Medical Questions » Other Problems Questions » Question No. 761
| Question: | My cousin is very ill with lead poisoning. How can you get lead poisoning? |
| Answer: | Older people who suffer from lead poisoning have probably picked up the lead from old flaking paint that may have stuck to their fingers and is then swallowed. Modern paints do not contain lead, but many old houses still have lead coats of paint buried under more modern finishes, and this can be a trap for restorers. Petrol sold in Australia used to contain lead, and low-grade lead poisoning could occur in people who breathed in large quantities of petrol fumes in their work. Toll collectors and car park attendants are classic cases. Unleaded and lead replacement petrol has overcome this problem.
Some types of alternative fad treatments taken in large quantities can be dangerous, as they may contain lead. Workers in the lead industry (eg. with batteries) are obviously at risk, and some old toys (eg. toy soldiers) were made with lead and can cause trouble to modern youngsters if found in grandfather' s trunk. Only very small amounts of lead can cause problems.
Lead poisoning can be very serious and can lead to a wide range of symptoms and severe organ damage. Treatment is difficult as the lead is hard to shift once ingested. It is becoming an unusual disease due to greater care with this metal.
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