Document 4Dr43rzMeo4jomv2ZEnqbrkp

Jo h n P. C u r r a n , M.D., F-A-A.P. DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF PEOIATRICS Med ic a l Cen ter JERSEY CITY, N. J. 07304 A r e a Codb 201 433-7000 August 15, 1969 - Mr. Francis X. Worden Secretary Industrial Hygiene Section, American Public Health Association Western Electric Corporation 222 Broadway Hew York, Hew York Dear Mr. Worden: For several years I have been troubled by the standards for normal blood levels as published by the Committee on Lead Poisoning and accepted by the Poison Control Program of the Hew Jersey State Department of Health. I am particular ly concerned with 0 .0 6 milligrams per 100 grams whole blood as the upper limit of normal. I have been unable to determine -wiftaffc any description of the age, socioeconomic status and environmental circumstances of the population from which these values were derived. Specifically, I think that the value of 0.06 milligrams may be too high as the upper limit, since it is quite likely that this figure is based on determinations from samples which include large numbers of children from old urban housing areas who have experienced increased exposure to lead. The upper limit of normal can only be established by determining the range of values in children who do not experience such exposure. The sampling should include children from new urban or suburban housing that is known to be free of lead containing paint and plaster. I doubt that such a population has been utilized to obtain the values now in current use. A more recent study suggests a range of 0.015 to O.OHO milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood, with a mean value of 0.017 milligrams. I know nothing about the patient population surveyed.I I suggest that we have significantly divergent values from two different sources, and that the upper limit of normal for blood lead in children cannot be establish ed unless the samples are obtained from children who have not experienced an increased exposure to this metal. Mi*. Francis X. Worden 2 Our last 100 determinations from children aged one to four, from old substandard urban housing, showed a mean of 0.019 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood. I am led to believe that the value of 0.06 milligrams is too high, and that many children with 0.0^ and 0.05 milligrams per 100 milliliters' are in fact experienc ing unusually high and potentially damaging exposure to lead, but are excluded from any program of prevention and treatment. I suggest a more realistic upper limit would be 0.0U milligrams per 100 milliliters. John P. Curran, M.D., F.A.A.P. J P C :sm cc: Herbert Stokinger, Ph.D Mr. E. Lynn Schall 04325 Childhood Lead Poisoning owuiLrthecaimdtieepsno.taisIlnorneiittnasgrddiaestvieaopsnitd,atebimnligincdpnianetshst,haecrhegrhocenhtiitclodskreiodnf antshnheoyTdoTsuhehddleiedisoleacnrAapocosmiuoetdpsteae,irxteoeiadicfdsnatdtbnhhayionosPudttuhshteberietasrlgiipocsseofecdoHqooyrumue. eiarpslIlatlcteethihit.tsieeeAlasysd, stpeprortaaceegrivrateiietdocinoyrutanlatatbihrbnllaeeygt. lhoiinoethgvueesrsfinraotghpm,apltro,Focpepaedlrnieaardntaieldngaasgntteadhnteecoiaehtvhse,aeairwlltahisbtohiduleiratcpydeaesro,qtfmushhaeteoneautlslftduhafnniudndl stitute the following: pthaei1n.tp.Mreasenndcaetoroyf tgersetiantegrofthaalnl gohneettopherocuesnint glefaodr rmema2t.eorvWieadlh. eroer letahde iswdaeltlesctceodv, etrheed pawinitthshsouuiltdabblee sthive3e.algeAaepsdpocrfoopnornteieantteanomdf aafslilsveguhyreeinattreos. ctehsitlidnrgenfobretewxeceesn low4.-uPproomf apltl dtreetaetcmteedntcaasensd. comprehensive fol fTP & 4326