Carol Angle

Carol Angle

Carol Angle(1927-Present) worked to change the the belief that lead did not have an effect on the human bodies of those being exposed to large amounts of lead. These forms included the air, soil and particles in living areas. Carol Angle changed the view of lead for some, but not all through her research that began in 1960. Carol Angle is a medical doctor who changed the way that medicine and public health looked at the impacts of lead in Omaha. Dr.Angle worked at Unviersity of Nebraska, Medical Center and has connections to Creighton University. She gained an interest in lead when she looked into what was happening at the ASARCO plant along the Missouri River. Through her expereince with the ASARCO plant, her research into peadticris and lead began. She has done multiple different studies about the effect of lead on children in different stages of their lives. Dr. Angle was the beginnig of the research and hopeful prevention of lead in Omaha.

Dr. Angles first article published about lead was published in 1964. The article named, “Lead Poisoning During Pregnancy. Fetal Tolerance of Calcium Disodium Edetate.” This was the beginning of the research and information that came from lead. Before Dr. Angle began her research there was little to no knowledge about the impact of lead on humans, but more importantly children. Carol Angle brought to light that there had not been much research of how lead fumes effected pregnant women (Angle 1964). Past research that Angle mentions shows the detrimental effects of lead on pregnant women bringing to the forefront that lead is dangerous. The research done has said that lead poisoning causes many problems with pregnancy such as sterility, abortions and high fetal and neonatal loss (Angle 1964). This idea of fetal death showed that lead was doing much worse damage than most people had originally believed. This research of fetal death lead to the idea of looking at the effects on children which brought up even more detrimental effects.

One of Angles most famous articles in relation to lead is called, “Increased erythrocyte protoporphyrins and blood lead—a pilot study of childhood growth patterns." This article comes from the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. This study shows children with high lead levels also had significantly heavier than others because of caloric intake and hand to mouth behavior. (Angle 1989). This shows the children are not purposefully put into harmful situations involving lead, they are greatly exposed because of what they put in their mouths. Lead is common in certain kinds of paint so when children put their hands in their mouths, they can have pieces of lead or dust from lead. There are multiple exposures that kids face at the age of 9 months to two years because of the innocence of putting things in their mouths.

Carol Angle started the conversation and research regarding lead and the detrimental effects it has on kids in society. Carol Angle pushed ASARCO and other lead smelting places to realize what they are doing to the environment and to the children. Dr. Angle is one the main reasons that lead poisoning and blood levels are tested in Omaha, if it were not for her research the effect of lead in Omaha would have caused many more problems. Dr. Angle started a big public health movement that the city of Omaha is still feeling today.


Angle, C. R. (1964). Lead Poisoning During Pregnancy. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 108(4), 436. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1964.02090010438016

Angle, C. R., & Kuntzelman, D. R. (1989). Increased erythrocyte protoporphyrins and blood lead—a pilot study of childhood growth patterns. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 26(2), 149–156. doi: 10.1080/15287398909531241

Marcia Angle

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27 July 2012

Meghan Thornton
David McGuire