[electric_mayhem]

Good question.

I wonder if the Romans knew they were getting dumber from sweetening their food with lead.

[flyinghamster]

Not just the Romans, but anyone over 50, particularly in urban areas, got dosed with plenty of lead as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraethyllead

[oftenwrong]

Lead does not readily degrade, either. It is still in the soil, the dust, our building, our foods, et cetera. People seem to be generally less exposed in each successive generation, however.

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1570

[JumpCrisscross]

Has anyone plotted the amount of lead in the electorate over time?