Lead poisoning in ancient Rome?

[Angela]

So much for that "fact": the effect of lead on them was less than on us.

Why does this "fact" keep getting repeated when we know it's not true?

See:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314360800_Lead_poisoning_in_ancient_Rome

"Lead was known to the ancients from at least the 4th millennium BC, but its use increased markedly during Roman times, to the extent that it became a health hazard. Mines and foundry furnaces caused air pollution; lead was extensively used in plumbing; domestic utensils were made of lead and pewter, and lead salts were used in cosmetics, medicines and paints. As a microbicide, lead was also used to preserve food. A grape juice concentrate (sapa) commonly used as a sweetener was prepared by preference in lead containers. Although Roman writers commented on the toxicity of lead, classic chronic lead poisoning was first described only in the 7th century AD. Skeletallead content increased significantly in the Roman era, but peaked at a level only 41-47% of that of modern Europeans. The authors thus suggest that chronic lead poisoning did not contribute significantly to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. "

 

[Pax Augusta]

Yes, indeed. Old hypothesis.

 

[Guachelin]

So much for that "fact": the effect of lead on them was less than on us.

Why does this "fact" keep getting repeated when we know it's not true?

See:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314360800_Lead_poisoning_in_ancient_Rome

"Lead was known to the ancients from at least the 4th millennium BC, but its use increased markedly during Roman times, to the extent that it became a health hazard. Mines and foundry furnaces caused air pollution; lead was extensively used in plumbing; domestic utensils were made of lead and pewter, and lead salts were used in cosmetics, medicines and paints. As a microbicide, lead was also used to preserve food. A grape juice concentrate (sapa) commonly used as a sweetener was prepared by preference in lead containers. Although Roman writers commented on the toxicity of lead, classic chronic lead poisoning was first described only in the 7th century AD. Skeletallead content increased significantly in the Roman era, but peaked at a level only 41-47% of that of modern Europeans. The authors thus suggest that chronic lead poisoning did not contribute significantly to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. "

As I recall, Roman lead pipes were naturally calcinated by the water that they delivered and that diminished, if not eliminated the deleterious effect of lead poisoning.

As a side note, the disaster of Sir John Franklins Northwest Passage expedition was most certainly facilitated by the lead used to seal the canned rations, the few skeletal remains retrieved show high levels of lead and lead poisoning.

 

[Tautalus]

Another study on lead poisoning in ancient Rome. Through a study of Artic ice core records they identify lead pollution levels between 500 BCE through 600 CE. The likely source of lead pollution during this period was mining and smelting operations.
Although the pollution levels identified are much lower than the lead pollution of the 1970s, due to use of leaded gasoline, there will have been a significant impact on health and cognitive development among the population of Europe in the Roman era.
They don't say that it was a factor that contributed to the fall of the Empire but they say that the lead pollution likely caused a reduction in IQ levels of at least 2 to 3 points among the European population.

“The study found that atmospheric lead pollution began during the Iron Age and reached a peak during the late 2nd century BCE at the height of the Roman Republic. It then declined sharply during the 1st century BCE, during the crisis of the Roman Republic, before increasing around 15 BCE following the rise of the Roman Empire. Lead pollution remained high until the Antonine Plague from 165 to the 180s CE, which severely affected the Roman Empire... According to the research, more than 500 kilotons of lead were released into the atmosphere during the nearly 200-year height of the Roman Empire.”
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Lead pollution likely caused widespread IQ declines in ancient Rome​

From the Supporting Information : Simulated annual average non-background lead (nbPb) deposition during the Pax Romana
a, Scenario 1 with emissions only from Rio Tinto (mines in Southern Iberia). b, Scenario 2 with emissions equally distributed among known Roman-era silver and lead mining sites.