During 1956 and 1957 all children under the care of the child health stations of the Department of Health in New York City, who manifested pica, were examined for symptoms and signs of lead poisoning. A blood specimen was taken and tested for lead content; if the concentration of lead was 0.06 mg/100 ml or higher, the child was referred to a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Among 194 children with pica, there were 28 cases and 20 probable cases of lead poisoning. The follow-up of children with pica is a good case-finding method for lead poisoning.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.