mailtoandrew@FSMAIL.NET on thu 6 may 04
Dear All,
Of relevance to the ongoing debate on leaching, food safety, testing is a
letter in the current edition of Ceramic Review, issue 207. It notes a
recent case in Sweden of someone suffering lead poisoining, which required
hospital treatment, after using an earthenware jug.
After many years on knowledge bad glazes evidently are still being used.
It is not an issue that can be ignored.
Regards,
Andrew
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on thu 6 may 04
Hi Andrew, all,
I am curious...for sake of understanding...
What does the phrase 'using an Earthenware Jug' mean in this
context?
Used how? for what? for how long? had what in it? did what
with what was in it?
For all I know, he was drinking some dilute solution of Lead
Acetate or something as he put into the 'Jug'.That the Jug
had or is said to have a 'lead-glaze' tells me little of the
circumstance, nor of the original intended uses of the Jug.
I am not satisfied I know quite where the line is, for
something being 'dangerous'...
Is it 'in' the 'thing' itself? Or is it in the wit of the
user?
It is concluded, it seems, that since the users of things
have no wit, that we accept by elimination, that the danger
must allways be in the thing...this as a general trend with
about everything.
I do not trust that 'line' of reasoning being too
obligatory...I think it is...'dangerous'...
But, somewhere inbetween...somewhow, seems where I want to
understand.
Phil
lasvegas
----- Original Message -----
From:
> Dear All,
>
> Of relevance to the ongoing debate on leaching, food
safety, testing is a
> letter in the current edition of Ceramic Review, issue
207. It notes a
> recent case in Sweden of someone suffering lead
poisoining, which required
> hospital treatment, after using an earthenware jug.
>
> After many years on knowledge bad glazes evidently are
still being used.
>
> It is not an issue that can be ignored.
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Andrew
mailtoandrew@FSMAIL.NET on mon 10 may 04
Hello Phil,
The letter in Ceramic Review is very brief as the author was seeking
background information following the recent case.
The reason for my original post was to highlight that despite suggestions
from some ClayArters this is a very real issue, which despite of over one
hundred years of concern some still deny!
To quote Cullen Parmelee ... improperly constituted glazes may be
dangerously susceptible to attack and solution by fruit juices and other
foodstuffs... As this was written in 1948 it considerably predates the
concept of political correctness, which has rather bizarrely be levied at
the subject.
I am puzzled why some have not only refused to acknowledge that dangers do
exist but also criticise those who wish to discuss it, and hopefully
learn.
As for where the line is for something being dangerous there are
recognised limits. The one Im most familiar with is British Standard
No.BS4860 Permissible Limits of Metal Release from Glazed Ceramic Ware.
This was published in 1972, and over 30 years ago!
I think your comment about users of things having no wit is largely valid.
However both morally and legally makers have responsibilities.
Regards,
Andrew
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on mon 10 may 04
Hi Andrew,
Certainly, many kind souls thoughout the last half-a-dozen
decades, if not more, have spoken out to increase awareness
of the
liabilities, or dangers, variously, in 'Glazes' certainly,
and in other erstwhile sundry and not-so-sundry things as
well.
Governments too have taken interests in matters of public
safety, or, they have in their own manner of doing so.
There is almost no end to it, so far as the multitude of
things as may poison one in some way...or to some degree.
Years ago when I was first a Book Cataloguer, I was working
a Private Library, whose fixtures and oddments were all from
the Edwardian times. And the Water Cooler was a large-ish
(Earthenware I suppose) three or four gallon or so Crock on
an elaborate skelatenized Iron stand, with a spun Aluminum
lid as had a litle ebonized wooden knob at it's top, and a
sweet little Nickle plated press-button Spigot...and whose
pale softe-white glaze, emblazoned with wonderful blue
stencilled banners and text and central vignette-drawings of
bicepted-arms flexed with little lightening bolts and 'rays'
issueing, advised the curious as to it's 'Radium' Glaze ( I
think it was) ..."For Health and Vitality" it said...
Anyway, when we filled it with Lemonaide for them warmer
Season's refreshments...it did have an odd twang to it...
Hell...I thought it was charming...!
Some 'wit' huh...? (Ell - oh - elling, as they say...)
...sigh...
Still, beats the living hell out of the old 'A.E.C.' and all
their ancillaries and successors anyday...whose 'charms'
were and remain conspicuous by their entire, utter and
thorough absence...or that they ever thought well enough of
themselves even to have some charming 'stencil'...
...sigh again...
As someone who pays 'taxes' (which one might suspect imply
consent or approval?) I do not know how I may ( without
making a full time 'career' out of it, or even then,) excert
any meaningful influence in matters of responsibility of the
'maker' say, when it comes to the matters of our nuclear
legacy, biogenetic 'corn' modifications, 'chemtrails',
general food supply contaminents and unhappy stow-a-way
organisms as the usda and the fda and so on are a might
complaiscent about... and, many other things...
But as a sometimes ( and someday maybe more than
'sometimes') Potter, I should be happy to do my best to set
a good example.
Even if 'nafta' sez sunny old Mex-hee-co need not BUT use
lots of 'Lead' glazes, seeing as they love us so much and
all, and like to show it in deeds with all them cheery
little bright bowls and saucers and so on. Even if too we
sometimes ( as in too seldom) get to hear some minor
'scandal' about things like 'rebar' comeing 'here' from
'there' as is radioactive from being remade outta 'scrap' as
was a mite 'hot'...even as...well...I could go on...(and
'on'...)
But ultimately, somewhere in the middle would be
ideal...where regular folks might know in general ways, the
basic cautions as respect Glazes generally, as well, as we
may, the rest of Life's confusions, shell-games,
disingenuousness, and naivete, as well...
Lord knows, I have been the poster-boy of naive, plenty of
times! - in all kinds of ways, and I ain't near done yet,
either...with 'that'...
Best wishes,
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From:
> Hello Phil,
>
> The letter in Ceramic Review is very brief as the author
was seeking
> background information following the recent case.
>
> The reason for my original post was to highlight that
despite suggestions
> from some ClayArters this is a very real issue, which
despite of over one
> hundred years of concern some still deny!
>
> To quote Cullen Parmelee ... improperly constituted glazes
may be
> dangerously susceptible to attack and solution by fruit
juices and other
> foodstuffs... As this was written in 1948 it considerably
predates the
> concept of political correctness, which has rather
bizarrely be levied at
> the subject.
>
> I am puzzled why some have not only refused to acknowledge
that dangers do
> exist but also criticise those who wish to discuss it, and
hopefully
> learn.
>
> As for where the line is for something being dangerous
there are
> recognised limits. The one Im most familiar with is
British Standard
> No.BS4860 Permissible Limits of Metal Release from Glazed
Ceramic Ware.
> This was published in 1972, and over 30 years ago!
>
> I think your comment about users of things having no wit
is largely valid.
> However both morally and legally makers have
responsibilities.
>
> Regards,
>
> Andrew
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