History and Effects of Lead Poisoning in United States - Term Paper Example

History and effects of lead poisoning in United s School Affiliation: Lead poisoning It is rather both saddening and puzzling that humans have to contend with the ever-present likelihood of contacting new illness. Despite showing unmatched skills in inventing and developing the technology enjoyed worldwide today, sicknesses still pose a challenge to man. Whereas it is factual to state that some diseases have been overcome courtesy of unending tenacity to find a cure, some diseases, sadly are still terrorizing the human race. Worse still, is the manner in which some of these diseases are passed; the methods seem so ludicrous one would be forgiven for ignoring even the mere suggestion. Take for instance, lead poisoning, which in itself is not a disease but cause complications in the body. The ways in which this complication enter into man’s body is rather ironic, to say the least. This paper’s purpose is to highlight some of the effects of this poisoning, and in order to do so, previous cases will be revisited. Background Plumbism is an alternative name used in the reference to lead poisoning but in the end, the effects are not influenced by the name. It refers to a metal-poisoning condition where humans and even vertebrates where the two have excessive metal in their bodies resulting into spreading toxic to some organs of the body and tissues that are vital. Some of the tissues likely to be affected by this disease include the kidneys tissue, the heart and intestines tissues. Normally, this condition is passed on to humans by various media including soil, water, food, contaminated air and products, consumed by the humans. It could, further, passed in the workplace; this has been proved the case in United States where a portion of Americans acquires this condition in the workplace (Hernberg, 2000). Historically, the US has one Alice Hamilton to esteem with high regard for relentless efforts demonstrated especially in the 20th century. While the said person did not necessarily provide an instant, a definite cure, it the efforts and tenacity portrayed that make Hamilton a figure Americans cannot ignore. America was somehow a few steps back compared to other nations of the world. Hamilton challenged the medical practitioners to devote ample time in finding a cure or, at least, a preventive measure (Hernberg, 2000). Effects of Lead poisoning Having offered a summary of this condition, this section seeks to highlight the major effects associated with lead poisoning. In order to do this, to approaches will be used the first one being an analysis of the past cases. Unbeknown to many, Americans were introduced to lead-poisoning some few centuries back. Even though its popularity was in the 19th century, it was reported here way before that. The second section of this paper focuses on the effects of the said condition as reported by reliable sources, especially Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The credibility of this source is unquestionable as this is an institution in the United States tasked with carrying out plans and tests on controlling diseases. Apart from affecting the aforementioned areas of the body, this pernicious condition could potentially harm the nervous system. According to Gilbert and Weiss (2006), this usually occurs because the lead interferes with the nervous system development especially in children. If a child is confirmed to have this condition, it is imperative to seek medical assistance fast because this could be detrimental to their learning as well. Normally, when the lead is excessive in the body it starts to release some toxic, which affects various parts of the body; - as already mentioned- and sadly, one such a part is one responsible for nervous system development. Because some parents may not be familiar with some of the signs, it is important to check if the abdominal pain a child is complaining about is connected to lead-poisoning. In addition, there is a likelihood that a child or even an adult could experience seizures, confusion, anemia and in some cases coma. Other signs may include headache and irritability; it is advisable not overlook any of these signs and instead seeking help from a qualified physician could remedy the situation. It is highly advisable that parents and teachers be keen on the children at home and in school respectively because the signs may have taken long to be evident. In United States, lead’s presence was highly suspected by Benjamin Franklin and by 18th century, it had become apparent that there was lead in US. Sadly, it is widely believed that some people consumed it by partaking cheap drinks laced with the metal. In the recent years, though, the cases in this country have grown rapidly owing to various methods of passage. Some of the recent cases in US have resulted from working sites. Gordon, Taylor and Bennet (2002) carried out a study where interesting results were revealed. Judging from the report, not many people in US take lead-poisoning as seriously as other diseases. For instance, a 40-year old man had complained of abdominal cramps, malaise and some mental impairment. Prior to this report, the person had worked in a building using a blowtorch plus a sander in removing the stuck paint. In the surrounding the workplace, there was another timber with old paint coats where other men were working. While working, the man chose not to wear a respirator even though one was available. During the break, the man – who was a smoker- smoked severally before going back to the same place. Gordon et al. (2002) noted that despite feeling sickly and observing these signs, the man went to work every morning, nevertheless. Upon admission to the hospital, the man’s blood showed close to 100ml of lead meaning this case was a severe one (Gordon et al., 2002). A deeper study reveals that these cases have been in US for some time now and in 1989, some eight workers who worked in Louisiana at a bridge. Upon examination, the Blood-Lead Level (BLL) “ranged between 56 to 146 µg/dl” (CDC, 2014). Moreover, many complained of abdominal cramps, headache, diarrhea and malaise. As stated elsewhere, these are some of the signs that accompany this condition thus the patients were proved suffering from it. Perhaps, one of the reasons it is hard for people to seek medical help is the tendency of this condition not to show severe symptoms until later stages. Gilbert and Weiss (2006) stated that the lead in the body is not detected, as it is mainly dependent on the levels in it. However, the caution taken should be that people ought to keep visiting healthcare centers for measurements. This is in order to prevent an advanced condition, which is life-threatening. Therefore, as much as instant and acute pain may not be witnessed at first, it is appropriate to seek assistance from qualified personnel. A year later, a further 12-man group contracted the same condition while working in a region of Baton Rouge in Louisiana while working- again- in containment structure. When examination was carried out, the lowest BLL was 52 while the highest stood at 102 µg/dl. Most of these workers complained more about joint pains (CDC, 2014). This is no accident as Miller (2012) stated that this condition is also characterized by such complications whereby the patient feels somewhat intense pain. Therefore, while there was no previous mention of this symptom, this part has provided it as an additional effect of lead-poisoning. While it is highly regrettable that this is a severe condition capable of taking lives, the tendency by humans to ignore the symptoms does not help the situation. The worst part is that even though these cases involve adults, there are times children are exposed to lead poisoning with little knowledge of the parents. Whereas the condition has in the US for several decades individuals have not taken actions to reduce it prompting CDC (2013) to seek legislation. The children suffer most because even if they were aware of the effects of lead, the people managing surroundings hardly show concern. Consequently, children and other people are blatantly exposed to one of the conditions, which could potentially have adverse effects on their future. It was earlier noted that excessive lead in the body of a growing child may be a great hindrance to the growth as well causes confusion, which virtually render a child’s future shattered. Before the 1989 and 1990-cases, there were two more preceding them, with at least five workers participating in the demolition of a Massachusetts bridge suffered a similar fate. This time, the BLLs were pretty high with the lowest being 67 while the highest hit the 160 µg/dl mark. All the five demonstrated lead-poisoning symptoms and had to undergo intravenous chelation therapy (CDC, 2014). Whereas in all these cases there no casualty reports, it is vitally important to appreciate the readily available medical assistance. It is highly recommended that whenever one suspects this condition, the wise thing to do is seek medical assistance immediately without speculating the condition (Gilbert & Weiss, 2006). Many times, people tend to double up as patients and doctors. Whenever one feels sick, some conclude it has to be a certain disease after which antibiotics and painkillers are hurriedly purchased oblivious of the lurking danger. The list of lead-poisoning cases in United States is inexhaustible as evidenced by yet another reporting case in 1987 when around 11 workers developed lead-condition. Ironically, this group of workers developed this condition despite wearing respirators. Once the examination was completed, the results showed 52 as the least BLL and 120 as the highest. The one with the highest BLL expressed several vicious symptoms including nausea, weakness, muscle tightness, and lack of appetite. Additionally, the patient reported vomiting as part of the symptoms; another with 105BLL had a severe headache, abdominal upset and tiredness. The healthcare specialists recommended and continued to offer intravenous-chelation to each of these. One ought to realize the diverse of the symptoms and the levels at which they are sometimes reported. Take, for instance, the case where the workers are engaged in the same activity, and the same place but variance is witnessed concerning BLL. This variance is possibly a result of already-existing lead in the body prior to the examination and thus it ought to be understood that levels vary. Normally, the lead keeps increasing until a position where the victim can no longer withstand the effects. At this point, the patient has to seek assistance or else urgently, they could be lost (Miller, 2012). From the above-mentioned cases, one can realize that levels of BLL vary depending on the amount one had before examination. A further conclusion one can draw from these cases is that the activity one is involved in could potentially aid the escalation of this condition. This is highly evidenced by the fact that the work who served in a building as a painter had the situation complicated because of further exposure. Are there lessons worth learning from these view cases? Figure out that the painter did not receive immediate attention after experiencing the acute pain. Sadly, demise would have been inevitable for a condition that does not really need to kill. The sad thing is that Americans – like most humans- tend to ignore signs until it is either already advanced or already too late. It is not that cases of lead-poisoning in US stopped after the 1990 case; actually, the National Institute for Occupational-Safety and Health – a CDC department- carried out an investigation. The aim of this investigation was to understand just how much workers are normally exposed to lead and measures taken. Shockingly, around twelve workers were involved in abrasive blasting and repainting activities without any respirators. The team measured the BLLs of the workers in the first week and results were 5 to 48. A month later, the same workers’ BLLs were measured and reported a 4-to-12 increment. In short, the lowest after one month was 9 and the highest 61 (CDC, 2014). In this site, the investigators discovered that the site was fully compliant with requirements of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Further, there was no sign of running water, hygienic rooms for changing or even coveralls. Normally, there are measures that one can take to prevent or lower the chances of lead-poisoning, but apparently, there is no commitment on either side. For instance, observing cleanness, ensuring ventilation where working happening indoors and covering face are some of the measures. Furthermore, it is recommendable to be cautious of the water one is drinking because it is also an additional way acquire this condition (Fisher, Pain & Thomas, 2006). Other effects and recommendations Whereas many effects have been written about in the preceding section, this part will focus on the effects on the children. It is not enough to offer lead-poisoning symptoms and effects; providing a solution or a remedy would be imperative thus this will be offered here as well. In addition to causing nervous system damage, this condition can destroy the brain of a child according to CDC (2014). As a child grows up the presence of lead in the body may increase depending on a number of factors. These include the exposure to lead that is through consumption of particular foods, exposure to materials where there is a presence of lead. From the above caution by CDC, one can only find ways to ensure that children are no longer exposed to these substances laced with lead. Unfortunately, it is not entirely possible to be lead-free; at some point exposure to lead is inevitable due to its presence in many places. For that reason, CDC set a new BLL threshold stating that ‘5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood’ (p.1) would the acceptable one. This was indeed commendable since ten micrograms were allowed years before this announcement (“American Industrial Hygiene Association”, 2013). This threshold is to be observed for the children between 1 and five years. To reiterate, children’s health is imperative and productive measures - sincere ones- need to be taken to protect them from exposures. All the previously mentioned steps need to be taken by the relevant parents or guardians in guaranteeing safety to the children. Parents have to be more accountable to the children by taking cautious steps on that which is being consumed. Additionally, teachers and other people in the learning centers have a role as well, and it ought not to be neglected. For cases where the two cannot do much, the government’s relevant agencies have to oversee these recommendations. For instance, where a child is exposed to lead poisoning result from an external source- like building- the government machinery have to rise up and enforce since some of them are easy to. Children ought not to be exposed to such places; where anyone caught in contravention of such laws has to face legal repercussions. As a matter of fact, some of these measures are as easy as observing hygiene in the working place; other includes providing clean water and an environment where clean air is circulating. The same way the US government has managed to enforce laws related to child abuse, this one is possible as well. The only necessary step to take is to equip the necessary departments and demand accountability. In cases of playgrounds where soil-, which is one source of lead-, is present, there should be either protective gear in school or the ground to be lead-free. Again, it is also recommendable that parents are made aware of the causes and the subsequent effects of this condition since many may be clueless on the issue. CDC (2012) explains that chronic toxicity- exposure in small quantity for a long time- may not be easily felt, but continuous exposure will lead to its excessiveness in the body. Once this is escalated, the body is unable to function as expected prompting pain in various parts of the body. Normally, the pain is caused by the lead, which is spread all over the body. This is where lead becomes very dangerous because wherever it is spread, dysfunction of organs is inevitable not to mention the pain that accompanies it. For some people, the effects are felt at different times though they may be exposed to lead at the same place. Usually, the effects of chronic toxicity will not manifest immediately as they are consumed in small quantities for an extended period, but the same cannot be said of acute toxicity. This is a term used in reference to the exposure to lead for a short time, but in significant quantities. Suffice to say, irrespective of the period of exposure, lead poisoning is extremely harmful to every creature. When it reaches the bloodstream, this poison usually damages red blood cells hence limiting their capacity to spread oxygen meaning anemia is imminent. Additionally, once it spreads to the bones, the patient feels weak and tired; if it touches on the head it becomes worse as confusion is likely (CDC, 2012). To sum it up, lead-poisoning is a condition everyone ought to dread and take preventive measures. It has the potential to render a person’s life- regardless of the age- less-productive especially because of the essential parts it normally affects. For children, it can cause devastating effects of nervous system breakdown thus making learning impossible. For adults it is no better as it seems to creep in without much attention or effort to prevent it. For both young and adults, the oxygen may not circulate properly meaning blood cells will not function. However, measures can be devised and implemented to mitigate these risks. A covering gear is ideal for both adult and children when working and playing respectively. If there is commitment, there is no probability of this becoming a threat to human; it has been controlled meaning overcoming it is possible too. References American Industrial Hygiene Association (2013). “CDC Lowers Threshold for Lead Poisoning in Children” Retrieved 20 Nov. 2014 CDC (2012). “Advisory Committee On Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (ACCLPP)”. Retrieved 20 Nov. 2014 CDC (2013). “Childhood Lead Poisoning Data, Statistics, and Surveillance”. Retrieved 20 Nov. 2014 CDC (2014). “Request for Assistance in Preventing Lead Poisoning in Construction Workers” Retrieved 20 Nov. 2014 Fisher, I., Pain, D., & Thomas, V. (2006). A review of lead poisoning from ammunition sources in terrestrial birds. Biological Conservation, 131(3), 421-432. Gilbert, S. & Weiss, B. (2006). A rationale for lowering the blood lead action level from 10 to 2 μg/dL. Journal of Environment and Neuro-developmental Disorders. 27 (5) 693–701 Gordon, J. N., Taylor, A., & Bennett, P. N. (2002). Lead poisoning: case studies. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 53(5), 451–458 Hernberg, S. (2000). Lead poisoning in a historical perspective. American Journal Of Industrial Medicine, 38(3), 244-254. Miller, S. (2012). Lead poisoning: the epidemic hitting the US juvenile justice system. International Journal Of Liability And Scientific Enquiry, 5(3/4), 213. Needleman, H. (2004). Lead Poisoning. PubMed, 55(2), 209-222. Read More