Richard
This is a difficult question. I am sure that the poisonous nature of lead
and mercury fumes has been recognised for a very long time. The early lead
smelters must have died of the cumulative effect.
In the notes to "de re Metallica" the Hoovers quote Pliny (XXXIII, 40)
"Those employed in producing vermilion cover their faces with a bladderskin
that they may not inhale the pernicious powder, yet they can see through
the
skin"
To quote Brunowski "Life .... was hard, brutish and short" and early death
from metal poisoning probably went unrecognised for many centuries.
I am sorry that I cannot be of more help.
Peter Hutchison
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|