The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-11-05
LEAD POISON In
ILLICIT LIQUOR
Medical Men Fear Epidemic OF
Horrible Disease as Poison
Begins to Get In Its
Work


ming to anticipate an epidemic of
p1umbism or lead poisoning IN
Northeastern North Carolina as
a result of the continued manu-
facture of Intoxicating liquors IN
stills made Of gasoline barrels
coils of lead pipe. Three cases
of lead poisoning traceable d1-7
rectly to drinking monkey rum
made in such stills have already
come to the attention of City
Health Officer, DR.. VIM. A. Pc
ters. DR.. Peters is alarmed and
we'll he might be.
The disease technically known as
( plumbism and commonly known as lead
| poisoning is an occupational disease COM
mon to the working people in the lead
paint. pottery and glass industries. Med
ical men and civil authorities have been
irving to combat the disease for more
than a century with some little success.
But the disease is of such an lnsldlous
character that it is hard to combat Sc
rious effects from lead poisoning some
times do not result for a period OF eight
cen or twenty years; other cases have
been known to develop in few monIhs
And so thousands of persons who are
drinking lead poinsoned corn liquor anc
monkey rum may not know what Is
bannening to them for several years tt
come.
This newspaper is not attempting tt
scare any one needlessly and Its ln1of
nation on the subject is taken from M
less authorities than The Encyclopedia
: : britannica and DIR. J. 7. Arlidge $ stan
L dard work, Diseases of oecupat1on.
DIR. Arlidge gives the following de
=, scrintion- of the work of lead poisoning
- He says:- ''The poison finds its way
: gradually into the whole mass OF tn
circulating blood, and exerts its effec1
mainly on the nervous system. para9
, sing nerye-force and with it musculs
mower. Its victims become of wax
sallow hue; the functions OF the ston
h ach and bowels become deranged' al
:, nainful collie with constipation supe
70 vines. The loss of power is general
81 shown first in the fingers, hands af
wrists. and the condition known
:. "vrist DROP soon follows, rendering Il
victim useless for work. The palsy w
~ extend to the shoulders, and after
a long time to the legs also. Other
-, eans frequently involved are the kl
news. the tissue of which become Pc
manently damaged; whilst the sight
= weakened or even lost.
so. Cases of paralysis and total blindne
ara more susceptible to the disea
a than older persons.
an In commercial distillation and pre-
O. ing of intoxicating liquors before pro-
at hilton. the manufacturers were extren
he ly careful of their equipment ana pr
lat cesses. Only copper or silver coils we
of used and yats and tanks were OF Wo
M or conner or lined with porcelain
glass. But liquor isn't made that W
Ir. under prohibition. Any ignorant I
it low with no knowledge at all OF enc
res istry rigs up a still from lead solder
tel gasoline barrel of a lead soldered wa
ck tnb to which he soldiers coil OF lie
ng pipe for a worm. He uses lead pl
Ike because it is easy to procure and co
he less than copper. . .
ort The result is beverage loaded W
In horrible poison the effects of wh
lgs NAV not manifest themselves in
we victims for years, but which exists NJ
er the less. With cases OF such II
poisoning already beginning to appear
this community, the doctors are p
pared to anticipate increasing numb
4. of such cases. One can only guess W
the future holds in store for those v
ub- are drinking the stuff made IN tn
ago eastern North Carolina swamps
Pc Only one physician who has been
ca fterviewed by this newspaper treats
ich subject with levity. He says IL
y. poisoning works slowly. don't wo
an about monkey RUNNERS dying of J.
ty ley. poisoning; the stuff they drink arc
'oo, here will kill most of them before