Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Familial lead poisoning from contaminated wine

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three members of a family were found be suffering from lead poisoning of nonindustrial origin, the causative agent being the home-produced wine left to ferment in a glazed earthenware vat. The clinical and neurophysiological features are discussed in the light of similar cases in the literature. Correct diagnosis and early treatment of nonindustrial lead polyneuropathy are often extremely difficult because of the elusive nature of the exposure.

Sommario

Tre componenti di una famiglia hanno sofferto di una intossicazione da piombo di origine industriale da vino prodotto in casa e lasciato fermentare in recipienti di terracotta smaltata. Le caratteristiche cliniche ed elettrofisiologiche dei casi vengono descritti in rapporto con casi analoghi citati dalla letteratura. La diagnosi corretta e il precoce trattamento di queste polineuropatie da piombo non industriale risultano spesso difficili per la natura occasionale dell' azione tossica.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bacon A.B.C., Froome K., Gent A., Cooke T., Sowerby P.:Lead poisoning from drinking soft water. Lancet 1: 262–266, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beattie A.D., Dagg J.H., Goldberg A., Wang J., Ronald J.:Lead poisoning in rural Scotland. Brit. Med. J. 2: 488–491, 1972.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Boothby J.A., Rowland L.P., De Jesus P.V.:Reversible form of motor neuron disease. Lead Neuritis. Arch. Neurol. 31: 18–23, 1974.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Campbell A.M.G.:Calcium versenate in motor neuron disease. Lancet 2: 376–377, 1955.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Campbell A.M.G., Williams E.R., Barltrop D.:Motor neuron disease and exposure to lead. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 33: 877–885, 1970.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Crawford M.D., Morris J.N.:Lead in drinking water. Lancet 2: 1076–1078, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Currier R. D., Haerer A.F.:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and metallic toxins. Arch. Environ. Health 17: 712–719, 1968.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Delwaide P.J., Chantraine A.:Partecipation spinale dans l'intoxication saturnine: Arguments electromyographiques in Procedings of the sixt. International Congress of EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology. American Elsevier Publishing Co. 643–646, 1965.

  9. Dickinson L., Reichert E.L., Ho R.C.S., Rivers J.B., Kominami N.:Lead poisoning in a family due to cocktail glasses. Am. J. Med. 52: 391–394, 1972.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Feldman R.G., Chilsom J.J., Haddow J.:Lead neuropathy in childhood: motor conduction velocity. Neurology 21: 446–447, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Goldberg A.:Drinking water as source of lead pollution. Environm. Health Perspect. 7: 103–112, 1974.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Goodwing T.C.:Lead poisoning: report of a case in a child with extensive peripheral neuritis. Bull. Johns Hopkins Hops. 55: 347–356, 1934.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Harris R.W., Elsea W.R.:Ceramic glaze as a source of lead poisoning. J.A.M.A. 202: 544–546, 1967.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Harvey S.C.:Heavy metals. In Goodman L.S. Gilman. A. (eds):The pharmacological basis of therapeutics IV éd. 938–944, 1976.

  15. Hem J.D., Durun W.H.:Solubility and occurrence of lead in surface water: J. Am. water workers Assoc. 65: 562–568, 1973.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Herter C.A.:Report of a case of lead paralysis with special reference to cytological changes in the nervous system and the distribution of lead. N.Y. Med. J. 61: 665–668, 1895.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Heusgem G., De Grave J.:Importance de l'apport alimentaire en plomb dans l'est de la Belgique. Proc. International Symposium on the Environmental Health Aspects of Lead. Amsterdam p. 85–92. 1972.

  18. Hughes E.D.:The moonshine menace; lead salts poisoning. J. Sth. California Med. Ass. 62: 347–355, 1966.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Klein M., Namer R., Harpur E., Corbin R.:Earthenware containers as a source of fatal lead poisoning. New Engl. J. Med. 283: 669–672, 1970.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Kurlander H.M., Pattern B.M.:Metals in spinal cord tissue of patients dying of motor neuron disease. Ann. Neuronol. 6: 21–24, 1979.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lamm S., Cole B., Glynn K., Ulman W.:Lead content of milks fed to infants 1971–1972. New England J. Med. 289: 574–575, 1973.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Laslett E.E., Warrington W.B.:The morbid anatomy of a case of lead paralysis. Condition of the nerves, muscles, muscle spindles and spinal cord. Brain 21: 224–231, 1898.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Livesly B., Sissons C.E.:Chronic lead intoxication mimicking motor neuronal disease. Br. Med. J. 4: 387–388, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Mitchell D.G., Aldous K.M.:Lead content of foodstuffs. Environm. Hlth. perspect. 7: 59–62, 1974.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Morgan J.M., Hartley M.W., Miller R.E.:Neuropathy in chronic lead poisoning. Arch. Intern. Med. 118: 17–29, 1966.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Palmisano P.A., Sneed R.C., Cassady G.:Untaxed whiskey and fatal lead exposure. J. Pediat. 75: 869–872, 1969.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Philippe etGohard:Contribution a l'étude de l'origine centrale de la paralysie saturnine. Rev. Neurol. 2: 117–118, 1903.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Reed C.D., Tolley J.A.:Lead in drinking water. Lancet 1: 894, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Simpson J.A., Seaton D.A., Adams J.F.:Response to treatment with chelating agents of anemia, chronic encephalopathy and myelopathy due to lead poisoning. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 27: 536–541, 1964.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Steinbock R.T.:Lead ingestion in history. New Engl. J. Med. 301: 277–280, 1979.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Tavolato B., Licandro A.C., Argentiero V.:Lead polyneuropathy of non industrial origin. Eur. Neurol. 19: 273–276, 1980.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Tolan B., Elton G.A.H.:Lead intake from food. Proceedings. International Symposium on the environnmental Health Aspects of Lead. Amsterdam p. 77–84, 1972.

  33. Tomasini M., Chiappino G.:Problemi medico legali e proposito di saturnismo da ingestione di acquavite distillata clandestinamente. Med. Lavoro 64: 268–271, 1973.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Whitehead T.P., Prior A.P.:Lead poisoning from homemade wine. Lancet 2: 1343–1344, 1960.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Whitfield C.L., Ch'Ien L.T., Whitehead J.D.:Lead encephalopathy in adults. Amer. J. Med. 52: 289–298, 1972.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Wilson A.T.:Lead absorption and the health of a community. Practitioner 197: 77–84, 1966.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Wilson A.T.:Lead in drinking-water. Lancet 1: 956–957, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wilson S.A.K.:The amyotrophy of chronic lead poisoning. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis of toxic origin. Rev. Neurol. Psychiatr. 5: 441–445, 1907.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facoltà di Medicina dell' Università di Siena, Siena, Italia

    Rubegni M.

  2. Istituto di Scienze Neurologiche dell' Università di Siena, Siena, Italia

    Loi F., Malentacchi G. M., Paradiso C., Pompella A. & Federico A.

  3. Divisione Geriatrica dell' Ospedale S. Maria della Scala di Siena, Siena, Italia

    Battista G.

Authors
  1. Loi F.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Battista G.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Malentacchi G. M.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paradiso C.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pompella A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Rubegni M.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Federico A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Loi, F., Battista, G., Malentacchi, G.M. et al. Familial lead poisoning from contaminated wine. Ital J Neuro Sci 2, 283–290 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335409

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335409

Key-Words

Search

Navigation