painter's colic

noun

1. Pathology. lead poisoning causing intense intestinal pain.

painter's colic

noun

1. pathol another name for lead colic

Word History and Origins

Origin of painter's colic¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Word History and Origins

Origin of painter's colic¹

C19: so called because it frequently affected people who worked with lead-based paints or similar substances

Example Sentences

After a lifetime of licking brushes and breathing paint fumes, famous artists such as Michelangelo and Caravaggio developed “painter’s colic” and even “painter’s madness” from lead poisoning.

From Slate

Lead′-glance, lead ore, galena; Lead′-mill, a mill for grinding white-lead: a leaden disc charged with emery for grinding gems; Lead′-pen′cil, a pencil or instrument for drawing, &c., made of blacklead; Lead′-poi′soning, or Plumbism, poisoning by the absorption and diffusion of lead in the system, its commonest form, Lead or Painter's Colic; Leads′man, a seaman who heaves the lead.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

More important still than the insight that Franklin obtained into the Painter's Colic was the insight which he obtained into the salutary effect of the custom which is now almost universal, except in the homes of the ignorant and squalid, of sleeping at night in rooms with the windows up.

From Project Gutenberg

The doctor said it was painter's colic; I said at the time it was disappointed ambition, for the booksellers had looked very coldly on my poetical proposals, and the managers to a man had refused to read my play; but at this present writing I believe the sole cause of my malady to have been Wretchedville.

From Project Gutenberg

Painter's colic is rare now that the hazard of paints containing lead is recognized in industry.

From Time Magazine Archive