Plumbism—People and Pets?

Abstract

To Editor.— Dr. Robert Wilbur takes strong exception (231:485,1975) to finding of Hankin et al that canned pet foods contain considerable amounts of lead and thus present a potential health hazard for human consumption (231:484, 1975). The main bone of contention (no pun intended) appears to stem from citation by Hankin et al of a panel report to US Senate Select Committee on Human Needs that alleges that pet foods are consumed by humans. According to Wilbur, the panel report to Senate Committee was based on a mistaken repetition of a mistaken previous report—repeated in each case without any attempt to check back with supposed source of information. Without any intention of creating a controversy, it seems that Dr. Wilbur's objection is well taken. First, there is a lack of evidence that people are resorting to pet-food diets. Second, extensive records of kennels