The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-05-25
The Poisonous Effects Of Water
from Lead Pipe.
From the Boston Journal.

York correspondent said that some form
OF affection of the eyes in that city was
thought. or suspected 10 be. caused by the
Use OF Croton water which had passed
through the lead service-pipes. l knew
nothing of this effect of water impregnated
with lead. but think the public should
be aware of certain and not very common
poisonous effects of water passing through
lead pipes 1t is not my intention to
speak OF the more common poisonous eff
feels, viz: paralysis and lead collie.
will, however, mention that a case has re-
Gently come TO my knowledge of paralysis
OF both feet of both man and his wife.
mcurlble- and occasioned by the use of
water passing from their we'll through lead
pipe And will promise that it is COM
monty the case that one only in a family
will show the poisonous effects. the most
delicate and sensitive nervous system of
The family perhaps, and hence the cause is
frequently moi suspected. know of two
men who together served an apprentice
ship al house painting and commenced
business together. One was soon taken
with head paralysis and has remained a
helpless l'aralytic for nearly forty years,
dressed and moved like an infant. while
the other continues painting to this day.
We only know that su>oeptibilities TO this
poison differ in different persons
The first form of affection 10 which |
would cali attention Is that of eonvulsions.
Twc or three instances of this form of
le;id-poi>on IN children have lately come 10
my knOwled &c. one of which terminated
fatally. In the Paris hospitals out of
about twelve hundred cases of lead poison.
reported some Years ago among the rari-
OILS workers in lead and of those otherwise
exposed, TO lis fumes Of effiuvia from Ifs
storage)- about fifty assumed the form of
commissions
! The convul>ion Is liable TO Ice taken for
epilepsy, resembling a mild epileptic at
tack. hul differs from epilepsy in several
respects The conrulSions from lead are
much more frequent, occurring from five
10 thirty times in twenty-four hours.
They will gradually increase in force until
perhaps a limb is paralyzed; then after
this has continued for while they gradu-
;,lly diminish in severity, paralysis is re-
lieved. perhaps the convul>ions occur only
at night and the ;.melioration promises an
entire di>appearancc : when they increase
agiin in severity, both day and NIGHT AT
!. rlck> take place, and sometimes paralysis
returns, TO be followed by another ameli-
Grafton and ii the cause has been dis
covered ami removed. the entire subsidence
OF ;llc commissions after 4 time is as sudden
a. naocountable- Each of the more
severe attacks usually pass off with pow
eriul contraction OF the muscles of the back
and back OF the neck the fiexors of the
arms, fingers, chin ;lnd leg~ .l.ying firmly
contracted previously. the ,-reS distorted /:
,lnd some election of saliva occurs I'm the
sgvcrcr attacks Most cases of lead poison
show a blue or lead color on the edge of
: the gums, :anI a yellow deposit ON the
teeth. liable 10 be mistaken. At first sight.
Ter tariar- The Proper remedy is to re-
move the car>e- change the pipe. pump
oui the wafer ami clean cut the well.
\ member OF mv Own family. after
|, four months of daily conrulSions having
had for mos; vi The lime fifteen daily, and
one dav twenty-ihree. has now been two
months entirely free from them. They
l disappeared in a few weeks after substi-
iuting galvanized iron for lead pipe.
ANA ysls OF the wafer showed a sufficient
cause
Another form of lead poison Is a pain
ful affection of The muscles more frequent
ly. think. OF The lower limbs; not neu-
- RAJ .ic, nnt rheumatic. but interfering seri-
ou>ly with locomoiiun. Amongst the
:, workers of lead, brought 10 the Partisan
hospitals, this form of lead poison produ-
ccS such pam as 10 cause the patient TO CRY
d and scream
IhiS painful affection. in an instance
lately reported 10 me Of lady in our OWL
country. AMI in instances I'm Lowell. re-.
: ported i,y Prot, Dana. were relieved and
cured hy removing the lead pipe from the
a spring or well wafer. Prof. ID. relates IN
= instance of serious Ill health in a Lady in
u New York city, relieved by residence In
Ii the country but recurring Immediately
upon her Return fo her city home, and f.
{ u:,lly cured 10y removing the lead service
I, pipe from the main pipe. The form OF
" affection he does not mention in this in.
Il si;lncc.
Another very important fact mentioned
= hv Prot Dana IN hiS work on lead diseas.
r es. l. that the purer the wafer the greater
= tic d;Inger IN the Use OF lead pipe
= Ram water and all water contains a Ger
!. tam anel.'l: of common air. The oxyeer
+ m tl,l>- tani ;llat of the water), is sufii
At icieni, without The presence of an acid. tc
" act chemically upon lead, From spring
% water there are frequently saline. minera
II or earihy deposits which PARTIALLY protect
i, the lead pipe and which purer or softer
, wafer Is destitute OF
= Prot. Dana states that he mrolled and
= spread a piece of sheet lead in the open
= All. and exposed il 10 4 shower of rain
Il. and upon analysis Of the wafer which had
70 stood in the depres>ion>, he detected lead
:. and moreover that the lead in these de
= pre>~;ons was sufficiently acheI by the ac
+ ton OF the ram to have an impression
II printed lheretrom.
,f Many are familiar with the effects O
= r;lin wafer and air. upon the sheet lea,