Document 1y143gQz270dOZG9wO8JJYjZZ

1515 Locust Street, Philadelphia 2, ?a. FROM 3. F. Moore AT Philadelphia V. M. McEldovney-GTR TO AT Pittsburgh ALLEGED LEAD POISOBXHG CASES EQEFOLK. 7A TEBMIHAL_____ SUBJECT PIPE FITTER MaV IB, 19W IN REPLY CP3:ES REFER TO 5/29M He the above casts, ve are very glad to report that __ condition has takes a turn for the better mad he is new believed to be out of danger. This mesrning, Dr. Truman ft. Schnabel, who is looking after the case while he is confined to the Philadelphia General Hospital, stated that while Walker was still a very sick nan he has aade progress towards recovery and when considering that a few days ego he was so dangerously ill, everyone seems hopeful that he will survive although he will, no doubt, have several more weeks of convalescence* Unfortunately, we have not been able to secure the analysis of the blood samples to definitely determine if tfcer^jL^any lead contamination partially responsible for his illness. When^m^Bvas visited last Friday, he consented ca the excessive amount of silk he was required to drink end evi dently they are giving the employee a high calcium diet, although we have not been able to have this confirmed by a doctor^^There ere a number of doctors involved in this affair for the reason that jHHHis, as you know, in the Fever Ward of the Philadelphia General HospitaT^mich is strictly a charitable institution, and it is very difficult to get any information on his condition other then through Dr. Schnabel whom we have contacted several times or Dr. House, Jr., the Travelers Insurance Company's doctor. However, Dr. Early, an interne in the hospital, is the one who has been follcwin^BHHBl case very closely, working along with Dr. John J. Helnhold in charge of the Chemical Laboratory and who was supposed to have taken the blood samples and arranged for the lead analysis, which, as previously stated, have not been made avail able to us. ibis morning, in conversation with Dr. Reinhold, ve were Informed that due to the fajet the hospital is very much understaffed, he has been unable to have the blood analysis completed end said that we would probably receive the analysis from Dr. Robert A. Kehoe first, as he was arranging to send Dr. Kehoe blood samples today. We have explained to Dr. Reinhold our reason for anxiety In the case, particularly so since there may be other employees involved. This was with out avail and they will not make an exception in^BBWfcease end the blood analysis will be taken in the routine order. Of course, olnce^HJfl|M^ ccn- . diticn has shown Such improvement, it is difficult to press the sTtucSTon further. K E 002124; V. M. McEldcwney-GTR -2- 5/29M Er. George Bouse, Jr. Is quite elated over ^0HHk present con dition and stated that he felt ve -were given a "false elsra'' insofar as lead poisoning is concerned, as condition would seem tohe chiefly Pneumonia with a possible heart ailaemt^raica incidentally. Dr. Schnabel confirmed via telephone with the -writer this morning. 17 did not feel from the beginning that the employee had lead poison ing but havin^^d the exposure and his family physician, Dr. D. S. Seller, informing vife that she should contact his employer naturally made us somewhat concerned. Dr. Seller later stated that the employee showed symptons of LS/iB-SKCEPHALOPATHY and that was the reason he had had him transferred to the Philadelphia General Hospital for treatment. If he did have such symptoms, they have cleared up very rapidly, as Ms mind is clear and apparently normal. At the present time there is nothing further that wo can do in the case and when you receive the analysis of the blood samples from Sr. Kehoe, we wish you would advise us because in the event the analysis does not shew any lead content, then we do not believe it advisable to go ahead with the examina tion of the other employees in the Dank Cleaning Crew, as of course, our previous recesmaendation was on the assumption that Walker had acquired lead poisoning asm if he had, felt that it would be advisable to protect the other employees by staking sure nothing bad gems wrong. 13. P. MOORE Dr Robert A Kehoe, College of Medicine Eden Avenue, Cincinnati Ohio X 0021242