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9
The Brewery Company's first analytical report was in their
hands on the Sunday afternoon, July 16th. Mr. Chapman realising
that the matter was so serious to the Company, he personally
visited the Brewery the same afternoon to investigate further.
He was able then by rubbing a solution of a sulphide on the
enamel of the tanks to get a "lead reaction." The Brewery
Company immediately got into touch with all their houses where
these tanks were installed and stopped any further sales that
evening.
I advised the immediate and ostentatious removal of the tanks
and on the 17th July, the following day, the Company commenced
to remove them and by the evening of the 19th every single
porcelain lined vessel had been removed.
I satisfied myself on the morning of the 17th that the tanks
were out of use, the Brewery having supplied all the houses with
beer in casks.
In the light of my circular letter, notifications of cases began
to arrive in increasing numbers, some of them fairly severe, and
at the time of this report 93 definite cases have been notified.
The Brewery Company were anxious to compensate any sufferers
and have not only asked for all names of definite cases, but have
authorised the provision of any Specialist services or treatment
should any case require it.
Early in the investigation, I consulted the Chief Chemist of
one of the biggest Brewery firms in the country, as to the
possibility of lead being found, and the idea was regarded as
impossible. The only possible source of metallic contamination
that was suggested was an infinitesimal amount of copper from
the brewing vats.
I could find no evidence of any previous outbreak of Lead
Poisoning arising on a wide scale from beer, and in an interview
with Mr. Chapman, the President of the Institute of Chemists, he
was uuable to recall in the 30 years that he had been connected
with the industry of fermentation, any case where lead had been
found in beer other than the well-known but rare cause, arising
from the lead pipes previously in universal use.