Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving riskLegge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Science
Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving risk
Legge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Lead poisoning
=Gastro-Intestinal.=--As the chief early symptom of all types of
chronic poisoning is abdominal colic, early investigators turned their
attention to the pathology in this region, and ascribed the colic to
various causes.
Oliver[2] noted that, in animals poisoned with lead, the intestine was
found to be irregularly contracted, and ascribed the pain in abdominal
colic to the irregular contraction of the intestines themselves,
supposing that the effect of lead was on the muscular tissues. He also
noted the presence in the intestine, both large and small, of staining
due to lead, and the considerable amount of lead to be found in the
large intestine. We have only met with staining by lead in the large
intestine.
Dixon Mann[3] pointed out that the fæces contain two-thirds of the
amount of lead taken by the mouth in experimental cases, and considered
that the lead was re-excreted into the intestine; and a number of other
observers hold this view. Recent work confirms the supposition, and
there is no doubt that lead is eliminated in this way.
Stockvis[4] has occasionally seen small ulcers or abrasions in the
small intestine; these he thinks may be due to small hæmorrhages.
Ménétrier[5], quoted by Meillère, describes a form of glandular
atrophy of the stomach which is met with in chronic lead poisoning. He
states that the alcoholic gastritis generally present in persons the
subject of saturnine gastritis renders the differentiation exceedingly
difficult. This observer is also in complete agreement with many others
who associate much of the chronic lead poisoning to association with
alcoholic intemperance. The particular type of gastric degeneration
Ménétrier regards as due to the effect of lead is “une sclérose
regulière, inter-tubulaire, se recontrant d’une manière diffuse et
générale dans le muqueuse gastrique.”
He further considers that this gastric sclerosis occurs earlier than
the disease of the kidneys.
Kussmaul and Meyer[6] describe a chronic intestinal catarrh with
chronic degenerative changes in the intestinal mucosa very similar to
the changes described by Ménétrier.
Tanquerel[7] inclined to the view that the colic was not associated
with spasm of the intestines, and states that no clinical evidence
could be found of intestinal spasm by rectal examination during a spasm
of colic. But, as Bernard[8] points out, intestinal spasm may occur
with “ballonment” of the rectum.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account