[Sca-cooks] Metal Poisoning from the fork - i.e. acqueduct

[Aruvqan]

On 5/12/2014 7:30 PM, Susan Lord Williams wrote:
> I know nothing about the construction of aqueducts but today water is drunk from that of Segovia which still functions. I think that is proof enough that lead poisoning it not a factor in Segovia aqueduct.
> Again we are back to square one? What lead poisoned the Romans?
>
> Aruvqan wrote:
>
>> >  . . . lead poisoning from the aqueducts is not probable,
>> >aqueducts were wood, cement, stone and various forms of tile and mortar,
>> >the lead piping from the bronze joints to the houses and fountains on
>> >the other hand would be a consideration.
The lead salts flavoring wine, primarily. Also lead was used in facial 
makeup, and smaller pipes leading to houses as well as solder in the 
joints of other metal objects. Well also in the glaze of dishes - reds 
are a fairly common color to contain lead and cheaper clay was colored 
with lead to make the more coveted redware shipped in from parts of Gaul.

Keep in mind that wine was drunk morning, noon and night - while watered 
down, it was also flavored with lead salts and various spices and herbs. 
Where we might go through 3  quarts of water and tea/coffee/soda, they 
would drink 3 quarts of water and wine every day - and that could be 
flavored with a fair amount of lead salts to cover cheap or bad wine 
flavors. Combine that with storing cooked food in dishes glazed with a 
lead glaze, cooking in a pot soldered with lead and so forth, it all 
adds up to a hell of a lot of lead.

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