Colic epidemics

Mel B is less toxic than tryparsamide. However, its use may be associated with renal and myocardial damage, albuminuria, hypertension and colic. Other side effects of the drug are jaundice, diarrhea and conjunctival infections [9,12]. About 1% of the treated patients may develop encephalopathy [37]. The drug is also known to cause headache, tremor, fever, convulsion, coma and death. It is contraindicated during epidemics of influenza and G-6-PD deficiency [36,38]. 

With the growth of the Byzantine empire and the transfer of power to the east, Constantinople became the centre of medical knowledge in Europe. The early Byzantine authors tended to paraphrase their Roman predecessors and Oribasius (325-403 AD) and Aetius (early sixth century) both quote many of the Greek and Roman writers. The greatest Byzantine physician is Paul of Aegina (626-690 AD). His report of an epidemic of colic terminating in paralysis is the earliest known description of the clinical picture of lead poisoning (De Re Medica, iii translation of Adams, 1864-1867). He also had a novel use for lead - a plate of lead worn upon the loins restrains libidinous dreams . 

Huxham, J. De morbo colico Damnoniensi. London S. Austen (1739). Also Observations on the Air and Epidemic Diseases with a Short Dissertation on the Devonshire Colic. London Henton (1759). See Major, R. H. (1965)... 

Outbreaks of lead poisoning reaching epidemic proportions have been described occurring in medieval times. One such outbreak in seventeenth-century France became known as the Poitiers colic. In England the Devonshire colic was attributed by Sir George Baker in 1767 to contamination through the use of lead presses to crush cider apples. Baker was able to confirm the presence of lead in cider, but was roundly condemned by Devonshire folk for bringing their much-prized local product into disrepute. 

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