[ RadSafe ] Salsman RE: Gardner Sellafield cluster

[J. Marshall Reber]

> I don't have a cite, but hasn't the lead plumbing (the root Latin word 
> is plumbum, isn't it, meaning lead?) in the water supply of ancient 
> Roman been at least partially blamed for that civilization's downfall? 
> Has this been confirmed or deprecated?
>

Not exactly.  The highest doses were injested as lead salts, which are 
sweetish, when rotgut wine (acidic ) was served in lead (probably 
pewter) tankards in order to improve its flavor.