Re: Thank You for this alert !!

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright-Jones on February 23, 2005 at 15:40:13:

In reply to: Thank You for this alert !! posted by Deepali on February 23, 2005 at 15:19:17:

Yes, two of those papers have details of high lead levels in children
whose mothers apply kohl to their eyes and umbilical cords right after
birth. They simply do not know .... and there have been tragic results.

The USFDA is presently urged to shut down all import of kohl, due to
insufficient labeling and regulation of ingredients.

Immigrant women keep up their kohl traditions in the US ... and their
children come into US clinics with high lead levels, so the problem is
turning up here, whereas before it was mostly recognized as a problem
in Saudi Arabia. In previous generations, the damage from kohl was
simply masked in high infant mortality rates, and lack of prenatal and
postnatal care.

In the Alexandria, Virginia study of 40 women from immigrant women
with high lead blood levels, 33 were regular kohl users. 12 has used
kohl on their infants and children and believed it to be safe. These
women believed kohl would give their children better vision, and cited
other benefits. However, 57% of them had no idea that the kohls
contained lead, or that it was dangerous. 42.5% of these women had
been to college and 47.5% had a high school education, so this can't
be blamed on rural ignorance!

Kohl lead poisoning has been linked to decreased intelligence,
impaired neurobehavioral development, premature birth and low
birthweight. At high levels, it can cause coma, convulsion and death.
Of the 14 cases of elevated pediatric lead levels in blood in
Alexandria in 1992, 5 were directly attributed to kohl use.

Certainly, not all kohls have high lead content, but some have 53% lead!

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More... Deepali 15:55:39 2/23/2005 (0)

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: Yes, two of those papers have details of high lead levels in children : whose mothers apply kohl to their eyes and umbilical cords right after : birth. They simply do not know .... and there have been tragic results. : : The USFDA is presently urged to shut down all import of kohl, due to : insufficient labeling and regulation of ingredients. : : Immigrant women keep up their kohl traditions in the US ... and their : children come into US clinics with high lead levels, so the problem is : turning up here, whereas before it was mostly recognized as a problem : in Saudi Arabia. In previous generations, the damage from kohl was : simply masked in high infant mortality rates, and lack of prenatal and : postnatal care. : : In the Alexandria, Virginia study of 40 women from immigrant women : with high lead blood levels, 33 were regular kohl users. 12 has used : kohl on their infants and children and believed it to be safe. These : women believed kohl would give their children better vision, and cited : other benefits. However, 57% of them had no idea that the kohls : contained lead, or that it was dangerous. 42.5% of these women had : been to college and 47.5% had a high school education, so this can't : be blamed on rural ignorance! : : Kohl lead poisoning has been linked to decreased intelligence, : impaired neurobehavioral development, premature birth and low : birthweight. At high levels, it can cause coma, convulsion and death. : Of the 14 cases of elevated pediatric lead levels in blood in : Alexandria in 1992, 5 were directly attributed to kohl use. : : Certainly, not all kohls have high lead content, but some have 53% lead!
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