Hair Heavy Metal Contents in Mentally Retarded Children I: In Association with Lead / 예방의학회지

This paper was carried out to study on correlation between mentally retardation and lead and zinc. The subjects were 297 mentally retarded children: 132 of Bomyung special school and Sunmyung, which were located in Taegu city of Korea. The former had their parents but the latter had not. The control group 63 children were randomly seleted from the Dong-in primary school near to Medical School of Kyungpook National University. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, model IL-551 connected with CTF atomizer(IL. 655) was used for the analysis of lead and zinc. The mean value of lead in hair of mentally retarded children was 14.97 3.71ppm which is significantly higher than that of control group, 11.36 2.83ppm. But the content of zinc was not significant in both groups. In the lead there was no significant correlation to age but significant negative correlation to IQ. Zinc showed significant correlation to age but not to IQ. Among the handicapped children, no signigicant correlation between orphan group and non orphan group. Handicaps of mentally-retarded children were speech impairment, emotional disturbance, double and triple handicaps, sensory impairment and abnormal dietary patterns. There were significantly higher contents of lead compared with normal group, except the latter two groups. The disease conditions of mentally retarded children were mongolism, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and microcephaly. In comparing with mongolism, significant difference were existent only on the cerebral palsy and group of unknown etiology. We attempted to divide their past history into external etiology and internal etiology, but could not find significant difference. In view of the whole results, the relationship between mentally-retarded children and lead was presumed to be the early time exposure rather than long interval exposure during growth and the contact opportunity was considered important subject in maternal and child health care.

A Sanitary Survey on the Medicinal Water Springs Located near Taegu City (1986) / 예방의학회지

'Medicinal water' have been used for the treatment of disease and the promotion of health. To study the quality and health effect of 'medicinal water', the eleven springs located near Taegu City during the period of March 27-February 17, 1986 were tested for biological and physiochemical examination and were checked for sanitary environment around the spring. Among them three springs (27.3%) had a good sanitary equipments and only one was negative for biological examination. Three 'medicinal water' were accepted as potable by physicochemical examination. According to above findings, all of the 'medicinal water' sampled from the springs located near Taegu City were not potable by this sanitary survey adopted Drinking Water Standard in Korea. Kachang and Youngchum 'medicinal water' were more contaminated by heavy metals and bacteria than those of other springs. To solve the problem of contamination by heavy metals that originated from uncertain sources, we should search for the sources of water contamination, remove it completely and also support the environmental equipments and management system in protection of safe 'medicinal water' supply.