Document GKG9670y8OQ0v9gbznd00x0R7

INSIDIOUS LEAD POISONING especially as revealed by Soviet toxicologists 1 .. By D. Stiffen Mlcrotoxlcology of lead 'j H. S. COLUM GILFILUI 1301 Ocean Av., Aft. 3 Santa Mnica, Ca. 59401. when Soviet toxicology has been discussed in Western Germany, crit ic is'n has been 'Dade of the thesis of RYAZONOV, that the threshold con centration of a poison which induces changes in the conditioned reflexes of the nervous system, is identical with the concentration which causes insidious Intoxications from long-time incorporation. vJhile this thesis had won vast publicity in Western countries, the. paper of Ke DVED on the same matter, convincing by a high disciplineof thought, had received hardly any attention, This paper shows that 'the why of Soviet toxicology is much more realistic than we had thought, since not only conditioned reflexes, but all kinds of tests, Including morphologic ones, are applied for the assessment of the toxic data, and are checked In man, if pos sible. in the case of lead, 0.0025 mg Pb/m3 of air had been found to induce disturbances in certain reflexes, and morphologic changes in the brain of animals. In human medicine 0.001 mg Pb/m-' of air had induced an increased coproporphyrine excretion in children. In the environment of factories with lead dust emissions ZYKOVA had found multiplication of myocardial damages, stenocardia and mitral diseases., vegetative dystonia, gastritis, colitis, stomach ulcers, likewise affections of liver and gall bladder, in persons between 18 and 50 years of^age. The average atmospheric lead concentration had been 0.0022 mg/m . . For drinking water (CHERKINSKII) the maximum allowable lead concen tration had been limited to 0 . 1 mg/liter. This correlates with the max imum lead concentration in the atmd[phere (0.0007 mg/m^), since both val ues induce the same lead absorption per day, if the absorption in the gastro-intestinal canal is 1/ 10 of that in the lungs. Both limits, which unfortunately have no parallel in the Federal R e public of Germany, can hardly be characterized as being too low. Indeed* a paper by EGOROVA asks if they must not be further reduced, since very small quantities, showing hio influence on reflexes or psychologic tests, induce changes in the sperm tests and on the offspring. Unfortunately experiments on animals, with th&r short pregnancies, are of course not necessarily valid for men too. Since the Soviet investigators shrink back from testing the sperm of man, the few Western institutes, which know not this restraint, have an important task. RAPOPORT has reported that the Institut Khimlcheskoi Fiziki In Moscow has already checked the mutagenic effects of hundreds of industrial substances, and found that the mutational rate from some of them exceeds that from the radio activity 'which provoked considerable publicity during the A-bomb tests, whether lead was among those checked substances cannot yet be said. Be r s IN has referred to the high frequency of malformations in the lead mining districts of Europe, and asked if the terrifying number of phocomelia cases does not depend on the lead content of our air. In addition, we have the problem of synergesis. Thus also the threshold In the Us s r does not give complete safety, especially since other factors are in volved, which differ from country to country. Provisions of the USSR. The Soviet Union has drawn conclusions from their threshold limits. Ever since 19 6 1- 3 the admixture of tetraethyl lead in gasoline'has been restricted according to the size of the cities, so th&t the lead in the 'cars* exhausts should not exceed the maximum allowable concentration in g ^ ^ The Public Health Service of the P.R.G, has unfoij|mately not published\ , the results of the lead dust measurements carried out in recent years. \ A The P.H.S, of Oberhausen/Rheln had found an average concentration of \ 0.0025 mg/.m , which was to be expected. As to the lead concentration in \ drinking water, AOLLATH had reported in 1942 that he found 0.5 mg Pb/ \ liter in the drinking water of Berlin-Wilmersdorf, wha^lt had stagnated during the night. It has often been asserted that lead pipes cease to contaminate drinking water after about 35 years. But REED et al. say on the basis of ample tests in Britain that this statement has been canceled by the chemization of the environment and esp. of the surface water. In addition the PVC-plpes used since World War II also contain lead for stabilization purposes. In addition to the lead content <?f the air and , drinking water, there are still other sources which contaminate our lives, esp. food ,and cigarettes. KLOKE has assessed the average lead intake in food in Western Germany, at the extremiy high rate of 1.5 mg per day, without including crops raised near autobahns. PATTERSON considers O .33 mg/day as the average intake in the USA. Only 1 & day is acceptable ac cording to AEBI. According to HOFREUTER and PATTERSON the smoking of cig arettes contributes considerable lead. LEHNERT Could not confirm an ef fect of smoking on the lead concentration in the blood of men aged 20-22. Experiment at Zrich and Basel with policemen had also shown that healthy adults have a high lead excretion. But considering the^oxicity of drink ing water in many places at least 6 decades ago (with effects in present times), and the toxicity of the atmosphere in traffic centers, and of food, one must conclude that the "Zykova diseases" must have much increased. No one will deny they have done so. The statistics which the DAK (Deutche Angestellten Krankenkasse) in Hamburg have set up for prophylactic purp oses on their juvenil* members (apprentices In their 2d year, and others with 17-year age), according to the^reports of local physicians, are ap^f: Morbidity of juvenllg members of the DAK, 1961/62 - 1965/66 Nale juveniles : Female juveniles 61/ 62 62/ 63 63/ 64 64/65 65/ 66 61/ 62 62/ 63 63/ 64 64/65 65/ 66 Announced juveniles 15120 14882 15237 16670 16835 383IO 41395 41114 44054 45008 Examined juvenile*,'12677' 12106 0 00 CM H 12808 14241 32296 33715 34120 35877 37441 Ijglth Foot C-acrormipalgaei n t s ^ * y defects 4.8 Tooth damages 11. 7 Eye complaints 2. 1 N e c k , n o s e ,ear complaints 8.4 Heart complaints 3* 5 Vascular complaints 1. 9 Adiposltas 0.8 Skin dlsease2.4 Anemia 0.5 Renal com- plaints 0.4 Asthma 0.4 Stomach com- plaints 0.9 Vegetative 2.7 disturbances Thyropathy 1 .0 Nervous dls- 22. 1 10 .8 11.7 2.1 7.1 4.2 3.2 1.5 5.4 0.7 1.3 0.3 1.0 5. 8 1.8 - 21.5 13.5 11.7 2. 2 5.7 3.5 5.4 1. 6 3.3 0,5 2.0 0.3 0.7 6.8 1.4 22. 8 12. 6 11. 6 1. 8 5.5 3.5 5.7 2.3 2.8 0.6 2,4 0.4 0.7 7.2 1.2 22. 8 17. 0 12. 0 2.1 5-7 3.4 5.7 2. 8 2.8 0.5 2.4 0.7 0.9 10.4 1.2 24.2 25.3 21.4 23.O 23.O 3.5 7.3 10 . 2 11.3 14.1 11. 1 10 .6 10 .6 10.8 11. 6 2. 2 2.5 2.3 2.2 2. 1 9.1 7.6 6.3 6.7 7.1 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8 ^.3 6 . 1 6.8 7.6 0.9 1.9 2. 1 2.6 3.3 2,1 4.1 3.0 2.6 2.7 2.0 2.2 1.9 3.0 2.1 0.9 1.5 1.8 1-9 2.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.9 1.5 1.3 1-3 1.6 3.3 2.2 6.0 4.3 6.8 3.7 7.5 10.6 4.1 3.4 e-ip a uuu. ,turn cxgax'ei/ueB. nar. asaessea. rae average ieaa mcaice m food In Western Germany, at the extremfey high rate of 1.5 mg per day, without including crops raised near autobahns. PATTERSON considers O .33 mg/day as the average Intake in the USA. Only 1 a day is acceptable ac cording to AEBI. According to HOFREUTER and PATTERSON the smoking of cig arettes contributes considerable lead. LEHNERT could not confirm an ef fect of smoking on the lead concentration In the blood of men aged 20-22. Experiment at ZUrich and Basel with policemen had also shown that healthy adults have a high lead excretion. But considering the^oxicity of drink ing water in many places at least 6 decades ago (with effects in present times), and the toxicity of the atmosphere in traffic centers, and of food, one must conclude that the "Zykova diseases" must have much increased No one will deny they have done so. The statistics which the DAK (Deutche Angestellten Krankenkasse) in Hamburg have set up for prophylactic purp oses on their juvenii* members (apprentices in their 2d year, and others with 17-year age), according to the^reports of local physicians, are as^f: Morbidity of juvenljg members of the DAK, 1961/62 - 1965/ 66 Ivialejuvenilas -- -- -- -- - Female juveniles 61/ 62 62/ 63 63/ 64 64/65 65/ 66 61/ 62 62/ 63 63/ 64 64/65 65/ 66 Announced juveniles 15120 14882 15237 16670 16835 383IO 41395 41114 44054 45008 Examined juveniles' 12677' 12106 12803 12808 14241 32296 33715 34120 35877 37441 ^ l t h Foot ,,complaints *7 Carriage defects 4.8 Tooth damages 11. 7 Eye complaints 2. 1 Neck,nose,ear complaints 8.4 Heart complaints 35 Vascular complaints 1. 9 AdIositae 0.8 Skin disease2.4 Anemia 0.5 Renal coin- plaints 0.4 Asthma 0.4 Stomach com- plaints 0.9 Vegetative 2.7 disturbances Thyropathy 1.0 Nervous dis turbances 2.4 Retarded dev- elopment 0.7 Danger of tu- berculosis 0.6 22. 1 10 .8 11.7 2.1 7.1 . 4.2 3.2 1.5 5.4 0.7 1.3 0.3 1. 0 5.8 1. 8 3-3 4.4 0.7 21.5 13.5 11.7 2. 2 5.7 3.5 5.4 1. 6 3.3 0.5 2.0 0.3 0.7 6.8 1.4 3.^ 2.4 0.6 22. 8 12. 6 11. 6 1. 8 6.5 3.5 5*7 2.3 2.8 0.6 2.4 0.4 0.7 7.2 1. 2 3.8 2.2 0.5 22. 8 17. 0 12. 0 2.1 5.7 3.4 5.7 2.8 2. 8 0.5 2.4 0.7 0.9 10.4 1. 2 5.9 1.7 0.8 24.2 3.5 11. 1 25.3 7.3 10 .6 21.4 10 .2 10 .6 23.0 11.3 10 .8 23.O 14.1 11. 6 2.2 2.5 2.3 2.2 2. 1 9.1 7.6 6.3 6.7 7.1 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8 ^.3 6 . 1 6.8 7.6 0.9 1.9 2. 1 2.6 3.3 2. 1 4.1 3-0 2.6 2.7 2.0 2.2 1.9 3.0 2. 1 0.9 1.5 1. 8 1.9 2. 1 0.2 0 . 1 0 . 1 0.2 0.3 0.9 1.5 1.3 1.3 1. 6 3.3 6.0 6.8 7.5 10 .6 2. 2 ^.3 3.7 4.1 3.4 3.1 4.4 3.8 4.9 7.4 0.6 4.3 1. 8 1.9 0.9 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 0001473 Il So far as I know the causal relation with lead has been examined in West ern countries only for one pathological effect on the general population, viz. mental retardation. According to MONCRIEFF et al, 55% of the children who were examined in the Hospital'for Sick Children in London had a lead concentration of- 0.036 mg/ 100 cl, or more, in the blood.As a matter of fact the epidemiology of insidious lead intoxication does not need" such vast stat istical research as, for example, lung cancer from cigarette smoking, since it has become diagnosable, and within certain limits curable, since some years now. I think of the lead mobilization test (see UNSzLD; ieRNBe R G ) which, to the best of my knowledge, has been transferred to insidious lead . Intoxication by Fatzer. Perhaps the 6-amino levulinic acid test, for which DOESIGNORE has worked out a quick method, has importance for the general population too. Whereas /he determination whether lead is a partial cause of a certain disease, Is easy, the high number of diffuse complaints involved offers cer tain difficulties. For precise scientific researches a- judgment, whether a person's parents had been leaded, is necessary, since a lead burden in either parent can carnage a person, who may be rather free of lead himself; 0. Possible Effects of Insidious Lead Intoxication 1, Anemia; 2, colic; 3, chronic spastic colitis; 1-, polyneuritis; 5, encephalopathia; 6, arteriosclerosis, esp. in the brain; 7 atrophy of the nasal mucous membrane; 8, affections of the inner ear; 9, asthma; 10, eczemas 11, gastritis; 12, hypertonia; 13 , myocardial damages; 1, endarteritis obliterans; 15 gangrene; 16 , liver diseases; 17, renal diseases, incl. inter stitial nephritis and nephrosis; 18, gout, podagra; 19, Basedow's disease; 20, diffuse sclerosis; 21, rickets (at least in cases of maternal lead bur den); and 22, visual disturbances. As lead (mercury too) according to SELYE sensibilizes the body for aller gens, the epidemiologic dissemination of insidious lead intoxication can make necessary to include the lead mobilization test in the therapy of aller gies and skin diseases, or to find Hg, which night be present in such cases. w e ICHARDT confirmed that these metals play a role in kin diseases. In this way spectacular therapeutic successes have already been obtained (not yet published), altho skin tests hav been :nade without any result. MEETZER of thePresbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia had been able to red uce needed insulin quantities for diabtics to 1/3 by Na?EDTA-injections. As this result had been accompanied by a heightened excretion of zinc, and in the second place of lead, he presumed zinc to be the nain etiological factor for diabetes mellitUs. We know however from ROSSI that incorporated lead increased the zinc concentration in blood. (Against this thesis, SOLDATOVltf) Tht is perhaps the reason why lead could be considered the etiological factor in many diabetes cases, esp. as zinc plays no role as an environmental poison, and Meltzer is aware of the presence of unknown factors in diabetes. Fortunately the Medical Center of Colorado University, in Denver, has included lead in a research program on the causality of trace metals for diabetes nellitus of juveniles. On the basis of KNICK's paper on the relationship between arterioscleros is, diabetes nellitus and obesity, instigations regarding the part of lead in obesity may have good chances. Obesity is among the diseases increasing in our civilization. wnereas ;tne determination whether lead is a partial cause or.a .certain disease, la easy, the high number of diffuse complaints Involved offers cer tain difficulties. For precise scientific researches a- judgment, whether a person's parents had been leaded, Is necessary, since a lead burden in either parent can damage a person, who may be rather free of lead himself. D. Possible Effects of Insidious Lead Intoxication 1, Anemia; 2, colic; 3, chronic spastic colitis; 1-, polyneuritis; 5, encephalopathia; 6, arteriosclerosis, esp. in the brain; 7, atrophy of the nasal mucous membrane; 8 , affections of the inner ear; 9, asthma; 10 , eczemas; 11, gastritis; 12 , hypertonia; 13 , myocardial damages; l4, endarteritis obliterans; 15 gangrene; 16 , liver diseases; 17 renal diseases, incl. inter stitial nephritis and nephrosis; 18, gout, podagra; 19, Basedow's disease; 20, diffuse sclerosis; 21, rickets (at least in cases of maternal lead bur den); and. 22, visual disturbances. As lead {.mercury too) according to SELYE sensibilizes the body for aller gens, the epidemiologic dissemination of insidious lead Intoxication can make necessary to include the lead mobilization test in the therapy of aller gies and skin diseases, or to find. Hg, which might be present in such cases. WEICHARDT confirmed that these metals play a role in kin diseases. In this way spectacular therapeutic successes have already been obtained (not yet published), altho skin tests have been made without any result. MELTZ R of thePresbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia had been able to red uce needed insulin quantities for diabtics to 1/3 by Na?EDTA-injections. As this result had been accompanied by a heightened, excretion of zinc, and in the second, place of lead, he presumed zinc to be the main etiological factor for diabetes mellitUs. We know however from ROSSI that Incorporated lead increased the zinc concentration in blood. (Against this thesis, S O L D A T O V T h a t is perhaps the reason why lead could be considered the etiological factor in many diabetes cases, esp. as zinc plays no role as an environmental poison, and Meltzer is aware of the presence of unknown factors in diabetes. Fortunately the Medical Center of Colorado University, in Denver, has included lead in a research prograin on the causality of trace metals for diabetes mellitus of juveniles. On the basis of KUICK's paper on the relationship between arterioscleros is, diabetes mellitus and obesity, j^stlgations regarding the part of lead in obesity>inay have good chances. Obesity is among the diseases increasing in our civilization. CLEGG foundi>steoporosis after injecting young lambs with lead. An inves tigation of such natters in the human sphere might have good chances. The air-cooling system of certain automobiles allows entraxe of the exhaust gases with their lead content into the interior of the car. This and. the vibration of the car nay provoke a lead, flush, a mobilization of the body's lead, wh. nay be a cause of the disk damages often found in drivers. Te LEKY and other authors have described it. In view of the multiple effects of lead on bones, muscles and ligaments, it must be expected that lead possibly contributes to defective carriage, found Increasing rapidly with juveniles. CAMPBELL has referred to the possibility of lead inducing multiple scle rosis. KOELSCH ascribes to lead an effect on carles; in addition see the J[g 0001475 According to SUZUKI lead influences the hair. Scleroderma has often been cured with Ka?EDTA, which eliminated lead ions (WINKELKANN etc.). C a D a ^ D T A reduces the {9-lipoproteins in cases of psoriasis (KALZ). A pathogenic influence of Pb on this disease seems to be possible. Lead is mobilized in pregnancy and then enters the fetus thru the placenta (BAUMANN; blBILilSKVILI). It is possible that numerous pregnancy toxemias have been Induced by this fact. Of course the strong link from leac to abortion has been known for a century. The Investigators, who re . ported, on the influence on births from cigarette smoking by pregnant women, were unfortunately not aware of the lead content of cigarette tobacco, which probably goes to explain their phenomenon. With her -milk a mother transfers further lead to the suckling. Like the male sexual organs the female? ones too may be easily damaged by a little lead, and in this way also the offspring, apart from the intrauterine incorporation. This might induce a continuous increase of the'^ead. damage to the race, even if the intake from air, water and food, d i d `not change. Such process could be one key to the so-called hereditary diseases with uncertain prognosis, whose genetic interpretation is so difficult. It has been shown that the usual lead concentrations in the centers of city traffic induce morphologic changes in theNbrain. Cerebral arterioscler osis by lead, is combined with mental deficiencies (TELRKY), The link from le to mental retardation In children has already been shown. SFIVAKreported delayed answers to questions, and a decrease of logical analysis and syn thesis in the early stages of tetraethyl lead poisoning. As the number of victims of insidious lead poisoning must amount to millions, a correlation to the shift of endowment in pupils , from logical-abstract to practical thinking (found by HUTH) is likely. It Is known that schools, chambers of commerce, ana. the armed forces likewise complain of/the decay of iatelligence in youth. If, nonetheless, able thinkers continue to appear, this does not disprove the relation to lead* it could be the stimulation phase of the intoxication. That lead has also a stimulation phase was proved by DROGOCHINA et al. Lead therapy could have more chance with children who were not removed and. backward, than with the mentally retarded ones seer, by HARDY. As to the effect of lead on emotional life, TELEKY reported a lack of sociability, and general disgusti Lead, investigations and therapy upon disintegrated people of all kinds, criminals (KOiLLSCH), youth in reformat ories, isolated people, suicides, nay be productive. A comparison of tests with uvenilfi, 30 years ago and today, shows an increase of calm behavior according to the Jugendbericht (Youth Report) of the Bund.esfamilienministerlum. I refrain from commenting on the recent political activity of our students. F. General remarks on insidious lead poisoning. The interrelations btween lead and the psyche show: also an inversion of the above mentioned effects. A psychical stress, e.g. noise, aggravates a lead intoxication (Prof. Bolezni, KANNER, TICHONOV), This probably il lustrates the so-called "manager dlseaseM and similar ailments of students, women piece-workers etc. The occupational stress mobilizes a lead depot. Thus the noise of supersonic planes beomes still more dangerous, Wften the Russians were able to stand the howling of the G er.man dive bombers far better than Western soldiers, this might have been due to their lower lead burden. The thesis of HARDY that lead aggravates all othrodiseases, cor relates with this statement. The ability to resist infectious diseases Is reduced. The lad. mobilization test should, become a standard Institution like tonometry before operations. . In its therapy the Soviet pharmacology combined vitamin B^g and iron w v v i i c f i U A i JX-L A I l f c ^ X j X i l C U T l !U St X 6 t 3T U .cl X * til remale- ones too may be easily damaged, by a little lead, and In this way also the offspring, apart from t h e .intrauterine incorporation. This might induce a continuous increase of the'Iead. damage to the race, even if the intake from air, water and. food aid.`not change. Such process could be one key to the so-called hereditary diseases with uncertain prognosis, whose genetic interpretation is so difficult. ,- It has been shown that the usual lead concentrations in the centers of city traffic induce morphologic changes in theNbraln. Cerebral arterioscler osis by lead is combined with mental deficiencies (TELEKY), The link from le to mental retardation in children has already been shown. SFIVAKreportec delayed answers to questions, and. a decrease of logical analysis and syn thesis in the early stages of tetraethyl lead poisoning. As the number of victims of insidious lead poisoning must amount to millions, a: correlation to the shift of endowment in pupils , from logical-abstract to practical thinking (found by HUTH) is likely. It is known that schools, chambers of commerce, and the armed, forces likewise complain of/thC:decay of intelli gence in youth. If, nonetheless, able thinkers continue to appear, this does not disprove the relation to leads it could be the stimulation phase of the intoxication. That lead has also a stimulation phase was proved by DROGOCKIKA et al. Lead therapy could have more chance with children who were not removed and. backward, than with the .mentally retarded ones seen by HARDY. As to the effect of lead on emotional life, TELEKY reported a lack of sociability, and. general disgusti Lead investigations and therapy upon disintegrated people of all kinds, criminals (KOiiLSCH), youth in reformat ories, isolated people, suicides, may be productive. A comparison of tests with juvenilfi, 30 years ago and today, shows an increase of calm behavior according to the Jugendberlcht (Youth Report) of the Bundesfamilienminlster- lum. I refrain from commenting on the recent political activity of our students. General remarks on insidious lead poisoning. The interrelations btween lead and the psyche show: also an inversion of the above mentioned effects. A psychical stress, e.g. noise, aggravates a lead Intoxication (Prof. Bolezni, KANNER, TICHONOV), This probably il lustrates the so-called "manager disease11 and similar ailments of students, women piece-workers etc. The occupational stress mobilizes a lead depot. Thus the noise of supersonic planes beomes still more dangerous, Wften the Russians were able to stand the howling of the German dive bombers far better than Western soldiers, this might have been due to their lower lead burden. The thesis of HARDY that lead aggravates all othrf/d iseases, cor relates with this statement. The ability to resist infectious diseases is reduced. The led. mobilization test should become a standard Institution like tonome try before operations. In its therapy the S cviet pharmacology combined vitamin Bip and Iron with the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA, probably to replace the excreted cobalt too. CHAIKA reported on the protective effects of pectins in animal lead poisoning, and recommended their adoption in human medicine. Y 0001477 3 u =si P ^ C* >3 - 5- S^.nce lead concentrations In air, drinking water and. food have long exceeded the hygienic standards, or did so till a few decades ago, the removal of a lead damaged worker from his occupational exposure has only an incomplete therapeutic value. It is questionable whether the present practice of the public accident insurers, can be maintained, of excluding insidious lead, poisoning, after this disease has become diagnosable. Attention must be paid also to the non-ocoupational lead intake. Certainly research on insidious lead intoxications should gain new incitements. In both world wars occupational lead poisoning disappeared almost completely in Germany, a circumstance which was ascribed to scanty nutri tion. Contrary to common opinion WITTGENS et al. have found by tests on rats that milk has an unfavorable influence on the health of the poisoned ani mals . The solution for the controversy between animal and vegetable fats is perhaps that animal, fats are a health risk only for the greqt number of people with insidious lead poisoning. E.g. caries may be induced by syner getic effects of (intrauterine) lead, sugar and lack of fluorine. According to EICHKOLTZ today already small quantities of alcohol induce dysfunctions, a phenomenon which well agrees with the epidemiologic range of Insidious lead. . G . The Role of lead in history The share which has been ascribed to lead by some authors in the decay of ancient civilizations, e.g. by ROBERT, and by GILFILLAN with restriction to the upper class in the Roman Empire, and from S t Of e N by the way, with regard to the psychosociology of that period, will be better understood with the help of Soviet toxicology. T^e unpublished studies of k-NORR on lead in the drinking water of Roman towns, thru the lead pipes and aque ducts often noted, will help illuminate this problem. So far as I know, no study has yet been made as to whether the initial stimulating effect of lead poisoning (JDROGOCHINA et a l . ) has influenced history. One should con sider the extremely low lead burden of the African negros. Causation is possible between the accompanying turn of ibhe Eurasiatic cultures toward spirit, and to abstract-logical thinking, around 1000 B.C,, when lead smelting was gaining impetus in Greece, Palestine, Egypt, Persia, India etc. The share of lead in the pathogenesis of genius, an<fr its connection with diffuse diseases and biological decay, becomes transparent in the lime light of Soviet toxicology. Occidental civilization used lead long before industrialization, e.g. for saving wines fnom going sour, and making grape sirup for sweetening, and in kitchen utensils, ointments, paint, tickets ' etc. The secular process of enlarging cranial capacity ("progressive cerebration") and bodily height may have been furthered by lead. In lead mining districts the toxicologists know sticil phenomena (TARABAEVA) The circumstance that today, when lead's adverse affects strike larger and larger masses of .men, abstract-logical thinking is also involved, corel ates with this thesis. ii Final observations - Iwere is no doubt that the sanitizing of our biosphere, e.g. the elim ination of alkyl lead in gasoline, or a transcontinental water supply from o canal navi a to .southern Europe, etc., requires appalling sums. But" even these costs will be a trifle when compared, with the expenses in the soci'L sphere, which would derive from c^r present atmospheic lead conta.mina.tion. completely in Germany, a circumstance which was ascribed to scanty nutri tion. Contrary to common opinion WITTGENS et al. have found by tests on rati that milk has an unfavorable influence on the health of the poisoned ani mals. The solution for the controversy between animal and vegetable fats is perhaps that animal fats are a health risk only for the greqt number of people with insidious lead poisoning. E.g. caries may be induced by syner getic effects of (intrauterine) lead, sugar and lack of fluorine. According to EICHHOLTZ today already small quantities of alcohol induce dysfunctions, a phenomenon which well agrees with the epidemiologic range of insidious lead. . G, The Role of lead in history The share which has been ascribed to lead by some authors in the decay of ancient civilizations, e.g. by ROBERT, and by GILFILLAN'with restriction to the upper class in the Roman Empire, and from ST&FEN by the way, with regard to the psychosociology of that period, will be better understood with the help of Soviet toxicology. T^e unpublished studies of RNORR on lead in the drinking water of Roman towns, thru the lead pipes and aque ducts often noted, will help illuminate this problem. So far as I know, no study has yet been made as to whether the initial stimulating effect of lead poisoning (DROGOCHINA et a l . ) has influenced history. One should con sider the extremely low lead burden of the African negros. Causation is possible between the accompanying turn of the Eurasiatic cultures toward spirit, and to abstract-logical thinking, around 1000 B . C ,, when lead smelting was gaining impetus in Greece, Palestine, Egypt, Persia, India etc The share of lead in the pathogenesis of genius, and its connection with diffuse diseases and biological decay, becomes transparent in the lime light of Soviet toxicology. Occidental civilization used lead long before industrialization, e.g. for saving wines from going sour, and making grape sirup for sweetening, and in kitchen utensils, ointments, paint, tickets etc. The secular process of enlarging cranial capacity ("progressive cerebration") and. bodily height may have been furthered by lead. In lead mining districts the toxicologists know such phenomena (TARABAEVA) The circumstance that today, when lead's adverse affects strike larger and larger masses of men, abstract-logical thinking is also involved, corel ates with this thesis. . Final observations - 'I'here is no doubt that the sanitizing of our biosphere, e.g. the elim ination of alkyl lead in gasoline, or a transcontinental water supply from Scandinavia to southern Europe, etc. requires appalling sums. But even these costs will be a trifle when compared with the expenses in the s o o t -1 sphere, which would derive from cMr present atmosphpic lead contamination. The irreversible psychic changes in man which we witness today cannot be evaluated in money. One question is whether we have already destroyed the |sychic forces which are necessary for the protection of our biological future. LITERATURE A E B I , H,:-Zts. Preventivmed. 1 (1956) 137 quoted from BERSIN p. k?0.(in German) _ BAETJER, a M,: Intern. Congr. Occupational Health, lkth, Madrid 1963 2*795 caUMANN, A.: Arch.GynSk. 153 (1933) 58^ (in German) BERDYEV, Ch.B.s Gig. i Sanlt. (1967) 6, 96 (in Russian) BERSIN, Th.: Biochemie der Mineral- und Spurenelemente. Frankfurt a.M. 1963 and in Vitalstoffe 1 (1966) 207 See Blei p. 36* (in German)  J * V sooDshch. Aitaci'# Milk. Grz. SSR ( 1965/ 3 58# t in 'u h , le Heft ? der Beitrge Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, p. 48. e Ge RR, D.R.: in bLl (in German) BQNSIGNORE, D, et al.: Med. del Lavoro 56 (19 6 5), 199 U n --tal.) HAFF, A.F, et al*: Us Armed Forces Med. J. 2 (195?) 1353 bi&Nii, J.G.: Chem* engineering Lews, 19 68, Jan. CHAIKA, P.A,: Gig. Tr. prof. Zabol. 10 (19 6 6 ) 3 4? (in Russian) CAMPBELL, A.M.G. et al.: Brain 21 (1950) 52 Cd&IIvtiKII, S.K, Gig. i anit. 21 (19 6 ?), 11. ?8 (in.Russian) GbiGG, G.: J. Comp. bhysiol, Psychol. 26 (1966) 15 ; DR0GCCRINA, E,A, et al: in Vtoro^rsesoyuznoe soveshchanie povoprosam promyshlennoi toksikologii, tezisy cokladov, Moskva 1952. (in Russian; e GGROVA, G.K, et al.: in I'oksikologlya novych pro.myshlennych veshchestv. (in Russian) 1966, p. 33 eiCHHOLTZ, F,: Vitalstoffe 12 (196?) 4 (in German) * aiCHHORGT, H.j Med. Klin. "Tl913) 20 " Frischknecht, W.: Praxis 48 (1959) 3 H ": G xLFILLAN, S,C,: Mankind ly* 1 Mo. 3 (1965) or in Jol. Occupational Med. 7:53-60, 1965; or Jol. of Applied Nutrition l:95-9 'jRbiNAGBL, H.H, et al.: Ttrztl. Wochenschr. 14 (1959) 433 (ln Ger.man) GuSz-V, M.I,: in Predel'no opustmye kontsentratsli atmosfernych zagryaznenii, torn 5 Moskva I96I (in Russian) HARDY, H.L.: Sympsium on environmental lea.d. Washington 1966, Pub. Health Service Publication No. 1440 HERRMANN, G, Wien. med. Wochenschr. 101 (1951) 675 (lb German) ' HoFRiiuTBR, H.: Arch. Environmental Health 3L_(l96l) 568 HOr IlCKI, K,: Osaka City Med. J. 11 (1965), Mo. 2, 225 RUTH, A: Unsere Schiller sind anders geworden. Die Bayerische Schule o 11956) 293 JG^NDBERICHTf Editor: Bundesfamilienministerium, Bonn 1965 K aLZ, F. et al.: J. Investig. Dermat-. 1 (1958), 161 KAliNER, N,D: Ter Arkh. 21 C19 6 3) 11, 3T 6 (ln Russian) KiikbiRT, G,: cle Vernderung der K8rpergr8sse des Menschen. Dissertation an der .Technischen Hochschule Karlsruhe, 1963 xvbCKE, A. et al.landwirtschaf tliche Forschung, 20. Sonderheft, 19 66. KNICK, B,: Adipositas, arteriosclerosis and diabetes mellitus ; in Schweiz. Med. 'Wochenschr. 21 (1967) 735 and in Med. Welt (stuttg.) 35/36 (1964) pp. 1813 and 1861 (in German) u-b !'* R* j,n Beitrge aus der Geschichte der Chemie, ec. by P . ^ii-r>-'art, 1906, or separately (in German) -CijibSCR, F: Zbl. Arbeitsmedizin 9 (1959) 144 (loss of teeth); and Handbuch der Berufskrankheiten, Koelsch, F.,4.Auflage,Jena; will appear in 19 68. (delinquency; in German) u LLa TH, W.: MUnch. med. Wochenschr. 8 (1942) 927 LEHNe RT, G_,: Int. Arch. Gewerbepath. Gewerbehyg. 22 (1967) 358 Me DVED', b.I, et al.: in Residue Reviews, Voi. 6, Barlln/Gttingen/Heldelberg, 1964 MaLTZER, L.E. et al: Lancet I96I, 637 MEI, R. et al: Med. Klin. 62 (I967) 5 (in Gerioan) hbNCRlEFF, A, et al.: Arch. Dis. Childhood (2 (1964), No. 203. PATTeRSON, C,C,: Contaminated and Natural Dead Environments of Man; Arch. Environ. Health 11:34^-60 (19 6 5) Professional'nye boleznl. Moskva 1965 (in Russian) Ra IGFORT, I.A.: in Voorosy obshchei promyshlennoi toksikologii. Leningrad 1963 Re ^D, C.D. et al: Vitalstoffe 12 (1967) 253 RYAZANOV, V.A. : Sanitarnaya ochrana atmosfernogo.vozducha; Moskva 1954 (in Russian) quoted frm HORN, K.: Allgemeine und bommunale Hygiene, 3erlin 1964. ROSSI, A.: Boll. Soc. ital. Biol. Sperimentale 38 (19 6 2) 1006 (in Ital.). Als-in Vitalstoffe 11 (1966) 207* . . . . ... i ------------- ------ ;------------- ' -- Vf s'" , i"' i fc*il&Ui/ CAMP3ELL, A.M.G. et al.: Brain (1950) 52 CH&Hk INSKII, S.K. Gig. i anlt. 2 (196?), 11. 28 (in.Russian) CEaGG, G.s J. Comp. Physiol,Psychol. 6 (1966) 15 DRQGGCRINA, E,A, et a l : in Vtoro^rsesoyuzhoe soveshchanie po voprosam promyshlennoi toksikologii, tezisy dokladov, Moskva 195?. (in Russian^ -^GROVA, G.K, et al.i in rokslkologlya novych promyshlennych veshchestv. (in Russian) 1966, p. 33 k ICHHOLTZ, F ,; Vitalstoffe 12 (1967) 4 (in German) n-lCHHGRST, H ,; Med. Alin. T 19 13) 20 " Frischknecht, W,: Praxis 4b (1959) 3 H ": uj-LFILLAK, S.C,: Mankind ly. 2 Mo. 3 (1965) or in Jol. Occupational Med. 7:53-60, 19 6 5 or Jol. of applied Nutrition 19:95-9 R Us.Ma g EL, K.H, et al.: Jtrztl. Wochenschr. 14 (1959) 433 (in; German) G oS V, M.l,: in Predel*no dopustmye kontsentratsii atmosfernych zagryaznenii, tom 5 Moskva I96I (in Russian) HARDY, H.L.: Symposium on environmental lead. Washington 1966, Pub. Health Service Publication No. 1440 HERRMANN, G, Wien, med. 'wochenschr. 101 ( i 9 5 D * 675 " (in German) RuFRr.UTSR-, H.: Arch. Environmental Health _(l6l ) 568 HOr i u c HI, K ,: Osaka City Med. J. 11 (1965), Mo. 2, 225 HUTH, A: Unsere Schler sind anders geworden. Die Bayerische Schule (1956) 293 JUGEKDBERICHTf Editor: Bundesfamilienministerium, Bonn 1965 KALZ, F, et al.: 0 . Investig. Dermat. 1 (1958), l6l KAMMER, N s Ter Arkh. 35 (19 6 3) 11, 3T 6 (in Russian) RNNaRT, G,: die Vernderung der Krpergrsse d.es Menschen. Dissertation an der. Technischen Hochschule Karlsruhe, 1963 xvecKE, A. et a l ,{Landwirtschaftliche Forschung, 20. Sonderheft, 1966. KNICK, B,: Adipositas, arteriosclerosis and diabetes mellitus ; in Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. (I967), 735 and in Med. Welt (Stuttg.) 35/36 (1964) pp. 1813 and 1861 (in German) V, R * , in Beitrge aus der Geschichte der Chemie, ec. by 1. ~'lv r>- irt, 1906, or separately (in German) e O LSCH, F,x Zbl. Arbeitsmedizin 9 (1959), 144 (loss of teeth); and Handbuch der Berufskrankheiten, Koelscn, F. ,4. Auf lge, Jena; will appear ln 1968. (delinquency; in German) -uLL^TH, w.: Mnch, med. Wochenschr. 8 (1942) 927 LEHNe r t , G_,: Int. Arch. Gewerbepath. Gewerbehyg. 2 (1967), 358 Me DVED', E.I. et al.: in Residue Reviews, Vol. 6, Barlin/Gttingen/Heidelberg, 1964 MeXTZER, L.E. et al: Lancet 1961, 637 MEY, R. et al: Med. Klin. 62 (19 6 7) 5 (in German) MuLCRIBFF, A. et al.: Arch. Dis. Childhood ( (1964), Mo. 20. PATTe RSON, C,C.: Contaminated, and; Natural Lead Environments of Man; Arch. Environ. Health 11:34^-60 (1965) Profepslonal*nye bolezni. Moskva 1965 (in Russian) R a PGPORT, I ,A ,: in Vonrosy obshchei promyshlennoi toksikologii. Leningrad 1963 ' Rn^D, C.D, et al: Vitalstoffe 12 (1967) 253 RY/iZAMT0V, V.A.: Sanitarnaya ochrana atmos^ernogo vozducha; Moskva 1954 (ln Russian) quoted frm HG3N, K.: Allgemeine und Kommunale Hygiene, Berlin 1964. RCSSI, A.: Boll. Soc. ital. Biol. Sperimentale 38 (19 6 2) 1006 (in Ital.). -ilso ln Vitalstoffe 11 (1966) 207. Rukovodstvo po gigi?s II, Moskva 1962, p. 67 (in Russian) E LY , H,: Deutsches med. J, 1 (1966; 717 (in German) Su LluiTOVI , D. et a l : Arh. Farm. Beograd. Ij5 (19 6 5) 161 (in Croatian) oPl^.aK, L.I.: Kompensatornaya prlspoblyaemost* pri khronicheskoi intoksi- katsii tetraetll svintsom. Lefiingrad 1964 (in Russian) Vitalstoffe 11 (1966) 243 (in German) Survey on lead In the atmosphere of 3 urban communities. Washington 1965* Pub. Health Service publication No. 999-- ^ - 1 2 , p. 89 SUZUKI et al: Rxperlmental Med. (1958) 111. TELEKY, L,: Gewerbliche Vergiftungen. Berlin/Gttingen/Heidelberg 1955 TARABALVA, G.I.: TR, In-ta kraevoy patologii AN Kazakhskoi SR, t. t f m . Alma-Ata i960 (in Russian) ; TICHQNOV, N.N,: Tr. Kazakhsk. inst, kraev. patol. AMN SSR 1A (19 6 5) UNSELD, D.W.i Klin. WOchenschr. 6 (1958) 328, quoted from Vrednye vesh- chestva II and .. Med. Welt (Stuttgart) 2 (1966) LLL (in German) Vrecnye Veshchestva . v promyshlennosti II, 5th ed., Moskva 1965 (in Russian) VwICHARDT, J. et a l : Internist (Berl.) 8 (1967) l?9(in German) .-.ivKLMANN, R . K , : Proc. Staff Meet. Mayo CLin. 3 ^ (1959) 55 /.j-i'SKY, J, et al.:' J. Amer. Dent. Asn. (1958) 736 ;.in:-2K3, H, et al,: bl. Arbeitsmed. L (195^) 185 (in German) - -iter Bericht cer eidgen. Kommission fUr Lufthygiene. Bull. eidg. ^esundheits-Amt, Beil. B Nr. 3/ 1968. (in German) - -'..'/A, A.S.: Gig. i!S.i1(l957) 2, 12 (in Russian) A 00014 S2