painter's colic

American  

noun

1. Pathology. lead poisoning causing intense intestinal pain.

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painter's colic British  

noun

1. pathol another name for lead colic

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Etymology

Origin of painter's colic

First recorded in 1815–25

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

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

It is often cultivated for the beauty of its flowers; the leaves are considered a valuable cathartic, in moderate doses, especially in the cure of painter's colic; in large doses they are violently emetic.

From Project Gutenberg