LEAD-POISONING. poisoning, which is but seldom met with, is due to the irritant action of lead salts on the alimentary canal. The treat ment consists in administering an emetic (say, 20 grains of zinc sulphate), washing out the stomach. and then giving a dose of Epsom salt. Muell more common and important is the chronic form of lead-poisoning. Chronic- lead-poisoning may he due to drinking-water that has passed through new lead pipes (in course of time, a deposit of insoluble salts forms on the inner walls of pipes. and thus the danger of lead be ing dissolved in the water is considerably di minished 1 , or water that has been kept for some time in lead cisterns. The amount of lead that , may thus he dissolved depends much on the qual ity of the water. Considerable amounts are dis solved if the lead is exposed alternately to the action of air and of water. Another source of chronic lead-poisoning is in the often uncleanly habits of painters, plumbers. and workingmen engaged in the manufacture of lead compounds. Absorbed for the most part by the kidneys, lead may cause pronounced symptoms of anxmia, gout, chronic inflammation of the kidneys, citron is inflammation of the peripheral nerves, muscu lar paralysis. and more rarely certain forms of
epilepsy and insanity. A well-known symptom consists in the formation of a characteristic dark-blue line on the gums, due to the precipita tion of black sulphide of lead, the sulphur coming from the food or from tartar on the teeth. An other common symptom is known as 'painter's colic.' The treatment of chronic lead-poisoning consists in the administration of opium, ca thartics. sour lemonade, soluble sulphates (Watt ber's salt or Epsom salt), and potassium iodide. Of course, care must be taken to remove the cause and thus prevent further poisoning.
Consult: Putnam, "Toxic Affections from Ar senic and Lead," in Keating's C'yeloperdia (Phila delphia, 1S90) ; Oliver, Lead Poisoning in Its Acute and Chronic Forms (Edinburgh and Lon don, 1891).