ReadyToHuman posted:

The Romans were acutely aware and understanding of lead poison to the point that Galen I think it was gave comprehensive and very accurate descriptions of lead poisoning in foundry-workers explicitly attributed to galena ore smelting, that repeated appeals for the abandonment of lead piping for water delivery in favour of clay pipe are recorded, that warnings were given against unscrupulous cauldron manufacturers lining the copper kettles for boiling must down into defrutum with lead instead of the proper non-toxic tin, and that merchants selling wine sweetened with white lead were constantly lambasted in public as scum for peddling poison.