention until just before the 1900's. Earlier
literature referred to "congenital lead poisoning" which was common in the offspring of lead
workers. Many ill children were treated for symptoms such as "palsy" without the association
of these symptoms to lead exposure. In 1897, A.J. Turner of Brisbane Hospital for Sick
Children in Australia observed that many children became ill after changing their residence.
He concluded that the source of lead was in the homes of the children and he referred to the
lead poisoning as "toxicity of habitation." J.L. Gibson, from the same hospital, determined
that lead paint and lead contaminated house dust posed a danger to children. He also concluded
that lead poisoning was preventable with simple measures, including handwashing.
Lead poisoning is one of the most important health issues affecting
children, and ultimately society as a whole. This issue must be a priority to protect the health
of our most precious resource, our children.
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