Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

TheCloudFestival t1_jebj2nt wrote

For thousands of years people used lead acetate as artificial sweetener, particularly before the import of sugar crops such as cane and beets to Europe and Western Asia. It was known as 'Sugar of Lead'.

38

HeliusDragon t1_jedr34s wrote

Romans kept their wine in lead pots, when any of the alcohol oxidised into acetic acid, it would react with the lead forming lead acetate, which would make the wine less sour and more sweet due to vinegar forming sweetener

6

DavoTB t1_jebpbgc wrote

Late 60’s TV in the US ran public service commercials regularly about kids eating lead paint. One of the most memorable featured a soulful tune with the lyrics:

”….Paint chips peelin’ from the ceiling…and my baby’s dead…

…Eatin’ paint and plaster, I went and called the doctor…

“Convulsions, lead poisonin’… the ghetto malaria…Why, Lord, why?”

36

goltz20707 t1_jec6vr8 wrote

The PSA I remember (NYC, late 1960s) had an ER doctor trying to talk to a Latina woman, asking whether her child had eaten any paint chips. I can only assume they felt the Latinx community was most at risk.

3

DavoTB t1_jec7h85 wrote

That would be interesting to view…wonder if it is online?

9

goltz20707 t1_jec8pcl wrote

Couldn’t find it on YouTube, though I found a few others.

My wife remembers one (Pittsburgh) with a small Black child in a dirty room, next to a filthy window. Another at-risk group, I assume.

7

QuiGonGingerAle t1_jebhq8u wrote

Squirrels eat the lead flashing around chimneys for the same reason.

19

Eisernteufel t1_jecndsm wrote

True, I bought a house recently built in 1938 and fixed a door, including scraping all the old paint off and repainting. Kept licking my lips and wondering why it was sweet if I just drank black coffee all day. Then I realized isn't lead paint sweet and put a mask on and vacuumed real well.

15

JoshuaACNewman t1_jebsesk wrote

You might know me from previous safety films such as Lead: Delicious, but deadly!

13

BamberGasgroin t1_jec1oyi wrote

And increasing violence and crime rates in the 20th century are associated with lead in fuel (the Lead-Crime Hypothesis) and Thomas Midgely Jr. being regarded as possibly the worst person who ever existed in regard to the Environment.

11

TheLimeyCanuck t1_jed57k5 wrote

Midgely not only invented Ethyl, he also developed CFC refrigerants.

7

BamberGasgroin t1_jeda51s wrote

Hence him being regarded as a one man natural disaster, but he did at least have the good grace to strangle himself with another of his inventions.

9

SuperSprocket t1_jeedhhd wrote

What made him such a bastard is that he knew of the negative effects but did nothing for his own gain. No loss.

1

xDulmitx t1_jecn3zs wrote

If you are ever removing paint from an old house and your lips taste sweet... yeah that's probably lead. DON'T keep removing the paint.

It really does taste pretty good. Sweet, but not saccharine sweet.

8

steepleton t1_jebkq7q wrote

So i grew up in a house with lead pipes.. the water was delicious

7

SpreadingRumors t1_jecqrts wrote

The sweetness of lead is also partly why the Romans refused to / delayed the transition from lead lining the Aqueducts, baths, pipework, etc.

5

TheLimeyCanuck t1_jed4xje wrote

The Romans literally used lead as an additive to improve the taste of cheap wine.

3

Parcc_Narc t1_jecv04u wrote

Lead Paint: Delicious but Deadly

4

Captain__Spiff t1_jebioz4 wrote

I confirm, I did that partly because of the taste.

3

lornstar7 t1_jeblrym wrote

Well that and the cellular turnover rate is much higher in children so you will see larger effects faster for certain symptoms.

3

Transmatrix t1_jecez83 wrote

Charlie: “Yeah, that’s the good paint”

3

The-Crawling-Chaos t1_jed7jxa wrote

It’s not just because it is sweet, but children are more sensitive to lead poisoning than adults due to their bodies more readily absorbing lead.

3

GoGaslightYerself t1_jee10mo wrote

Also (I believe) because kids' brains and CNS are developing as they grow ... heavy metals like lead and mercury are especially bad for neuronal tissue, which is why they're so dangerous for kids and pregnant women.

3

Nazamroth t1_jedg6oy wrote

Yep. The first artificial sweetener, used to enhance wine.

3

_captainSpaceCadet t1_jebw1zi wrote

Also because it's usually only children that are dumb enough to eat paint.

2

bananabreadstick t1_jec10tr wrote

Have you been to a Walmart lately? There has to be at least half of those people who’d do the same given the opportunity

7

PhilReotardos t1_jeedzap wrote

"Doctors say eating lead paint chips is bad for me? Fuck them, they can't tell me what to do."

2

_captainSpaceCadet t1_jec27e8 wrote

That's what the 'usually' is for. You may have a point though, it may be doing some heavy lifting.

1

FiftyTigers t1_jedjiak wrote

"These taste like paint."

"Yeah those are paint, pal."

"These are? They're delicious."

2

btribble t1_jedgwr8 wrote

I used to love the sweet smell of leaded gas exhaust.

1