NOTE ON L E A D POISONING BY CARBONATED BEVERAGES.
BY DURANDWOODMAN. I n the Summer months of last year (1888) there was an unusual number of cases of lead poisoning i n the hospitals of Newark, N. J., the greater part of which were unaccountable, so far as occupation of those suffering was concerned. I n several cases suspicion was strongly directed to bottled beer, soda water and other bottled carbonated beverages, and attention was particularly directed to the patent combination rubber and metal stopper, consisting of a rubber washer held in place by a metal disc. Qualitative examination proved this disc to be an alloy of lead and tin. Evidences of corrosion were also visible, a gray crust of greater or less depth, according to length of time the stopper had been in use, indicating aclion of the carbonated liquid on the alloy. Analysis of the alloy gave Lead ---------------4G.O Tin . - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - . - - - - - - . - 5 3 . 2
99.2
which corresponds closely with the composition of common solder. Dr. Herold, of Newark, in a report to the Board of Health, stated that he found two grades of stoppers, one containing lead, 42.4 per cent., practically corresponding to the above analysis, and another containing 83.6 per cent lead, corresponding to corntiion pewter. I n unconcentrated samples of sarsaparilla beer, ginger ale and soda water, when not too highly colored, hydrogen sulphide produced a reaction varying from a mere darkening of the fluid to a distinct precipitate. The quantities of lead, and in some cases also, of tin, were determined in several samples by evaporating igniting to ash, treating with nitric acid and evaporating, to insure conversion of tin to oxide, then taking u p by dilute hydrochloric acid, precipi-
100
NOTE ON L E A D POISOSIXG. ETC.
tating by hydrogen sulphide and determining as sulphate i n the u su a1 manner. The rpantities found are given in the foliowing tabular stateniciit __--__ __---___-___-___ ____ --____-___ LEAD so
-
_..
1
GRAIXSPBI~
GALION
Lead.
Tin. I _
437 438 $d9 440 442
I h c last sample, Xo. 442, wits a mixture of several different brunds. nnd the bottles ivere kept a week l j i n p on their sides before opetiiilig them. It w i l l be observed th:it more tin hits been dissolved than leiid. l'roust I S uatliority for t h e stittenxiit that from an alloy of lead 7 5 , tiii 2 5 . vineg:ir diseolvcs tin olily. (Watts III., 535.) A small amount of copper, riot determined, was also foxiid i n No. 442, probably from sonic vessel or l)ipc ;at the bottling establishments. I J considering ~ tliese figures, it is to be taken into accouiit tlii~t ordiiiary bottled sod:i watcr is flavored with lemon, perhaps reinforced by citric acicl, which would be another fwtor i n the solvent action dne to the carbonated liquid. In experiments made with carbonated water alone. Dr. Herold rcportcd finding 0 . 5 2 grain of l e d per gallon after only two clays' contact with the stoppers, under the same conditions of pressure. Of a nnmber of samples recently examinoil from bottles closed by ordinary corks, several have responded sllghtly to hydrogen sulphide, indicating, as above meritionecl, that it part of the dissolved metals has its source iii t h e vessels and transfer pipes a t the bottling establishment, T h e general result of t h e atteiition called to the subject has been, however, a marked improvement, due to thc snbstitutiou of ordinary corks and rubber stoppers by the leading manufacturers. , I
