vintage computers and lead poisoning?

From: Kevin Handy <kth_at_srv.net>
Date: Sat Jun 5 19:04:30 2004

Teo Zenios wrote:

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "ben franchuk" <bfranchuk_at_jetnet.ab.ca>
>To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
><cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
>Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 5:50 PM
>Subject: Re: vintage computers and lead poisoning?
>
>
>
>
>>Don Maslin wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Well, there is a very good chance that most were well supplied.
>>>Remember that in that era the water piping was lead also!
>>>
>>>
>>But until the Romans driking wine was safer than drinking the water for
>>the most part.
>>
>>
>>
>>>- don
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>Was beer the drink of the ages? I think the alcohol content of fermented
>drinks made them cleaner then any other source of liquid. Lead takes a
>while to accumulate in your system, and only the wealthy had plumbing.
>Considering how young people died back in the roman times and earlier lead
>in their water didn't matter.
>
>
>
One factor reducing the lead problems for the Romans was the fact that
calcium deposits would form in the pipes, protecting the water from the
lead.

But then there was the Roman "artificial sweetener" (powdered lead).
Received on Sat Jun 05 2004 - 19:04:30 BST