Glazed Pottery
Glazed Pottery
Dangers of Using Lead-Glazed Pottery
While it is known to us that learning chemistry is both interesting and beneficial, in order to illustrate the importance of progression of chemical knowledge an interesting case history may be cited. David and Susan, a young and healthy couple of California, returned from a trip to Italy. Soon after, Susan became gradually ill, showing flu-like symptoms including nausea and severe muscle pains. Even her personality changed. She became uncharacteristically grumpy. She seemed like a totally different person from the healthy, happy woman. Doctors advised her to rest and drink a lot of fluids especially large quantities of coffee and orange juice, which she preferred to take in a clay mug, purchased from Italy during their recent trip. However, she got sicker, developing extreme abdominal cramps and severe anemia.
In the meantime, David also became ill and started showing symptoms much like Susan's. In fact, the disease became so debilitating that he had to go for voluntary retirement from the air force and Susan's condition became so miserable that she could not tolerate even the weight of a blanket. Amazingly, the doctors attending on them could not find the cause of their illness and fast deteriorating health. They were surprised to note that no medicine ever responded. Lastly, a board of eight doctors started deliberating on the entire case history, but no one could reveal any plausible explanation to the fatal disease. However, one of the doctors stated having read identical symptoms in ‘Porphypra', a rare blood disease.
Desperate and helpless David started searching details of the said disease in the medical literature. One day while he was reading about Porphypra, a phrase jumped of one of the pages "Lead poisoning can sometimes be confused with Porphypra". Overlooking for a moment, his obvious response was to consult his doctor who advised them to get a blood analysis for lead level. They went for such an analysis and the results showed high lead level in blood of both of them.
This confirmed that lead poisoning was the root cause of their trouble and agony but the main problem was still not solved as the source of the ingested lead was not identified. They thought that the probable source was either the fast food that they used to consume routinely or the dishes they used to prepare. Incidentally, they came to learn that lead compounds are often used to give a shiny finish on pottery articles. When they got their favorite Italian pottery mugs that they preferred to use for drinking juice and fluids analyzed, they were shocked to know that lead was present in the glaze of mugs. When they discontinued the use of those mugs and took the prescribed medication, they recovered fully. Thanks to the episode and its consequences, that they started publicizing about the dangers of using lead-glazed pottery.
About the Author
Dr. Badruddin Khan teaches Chemistry in the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. His contact details are: E-mail buk1@rediffmail.com and Phone:+919596220341
 |
 Fabulous Newcomb Pottery Vase 1904 Glazed  US $10,995.00
|
 Natzler California Studio Art Pottery Vase MidCentury Modern Rare Volcanic Glaze US $9,095.00
|
 Antique Drip Glaze Art Pottery Floor Vase Signed C F France Rare Unusual Vase US $8,994.95
|
 Very Rare 1902 Van Briggle Pottery Vase Experimental Glaze Design 21 US $3,295.00
|
 ORIGINAL Antique GEORG JENSEN Denmark Signed Tin Glazed Art Pottery Teapot US $2,850.00
|
 Leach Pottery Glazed Stoneware Pot Vase US $2,200.00
|
 MANKA PORCELAIN CRYSTALLINE GLAZE VASE ARTS CRAFTS MODERN STUDIO POTTERY CERAMIC US $2,000.00
|
 Signed WELLER Big FROG 1896 1924 ARTS CRAFTS Pottery SUBLIME Matte GREEN Glaze US $2,000.00 |
 PAIR OF ANTIQUE CHINESE GLAZED POTTERY DEERS US $2,000.00
|
 WELLER POTTERY BALDIN UMBRELLA STAND RARE GLOSS GLAZE OUTSTANDING US $1,975.00
|
 RARE Unusual Hutchinson SC Made Pottery Alkaline Glaze Coca Cola Related US $1,650.00
|
 Royal Copenhagen amazing art pottery vase solfata glaze US $1,375.00
|
 1907 1912 Van Briggle Pottery Two Handled Vase – Design 521 Camouflage Glaze US $1,295.00
|
 1905 Van Briggle Pottery Vase Design 301 Rare Drip Glaze US $1,295.00
|
 Rookwood vintage art pottery humidor with brown standard glaze wooden lid US $1,248.00
|
 1906 Van Briggle Pottery Two Handled Cup Apple Green Glaze Design 205 US $1,195.00
|
 RARE VINTAGE PETROSCAN MAJOLICA GLAZE OHIO POTTERY BOWL US $1,195.00
|
 High Fired Salt Glazed Air Brushed Acrylic Raku Pottery Tom Krueger Signed US $1,069.19
|
 OLD GLAZED POTTERY VASE W TWO LADIES DOUBLE HEAD FACES HAND MADE SIGNED CPS US $1,050.00
|
 Tom Krueger Signed Vase High Fired Salt Glazed Air Brushed Acrylic Raku Pottery US $980.09
|
 Richard Fairbanks Studio Pottery Tenmoku Glazed Tall Vase Northwest Prieto US $950.00
|
 SIGNED 7 High POTTERY Vase GORGEOUS TENMOKU Ash GLAZE ARTISTS Mark on Bottom US $900.00 |
 BEAUTIFUL WELLER AURELIAN STANDARD GLAZE AMERICAN ART POTTERY 10 VASE US $899.99
|
 JD CRAVEN POTTERY BUTTER CHURN CROCK 4 GALLON SALT GLAZE c18OOs US $899.00
|
 Outstanding 1907 Rookwood Roses Vellum Glaze Pottery Vase by Ed Diers US $1,265.00
|
 ROOKWOOD POTTERY BLACK EYED SUSANS STANDARD GLAZE ROPE HANDLES STUNNING US $895.00
|
