The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-06-20
LEAD POISON.
Whore ii May Come From.

One Of the most impreceptible as well
as dangerous poisons, if not in fatal re-
suits 10 producing distressing COLES, is
lead. Those who take their lead from
the water works pipes are reminded that
there are many other ways in which they |
can hasten on to the grave, and from quite
unexpected sources, Some Of the more
common ways civilized society has of ad-
ministering lead poison is in cider, beer, or
even water, drawn through leaden pipes;
soda or mineral water from leaden ST.
phons cosmetic washes and hair restorers;
snuff from leSden envelopes; sugar.plums
colored with lead-chromate; liquors pro-
duced from leaden-wormed stills, wines
sweetened with htharge. or bottled with
a casual admixture of shot used in the
cleansing process pickles and preserves
absorbing lead from the glazing of earthen-
ware vessels; these and other insidiOus
vehicles are known to have conveyed dam
aging doses Of the cumulative poison into
the system Of susceptible persons. Very
lately, however, a new and peculiarly po-
tent method of administering the metal
has attracted medical attention, which can
scarcely fail to be Of interest to the general
reader, forasmuch as the most rigorous
abstainer from liquor, snuff, pickles, COS
meties, CONNECTIONS and similar vaDities
habitually consumes, as well as prays for,
his daily bread.
In the ruralregion of Taunton, England,
not long ago, broke out sort OF saturnine
epidemic, affecting number of families
with agonizing colics, blue lines on the
gums and concomitant symptoms of IN
mistak4ble import to the professional eye.
Analysis of drinking water, preserves,
and other potables and edibles failed to
reveal the source of the evil until the
health officer of the district found a con-
Meeting link in the chain Of cases, in that
all the families in question sent their grist
to the same mill. On inspection Of this
establishment it was discovered that
numerous cayities, which time and con-
slant attrition had formed in the surfaces
Of the millstones, were filed by the inge-
NOUS process of pouring melted lead into
them, so that the -four returned to the
customers constituted more than hom9o.
pathic trituration of "plumbum metalli-
cum" which, when eDjoined. with tie in-
herent heaviness of homemade bread.
fully accounted for the gripping torments
above alluded to. In the course of the
public investigation it was stated that at the
time Of the health officers visit" there
were about ten pounds OF lead upon the
surface Of the milestone, and the cavi
ties were all filled up with the same
metal, aud it was further intimsteC
that this was by no means an uncommon
way of repairing millstones," subject
however, to a correction from a practica
member of the sanitary board, who remark
ed that, instead OF the metal 10 substance
millers commonly employed a mixture o
red-lead and borax." We are not in
formed whether a similar economical
method of prolonging the utility Of oil
millstones prevails in this eDhghtenet
republic, but the possibility of inbibinI
lead in -four as well as 10 drinking waite
may be pro6tably borne 10 mind by thos
who do not wish to "eat their bread i
fear and drink their water 10 grief"