New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-25
Lead VS.. Zinc-Public Health.


this country some three years ago. by the New
Jersey Zinc Company, we have been asked, re-
peatedIy, if White Lead is really poisonous and
dangerous, as chemists and medical men assert
We answer, Yes The simple fact of repeated
poisonipgs by lead water.pipes, loaded clsterns,
&c, is abundant proof that lead, in its simplest
fom is dangerous for certain uses-especially
in water-pipes and paint. Whoever will read
the able octave treatise on Lead Diseases by l..
Tanquerel an eminent French sauant, trans
lated by Prof. Dana, of Boston, will be satisfied,
without our assertion, of the poisonous influence
of lead in various ways. If other competent
authorities are necessary, consult Drs Dalton,
Adams, Weber and Chiffon
There are five diseases specially resulting from
contact with Lead-and more particularly Lead
Paint-to wit Collie, Rheumatism, or Neuralgia; ;
Paralysis, Loss of Sensation, Delrium and
Coma, &C. The British and Foreign Medical
Rerie,e--standard authority-in an article on
the subject states, that, during eight years, IN
the single Hospital La Charitie, Paris, 2,l6l per-
sons, many of whom died, were treated for Lead
Diseases l.2l2 being Lood Chollc. large
proportion Of these were persons who had been
employed in the manufacture and grinding, or
painting with White Lead. Chemists and medi-
cal men agree that buildings painted with lead
should not be tenanted for several months after.
Thousands of painters become diseased and die
over their int-poisons, without dreaming that
the cause lies in Lead The public suffer pro.
portionately Nor is this matter of wonder,
when it is known that various forms of poison
are pentifully evolved from Lead in its different
states, by contact with substances and gases.
We speak now of this matter, because the
season is at hand when the painter is to be
specially busted over his poisons. There is no
plea of profit or necessity for the of lead for
any of the common purposes, such as Pipe.
Paint, etc. Zinc is better, cheaper, more dura.
bic, and entirely free from sanitary objection
The pure Zinc from the New-Jersey Mines--and
We allude to this because it is the best if not
he only pure Zinc yet discovered-is, for any
use we have mentioned, so per cent superior to
lead, commercially speaking-and intellectually
superior, when health is considered. 1t has
been tested to this end, thoroughly by chemists
and painters. AS paint, Zinc White, as mere
question Of dollars and cents, is about 40 per
cent. cheaper than white lead besides il is
pure white, spreads better than lead, is more
brilliant and durab e. retains its freshness for
years, and is nearer fre-proof than any other
paint mainly from the fact that it requires much
less oil. So with Zinc Colors. No house.own-
er, after trying zinc paint once, will ever submit
TO the use of lead again, and no painter who In
vesugates the subject will work with lead if he
can get zinc. And consider, that some $4,000
tuns of lead pant-poson are used in this country
per year
The French Government, always foremos, in
adopting discoveries of public utility, has for
some years past ordered all public buildings
painted with Zinc Paint for reasons of both
profit and health. The example is being gener-
ally followed in France. 1t would be worthy of
our Government to think of matters of this kind
We might add volume, but we have said
enough, we trust, to satisfy our querists, and to
commend the subject to the investigation Of
painters, paint-consumers, and the public.