Handel exhibition suggests his poison was the lead in his wine

I spotted an interesting article in the Guardian last week, reporting on a theory that the composer Handel suffered from lead poisoning


Lead acetate used to be used to sweeten wine and this is suggested as the source of lead exposure for the composer. I've even heard it suggested that the fall of the Roman empire could be attributed to the same reason as they, apparently, were very fond of sweet wine and used to add lead acetate to it. There is a useful summary of the history of lead exposure here on the USEPA website

Lead and its compounds are highly toxic. The main concerns are its chronic effects (due to long term exposure) particularly as it is accumulates in the body, remaining there for a long time after exposure.

Its principle effects include

• anaemia,
  
• irritability, tiredness,
  
• effects on the nervous system leading to muscle weakness and, in extreme case, paralysis,
• kidney and liver damage
• gastrointestinal disturbances
• effects on IQ, particularly in children
• It is a teratogen, that is it can affect the unborn child when the mother is exposed, leading to spontaneous abortion, still birth or decreased birth weight,
  
• fertility problems in males
  

Inorganic lead compounds are are also classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by
the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

For a thorough summary of its effects see the document Information on lead from the UK Health Protection Agency

Exposure to lead in the developed world has fallen dramatically due to increased awareness, stringent legislation in the workplace (such as the Control of Lead at Work Regulations in the UK), environmental regulation and the reduction of lead in products to which the general public could be exposed. The banning of lead in petrol being a particularly important measure. Consequently cases of lead poisoning are relatively rare.

However, it is likely that lead exposure is increasing in the developing world as lead and its compounds are still widely used in manufacturing and with the rapid growth of industry in India, China and other countries it is likely that the exposure of workers and the general public will increase. Control measures to reduce the exposure of workers and minimise emissions to the environmental are likely to be considerably less stringent in newly developing countries than in the developed world. A report by the World Health Organisation discusses these issues and concludes that:

"Public health measures should continue to be directed to the reduction and prevention of exposure to lead by reducing the use of the metal and its compounds and by minimizing lead-containing emissions that result in human exposures."