The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-30
Dangers of Lead Poisoning from the Use
OF Timed Ware.

According to recent investigations, made
both in England and this country, it seems
that we would do well hereafter to examine
very carefully the tin employed in coating
utensils that are used for cooking or preser-
wing food of any kind. Since tin has fallen
in price it is not very uncommon to meet
with samples which contain lead to con-
siderable amount, evidently added to the
more expensive metal with view of adul-
terating it and thus avoiding loss on the
price at which it is necessary to sellit The re
suits of this, of course, may prove serious.
DR. r. G. KedSie, President of the State
Board of Health of Michigan, in a recent re
port on this subject, says II have eXamin-
ed a large number of specimens of tin plate
of vessels made of timed iron, of tin spoons
and iron spoons coated with tin, both tea
spoons and tablespoons, and find in almost
every instance that the tin is alleged with
lead in almost every case the lead was pre-
sent in some quantity, and often in very
large quantity. Nor is the lead confined to
the poorer qualities of tin, but some of the
highest priced and first quality of tin plate
contains large quantity of lead 1t is an
astonishing fact that a large proportion of
the timed wares in the market is unfit to
use because of the large quantity of lead
with which the tin is allOyed."
The dangers that are likely to ensue from
/ the use of articles timed with such an ALLOW
are these: The alloy of tin and lead will tar
nish, or, more properly speaking, Oxidize
much more readily than pure tin and the
( oxide of lead thus formed is very soluble in
acetic or vinegar forming sugar of lead") },
/ and also in tactic acid or the acid of sour
milk: it Will form, too, salts with malic and
/ citric acids which exist in our common fruits,
/ such as apples, cherries, strawberries, cur
rants etc. Indeed, as DR.. KedZie very truly
/ observes, any of our acid fruits when cooked
/ in vessels containing any lead, OF even when
! left in such vessels for some time, are very
/ liable to take up some of the poisonous metal,
/ and to become thereby unfit for food, mas
much as all salts of lead are poisonous and
/ the danger is the greater because lead COM
/ pounds are cumulative poisons "a person
( may not be poisoned by one or two small
! doses, but even if a very minute dose is taken
! for long time, the person may be broken in
/ health or even lose his life"
/ Fortunately the test for lead is a very sim
I pie and easy one, and almost everybody has il
/ and may determine satisfactorily whether his
tinware contains any of the poisonous metal
! in sensible quantity. For this purpose Dr.
( KedZie recommends that a drop of strong
nitric acid be placed on the timed surface
/ by means of glass rod or splinter of wood,
and that the acid be rubbed over a space as
large a dime, warmed gently until dry
and that two drops of solution of potassium
iodide be then dropped on the spot If the
I tin contains lead bright yellow iOdide OF
lead will form on the spot. The test is one
that can be very rapidly applied and the re
suits are decisive.