A case is reported of a 59-year-old male who had been employed continuously as a motor technician for 32 years. During the latter period of his employment he gradually developed a number of the signs and symptoms typically manifested by persons suffering from lead intoxication. Five years after the termination of his employment, the lead content in the circumpulpal dentine of 2 of his teeth was determined and found to be more than 7 times higher than that of the controls. Thus, the probability of lead intoxication is supported very strongly.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Disler PB, Mets JT, Rip MR & Watermeyer GSEffect of lead on health: A review: Implications of environmental lead in South Africa. South African Journal of Science1984; 80: 300-4.
2.
Chamberlain ACPrediction of response of blood lead to airborne and dietary lead from volunteer experiments with lead isotopes. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London1985; B224: 149-82.
3.
Kehoe RAThe metabolism of lead in man in health and disease. The Harben Lectures, 1960. Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene1961; 9: 81-96, 129-43, 177-203.
4.
Robbins SLPathologic Basis of Disease, pp. 524-25, Philadelphia : WB Sanders Company, 1974.
5.
Steenhout A.Kinetics of lead storage in teeth and bones: an epidemiologic approach. Archives of Environmental Health1982; 37: 224-30.
6.
De Michele SJNutrition of lead (review). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology1984; 78A: 401-8.
7.
Mohamed AA, Alla SH, Yousif Aae & Yousif O.Effects of exposure to lead among lead-acid battery factory workers in Sudan . Archives of Environmental Health1986; 41: 261-5.
8.
Harrison RM & Laxen DPH (eds). Lead Pollution: Causes and Control, pp. 5, 29, 133-158. New York: Chapman and Hall, 1981.
9.
US Environmental Protection Agency.Air Quality Criteria for Lead, EPA Rep. EPA-600/8-77-017, 1977.
10.
Perlstein MA & Attala R.Neurologic sequelae of plumbism in children . Clinical Pediatrics1966; 5: 292-8.
11.
Needleman HL , Gunnoe C., Leviton A., et al. Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels. New England Journal of Medicine1979 ; 300: 689-95.
12.
Grandjean P.Lead poisoning: hair analysis shows the calendar of events. Human Toxicology1984; 3: 223-8.
13.
Shapiro IM, Dobkin B., Tuncay OC & Needleman HLLead levels in dentine and circumpulpal dentine of deciduous teeth of normal and lead poisoned children. Clinica et Chimica Acta1973; 46: 119-23.
14.
Grobler SR, Rossouw RJ & Kotze D.Lead levels in circumpulpal dentine of children from different geographic areas. Archives of Oral Biology1985; 30: 819-20.
15.
Coobsey M. & Barnett WBMatrix modification and the method of additions in flameless and atomic absorption . Atomic Absorption Newsletter1979; 18: 101-5.
16.
van Wyk CW & Grobler SRLead levels in deciduous teeth of children from selected urban areas in the Cape Peninsula. South African Medical Journal1983; 63: 559-62.
17.
Garrels RM, Mackenzie FT & Hunt C.Lead metabolism in humans. A three reservoir model. In C hemical Cycles and the Global Environment: Assessing Human Influences, ed. W. Kaufmann, pp. 173-77. Inc., Los Altos, 1975.
18.
Davis Jca.Lead toxicity in South Africa. (Editorial). South African Journal1985; 67: 833.
