Document 4JeOLe8Z3p2vJd6MLZE7wKXXe

May 11# 1937 Mr. C. A* Petarsoa national Refining Company Cleveland# Ohio Dear Hr* Petersont ' X wish to aoknowledge receipt of a copy of a letter from L* S* Paxton* Mankato* Minnesota* concerning a filling station operator at Austin* X wish also to apologise for asy delay In replying to this letter which unfortunately as mislaid# X should like to-point out in tli beginning that there Is nothing in Mr# Paxton*s letter which would suggest that the operator had lead poisoning* It seems quite clear from the description of the case that his ailment was that of gasoline dermatitis# aggro* voted in 3ome degree by his us of laeSier gloves which became saturated with gasoline# 2 doubt if anyone could handle gasoline in this fashion without developing some injury to the skin* In as much as many people are quit sensitive to gasoline# X should consider this man rather fortunate In not having serious damage done to his skin* After seme years of experience and of study of this problem# we have been quite unable to find that the small amounts of Ethyl Fluid in gasoline Increase its propensities for producing skin irritations* Gasoline indeed is much more Irritating than are any of the concentrated ingredients of Ethyl Fluid taken by themselves, Tetraethyl lead in its pure fora does not cause a significant degree of skin Irri fcation* whereas gasoline applied to the skin Is known to produce dermatitis quit eowtaonly# M t h the Introduction into gasoline of the products of various types of ^cracking"# it becomes even more Irritating so that gasoilno demafci tis is by no means an uncommon lesion* In mist instances* I believe# the irritation Is the result of the extraction of the oil from the skin# leaving it dry and cracked* Such a skin Is easily infected with results which depend upon the infecting organisms* There is no specific remedy for this condition# Xt has been our experience that coses of this type of dermatitis do not recover completely unless they avoid all expo ure to gasoline until their skin Is entirely well# Skin lesions may be treated with any one of a number of mild antiseptic ointments* They o...:* Z * f l .'' I-.!*.:!"' " ' ' should be fy#<naeiitly so that the small pimpleglike pustules canbe removed and cleaned up# This, of course, should b done by physician, sine moat people are nob able to take -oar of these lesions themselves, and t keep them clean In no case should the nan return to hie work until the skin has entirely cleared, and afterward he should us great precaution against oontact with gasoline* i should appreciate it if you would let m know ay further developments in this case, and if I oaa be of any further use, I should be glad to do so* May I suggest in this connection that I can best be of service to this jsants physician, and X should be glad to communicate with him,if possible, X realise by this time that the patient has had ample time to either be cured or to become worse, and X am, therefore, Quit sorry for the delay# Very truly yours, RAKji : ' cc Mr. Lewis: : 'Sol5ertnri'A'# TIiVho'e,r'W v ;'/>i .*** ^ v - A ' vf t .. m 0012&U