Note 71 — Chapter XIX · LEAD AND ITS COMPOUNDS (continued 3)

Dr MacAldowie, Senior Physician to the North Staffordshire Infirmary, does not regard lead poisoning in the Potteries as the serious malady it is generally believed to be. From 1891 to 1900 the in-patients of the Infirmary numbered 19,505: of these, 213 were lead poisoned patients, of whom 6 died. During the same period there were 91,748 out-patients, of whom 353 were lead poisoned; all recovered. Dr MacAldowie is of opinion that lead poisoning is a curable malady and seldom fatal. Also, that there is greater danger to health by the operatives being exposed to minute than large quantities of lead. Dealing with the low standard solubility of the fritt recommended in our Report, he says: “The proposed extreme reduction in solubility may be fraught with grave danger in the operatives. Where there is prolonged and continuous exposure to the action of lead its toxic effects are aggravated rather than minimized by minute doses.”