Eleven members of a family living in southeastern Turkey are presented. They were diagnosed as suffering from 'lead poisoning' with typical clinical manifestations and high blood lead concentrations. Contaminated flour (665 μg Pb/g) was the cause of poisoning, by oral ingestion. The source of contamination was sought and it was found that the stone of the mill had been repaired with molten lead on the same day that the wheat of the family had been ground; while grinding the wheat some lead was mixed into the flour.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Lin-Fu JSVulnerability of children to lead exposure and toxicity. New England Journal of Medicine1973; 289: 1229-33.
2.
National Research Council Committee on Biologic Effects of Atmospheric Pollutants.Lead: airborne lead in perspective. Washington D.C.: National Academy of Sciences. Division of Medical Sciences, 1972
3.
Kolbye AC Jr, Mahaffey KR, Fiorino JA, Corneliussen PC & Jelinek CFFood exposures to lead. Environmental Health Perspective1974; 7: 65-74.
4.
Morse DL, Watson WN, Housworth J., Witherell LE & Landrigon PCExposure of children to lead in drinking water. American Journal of Public Health1979; 69: 711-2.
5.
Klein M., Namer R., Harpur E. & Corbin R.Earthenware containers as a source of fatal lead poisoning: case study and public health considerations. New England Journal of Medicine1970; 283: 669-72.
6.
Landrigan PJ , Baker EL Jr, Himmelstein JS, Stein GF, Wedding JP & Straub WEExposure to lead from the Mystic River Bridge: the dilemma of deleading. New England Journal of Medicine1982; 306: 673-6.
7.
Bose A., Vasthistha K., O'Loughlin, BJAzarcon por Empacho-another source of lead toxicity. Pediatrics72: 1983, 673-6.
8.
Ali AR, Smalls Orc & Aslam M.Surma and lead poisoning. British Medical Journal1928; iii: 915-6.