Lead Poisoning
The symptoms produced by lead poisoning are: lead colic in acute cases, loss of appetite, cramps, pain in the joints. There will be bluish lines found along the edge of the gums; wrist drop and loss of motor function in the hands and feet; arteriosclerosis, indigestion, restlessness during sleep, anemia, lead palsy, loss of strength and weight and constipation. The patient experiences a disagreeable sweetish taste, and there will be a grayish pallor and pinched expression of the face. In severe cases there may be blindness, great fatigue, apoplexy, insanity and death.
The greatest danger from lead comes in the form of dust or fumes and therefore the poison enters the body principally through the respiratory tract, but it may enter through the digestive tract and through the skin.
Prophylactic measures include devices to protect the workmen by means of respirators, but special effort should be made to keep the air in the breathing zone free from the dust and fumes. Since the poison may be taken in through the skin, special provision should be made to protect the hands and arms in fingering the materials. The workmen should exercise the greatest cleanliness and precaution to prevent ingestion of the lead into the digestive tract. Care should be taken that it is not brought into the mouth by the fingers or by pipe, for example. There is a high mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis among lead workers.