Document 4JQENkB6MEarRbpZYKoy6R2Kx

/I THE ASSOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED 20 BERKELEY SQUARE, LONDON, W. I TELEPHONE: GROSVENOR 6030 t e l e x NO. 25107 CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Ellesmere Port TELEGRAMS: OCTEL. LONDON. TELEX CABLES: OCTEL. LONDON OUR REF. yo ur r ef . 23rd August,I960 Dr. R.A. Kehoe, The Kettering Laboratory, University of Cincinnati, Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dear Dr. Kehoe, For 3/our information I enclose copies of recent correspondence we have had from Dr. Drummond in South Africa, together with a copy of my reply. I was speaking to Miss Cremer on the telephone the other day who, as you know, is a member of Dr. Barnes' Medical Research Council Unit at Carshalton, and she tells me that arrangements have been made for some animal inhalation work to be undertaken at the Porton Experimental Laboratories during the coxirse of the next month. She promised to let me have results of this work and. as soon as I have this available I will pass the information on to you. I mentioned to her that you were coming to London in October for a series of talks at the Royal Institute of Hygiene and she indicated that she would be most interested S in coming to hear you. I know she will be very pleased if you were able to extend an invitation to her. With kind regards to yourself and Mrs.Kehoe. Yours sincerely, enc: PSIB/pr P.S.I. 0008253 N9648 COPY CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Ellesmere Port. 23rd August, I960 Dr. J. Kelraan Drummond, 36, Norfolk Road, DURBAN. Dear Dr. Drummond, Thank you very much for your letter of the 8th August enclosing the reply which you have had from The Acting Secretary of Health of the Government. My understanding of this is that while no action is required by the Department of Health, there may be certain requirements of the Departments of Commerce and Industries and of Labour in connection with the introduction of Tetramethyl Lead in petrol. You will appreciate that our position in this matter, as purveyors to the Oil Industry of lead alkyl anti-knock compounds, is that we have undertaken to inform the appropriate Government authorities in each territory in which we trade of the available information on the nature and commercial use of tetramethyl lead before a particular Oil Company may see fit to use it. e cannot undertake to give notification of its actual use nor can we effectively impose restrictive conditions as part of our terms of sale in order to meet Government requirements. Furthermore, we would strongly deprecate any advertising campaign to support the introduction of tetramethyl lead as a component of gasoline which savoured of sales promotion. As indicated above, our object is to inform, in the hope that on the evidence produced Government Departments will be satisfied that present regulations (if any) and recommended practices covering the use of tetraethyl lead will prove satisfactoi'y in connection with the use of tetramethyl lead and that therefore, providing these requirements are met no further action is necessary by the Oil Industry. It so happens that at the present time Mr.A.P. Morrison, one of our representatives, is visiting the continued ....... HF 0008254 N9648.01 2 Oil Industry in South Africa and it occurs to us that it might be of advantage for him to got in touch with you with a view to making the necessary approach to the Departments of Commerce and Industries and - f Labour along the* lines indicated above. It would seem that the decision of tho Department of Health that no action is c.alled for by them would support this objective. If you would be willing to assist in such an approach perhaps you will let mo know by cable so that tho necessary instructions can bo given to Mr. 'lorrison who, on his present itinerary expects to be in Durban on the 2nd September. Let me say how much we appreciate your assistance in this matter and I take the opportunity of sending you a further supply of literature which you may care to retain. Yours sincerely. enc: PSID/pr P.B.I. Barry. 0008255 COPY Ref. No. 7/14/9 Union of South Africa Department Van Gesondheid, Department of Health, Locarnogebou/llouse, Schoemanstraat/Street, Posbus/P.O. Box 386, Pretoria. 6th August, 1960 Dr. J. ICelman Drummond, 36 Norfolk Road, DURBAN Dear Sir, ANTIKNOCK COMPOUND : TETRAMETHIL LEAD. 1. Your letter of the 13th July, 1960, refers. 2. On the information available at present concerning the toxicity of the compound Tetramethyl Lead and the commercial and industrial hazards associated with the addition of this compound to petrol, it does not appear that any specific action is called for by the Union Department of Health, particularly as no action was deemed necessary at the time Tetraethyl Lead was introduced into petrol for general use in the Union of South Africa. 3. It is, however, accepted that those responsible for the introduction of Tetramethyl Lead into petrol will inform the Departments of Commerce and Industries and of Labour of this intended step, and that those handling petrol will receive due warning of the change. Further, it is accepted that sufficient publicity will be accorded the introduction into petrol of the new compound, in order to warn workers and the public of its specific dangers and that the labelling of pumps and containers, as is at present practised where Tetraethyl Lead is added to petrol, will continue. Yours faithfully, (Sgnd). ACTING SECRETARY FOR HEALTH. tfe 0008256 N9648.02 COPY J.Kelman Drummond, 36, Norfolk Road, Durban. 8th August, 1960 The Chief Medical Officer, Associated Ethyl Co., 20 Berkeley Square, LONDON, W.l. Dear Sir, You asked me to find out what precautions, if any, it would be necessary to comply with prior to the introduction of Tetramethyl lead in this country as an antiknock compound. As you know I directed my enquiries to the Secretary for Health of the Government of this country. I enclose his reply. As you. see he accepts that the Department of Commerce and Industries, the Department of Labour and the public will have to be warned of the hazards of TML and that pumps and containers will have to be suitably labelled. Is this a matter for the petrol companies themselve or do you wish me to take some action in this matter? If you do wish me to take any action in this matter could you please let me know what it is. The Union Department of Health have thus far retained the literature you sent me on this product. I remain. Yours sincerely, (Sgnd.) J. Kelman Drummond. M.B., F.R.C.P., Ed. HE 0008257 N9648.03