Probably implicate correlation between consumption of those syrups* cooked in lead pots with the disease that we know today as Saturnism or lead poisoning. Like, the Romans themselves already noticed that lead cookware wasn’t exactly healthy.

* callled defrutum, caroenum or sapa depending on concentration. Rather tasty, even without the lead; just cook some young wine to 1/3 of its original volume. I often use it over desserts.