The rich early Americans used plates made from pewter that had lead in it. Most of them were sickly from it. The poor Americans couldn't afford pewter so they used plates made of other materials so they were healthier. Tomatoes were called the devil's fruit because the acid in them made the lead dissolve faster and people got sick from it.
that's terrible we have to learn this way.
the romans used lead in their cookware for bowls and utensils, sweeteners for wine and goes on.
try to imagine the idea of scraping the bottom of a lead bowl with a lead spoon, put it in their mouth then eat it.
people were sick way back from poisons, bad water, bad living conditions.
it wasn't until Joseph lister in @1865 who discovered antiseptics and cleaner conditions.
during the civil war field doctors wiped the blade off on a towel then proceeded to amputate another limb from a
mamed soldier without washing up or any idea what they were doing.
soldiers died more from infections than the injury itself...it got infected..
going to a doctor back then was worse.....doctors didn't wash their hands or clean anything.
a lot of people died.