Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 918

JOHN FOTHERGILL (1712-1780) Observations on Disorders to which Painters in Water Colours are exposed. (In Medical observations and inquiries. Vol. 5, (1776), pp. 394-405.) 20.8 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 914

The symptoms of Colica pictonum were first clearly described by François Citois (1572-1625) in 1616 but it was not until 1767 that Baker (see No. 819) proved that it resulted from lead poisoning. It was only a few years later in 1774, that Fothergill presented this paper on artists who exhibited symptoms of lead poisoning. He discovered that they continually wet the tips of their brushes or pencils between their lips and inadvertently swallowed portions of the metallic-based pigments which included lead, copper, and arsenic. He also mentioned cases of children who had been similarly stricken by sucking or licking toys prepared with lead-based paint. He accurately described the three key symptoms of the malady--constipation, severe colic, and feebleness of the hands. His paper was published as a book at London in 1778 and was issued in a German edition at Vienna in 1810. Altogether, this volume of Medical observations and inquiries contains ten papers authored by Fothergill plus several others communicated to the journal by him on behalf of other individuals. His other papers included two on botanical subjects and hydrophobia as well as individual papers on menstruation, and consumption. The volume also contains important contributions by Dobson on diabetic urine (see No. 1017), William Hunter on retroversion of the uterus (see No. 946), and Thomas Percival (see No. 1037).

See Related Record(s): 819 1017 946 1037

Gift of John Martin, M.D.