The Washington herald., 1921-07-08
LEAD POTTERY
POISONING STUDIED.

That workers engaged in certain
branches of the pottery trade are
seriously and constantly exposed 10
lead poisoning. chiefly from the lead
contained in the glaze, ana that
this danger can be reduced, provided
that certain facilities and methods
are altered by the pottery owners
and certain precautions taken by
the workers, sums up the hndinep
of report 10 the United States
Public Health Service. made bv Con-
sulting Hygienst Bernard ]. New
man. DR.. William ]. Mcconnell, Or.
o. NJ. Spencer and Statistician F. N.
Phillips. This report is now In
press.
The investigation. which was be-
gun early in 1919, had been request
ed by the Brotherhood OF Operative
Potters because they desired to dis
prove the contentious that their
trade was extremely hazardous and
that the workmen in certain occu-
pations were likely TO develop lead
poisoning. These contentious were
maintained by life insurance com
ranies as grounds for discrmina-
tion in the granting Of life insur-
ance policies to certain groups OF
pottery workers. The Investigator
received cordial support from both
the workers and the pottery man
ayers.
Nnety-two potteries. situated In
New Jersey. Ohio. PennsyIvania ami
West Virginia, employing q 900 per
sons. or per cent Of the total pot
terry workers in the United States.
were Investigated. Only the work
and Of the total examined. .5Oa
were males and 3ss females. 4
very large majority Of the workers
are native born Americans.
The portal OF entrance through
which the larger part OF the lead Is
received by the body was found 70
be the stomach. as the lead was in
hailed as dust. retained in the nasal
and pharynEeal cavities and lste-
swallowed with mucus. saliva and
FOOD. The chewing OF tobacco, eat
ing food contaminated with lead
dust and csrelessness in personal
habits. such as wiping the lips. mus
tache. etc. with glaze-covered An
gers. are contributory means toward
the entrance OF the lead into the
human body.
A lesser. but stilI important no.-
tai of entry, is ny the lungs. which
absorb lead from fumes as well as
dust. Absorption Of lead through
the skin is possible. but was found
to he almost negligible in this case.
The percentage OF lead poisoning
drops as the percentage Of lead used
In the glaze decreases and lead poi-
soning' OF course, may he expected
10 disappear when leadless glaze Is
used. The adoption and use Of lead
less glazes is not impossible, for
they are used now satisfactorily hv
European potteries. Certain obiec-
tions. however, which have prevent.
ed their use in America, can az pres
ent he overcome only bv radical
changes In the manufacturing and
hrinE methods. However. great i'm
nrovements toward the decrease OF
lead poisoning can be brought about
oy the adoption OF fritted lead
Elazes. as II would only be neceS.
sary 70 employ two or three men 10
prepare and frit the glaze srsins,
the present methods. whereby large
numbers come in contact with the
lead glaze
The Investigation showed that the
Increases with age OF the workers
with their relative years Of expo
sure and with the length Of the
~crk day. II showed also that poi
soning is more prevalent among
the men than among the women.
but this was shown 10 ne due TO
the fact that the men had been ex-
posed for about three times as many
years as the women - sbour,r
also that poisoning was more prev
alent among workers who eat in the
workroom or drink from vessels
used in the workroom bu; not pr p
erly covered: and in plants where
the toilet facilities. ventilation and
lighting are bad. and in those whcr
the dust counts and percentage Of
lead in the dust are high.
II is urged. however. that no one
SHOULD jump at the conclusion that
TO temedy any particular condition.
other than remove the lead from
the glaze. would immediately re-
dnr. she nrfSOnfnr