Teachers rated the behaviour of 166 children whose blood lead levels had previously been determined. Ratings were made on the Conners Scale, the Rutter Scale B(2), and Needleman's Scale. The results broadly replicated the findings of Needleman et al. (1979) in so far as they indicate a relationship between difficulties in attention and increased blood lead levels over the normal range of blood lead values. 'Hyperactivity' on the Rutter and Conners scales were found to be significantly related to children's blood lead levels, independent of chronological age. Social factors remain uncontrolled in this pilot study.

SUMMARY One‐hundred‐and‐sixty‐six children whose blood lead levels had previously been determined were assessed on a battery of psychometric tests. Blood lead levels ranged from 7 to 33μg/100ml, and the group performed within the average range on all tests of attainment and intelligence. There were significant associations between blood lead levels and attainment scores on tests of reading, spelling and intelligence, but not on mathematics. These differences in performances largely remained after social class was partialled out. Partial correlation and multiple regression analyses suggest that while only a small proportion of the variance in intelligence is explained by blood lead levels, this relationship, is independent of social class. Caution is necessary in interpreting these findings, in view of the crude measure of social factors available. RÉSUMÉ Relation entre la concentration sanguine de plomb, l'intelligence et le niveau de réussite dans une population scolaire: étude pilote Un total de 166 enfants dont les taux sanguins de plomb avaient préalablement été mesurés ont béneficié d'une batterie de tests psychometfiques. Les taux sanguins de plomb variaient entre 7 et 33μg/ml et l'ensemble du groupe se situait dans la moyenne pour tous les tests d'intelligence et de réussite. II a été observé des liens significatifs entre les taux sanguins de plomb et les scores obtenus aux tests de lecture, orthographe et intelligence, mais non de mathématiques. Ces différences de performances persistent largement après correction de l'effet classe sociale. Les corrélations partielles et les analyses de régression multiple suggèrent que si seule une faible proportion de la variance d'intelligence est expliquée par le taux sanguinde plomb, cette relation est indépendantede la classe sociale. Cependant, une prudence d'interprétation est necessaire du fait du caractere grossier de la mesure des facteurs sociaux utilisables. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Relation zwischen Bleikonzentration im Blut, Intelligenz und Schulleistung. Eine Pilot Studie Insgesamt 166 Kinder, deren Blutbleigehalt zuvor bestimmt worden war, wurden einer Reihe von psychometrischen Tests unterzogen. Der Bleigehalt im Blut lag zwischen sieben und 33μg/ 100ml, die Gruppe schnitt bei alien Leistungs‐ und Intelligenztests durch‐schnittlich ab. Es fanden sich signifikante Beziehungen zwischen Blutbleispiegeln und Leistungen bei den Tests für Lesen, Buchstabieren und Intelligenz, nicht aber für Mathematik. Diese Unterschiede blieben weitgehend bestehen, nachdem soziale Einflüsse ausgeschlossen waren. Partialkorrelationen und multiple Regressions‐analysen deuten darauf hin, daß nur ein kleiner Teil der Veränderungen bei der Intelligenz durch Blutbleispiegel erklärt wird, während diese Beziehung vom sozialen Stand unabhängig ist. Da die Beurteilung der sozialen Faktoren nur ungenau sein kann, muß die Interpretation der Befunde zurückhaltend erfolgen. RESUMEN Relación entre la concentración de plomo en sangre, la inteligencia y al adelanto escolar en una población escolar: es...

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SUMMARY Children living near a lead works and children of employees at the works were selected in order to analyse the lead content of their blood as the biological counterpart of a monitoring exercise for lead in the environment. The overall mean for the 262 children in the survey was 0-91 imol/l and results were within the normal reference range of 0.-3 to 1 .8 for all except two children. The results compared favourably with similar areas, and with a survey in the same area in 1972.The mean for the 71 children of employees at the lead works was 1.02 i±mol/l, significantly higher than the mean for the other children in the survey (0 88 jmol/l). No appreciable differences were found in housing or wind direction. The means for all groups were unexceptional, but some of the differences were significant. Younger children had significantly higher blood lead levels than older children, and the group of 26 children with levels of 1 *3 jmol/l or more was doubly weighted with the youngest age group. After careful investigation, no deviations from normal health were found in this group. The weighting of younger children also contributed to the significance of the higher mean found for children living in the central half of the area.

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