Document 5DkvdR6RvYoQoRzd1NxQxExw8

April 1, 1965 Mr, Robert J. Riggs Manager, Technical Services Ethyl International Division 100 Park Avenue lle\`i York, ISew York 10017 Dear ;ir. Riggs: Thanks Tor your letter of .March 30. I hasten to reply to it on account of Mr. Hornbook* s reaction t,,- my remark about one of the things quoted in the material which came to my attention. 1 was under no misapprehension about, the source oi the statement on which I commented* Rather, it was my purpose to illustrate the ooint that the lay representatives of customers of Ethyl in foreign countries could not be counted on to state the case. I have encountered this before* In this matter, I and my associates have always taken the point of view of those whose primary interest lies in the protection of industrial employees and the public against risk, Me speak their language, therefore, and chare with them their responsibilities in complete good faith. This fact is not understood by those who are convinced in their hearts that the medical and hygienic representatives and consultants of industry go to bat for the industry even if they should find it necessary to compromise, to some slight extent, the public interest* One simply cannot deal xvith a matter of this type on the latter basic, either In thought or speech, I feel sure that our associates in Ethyl Corporation understand this* I have never been given to doubt this in any of the dealings I have had with issues of this type. Sincerely yours. JlAX:meh cc: Dr. George Roush N13333 Robert A. Kehoe, M.D. ETHYL CORPORATION INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE TO Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. FROM R. J. Riggs SUBJECT Higher Lead Concentrations in Denmark ADDRESS ADDRESS DATE Cincinnati Hew Tork March 30, 1965 Attached are copies of correspondence relative to this subject and following your excellent letter to me. Please note that the letter sent to Dansk Esso indicates that this complete discussion should be handled by qualified medical personnel. Also please note that Don Hornbeck wants it made quite clear that the objectionable phrase in his telex was a quotation from the customer. Thank you very much for your prompt reply. R.'j. Riggs RJR:nz Attachments cc: Messrs. C. D* Carter (with atts.) F. V. Ramin "" Dr. George Roush " 11 D. D. Hornbeck N13333.01 HE 0012779 rp'Vlfr / aspects of lead in gasoline, X attach the following .publi cation - "Public Health Aspects of Increasing Tetraethyl Health Service and should be useful in stating your caso with the Ministry of Danish Health. Dr. George Pouch, -Jr* Medical Director of Ethyl Corporation and Professor of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Industrial Health, (Kettering Laboratory), College of Medi cine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, will visit Europe in April. Ho is well qualified to discuss the topic mentioned above' May I suggest that consideration be given to arranging a meeting with the medical director of Esso Dansk and subsequently with the Danish Minister of Public Health* Dr. jRoush x-rauld be able to present data which can best be handled by personal contact between medical men who are experienced in the field of public health. He has considor- mont can advise you on this matter. I would appreciate having your thoughts on this We are anxious to bo of further assistance in finding a solution to tills problem, of lead limitation in Denmark. Very truly yours DDH-.gwu JN13333.02 D. Dm Hornbeck TO FROM SUBJECT ETHYL S. A. INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE R. J. Riggs D. D. Hornbeck 4th Ml in Denmark ADDRESS ADDRESS DATE New York Brussels March 24, 1965 Dr. Kehoe states that he is shocked by the following words of my telex - "which demonstrates that health hazard is not increased (or only marginally) by raising lead level to 4.0 ml TEL". Please note on attached xerox that the words are those of Mr. Melgaard/ Esso Dansk - not mine. Also would you please correct with Dr. Kehoe the possible impression that the words are mine. Thanks,Bob. ' *' t yours, DDH:gwu D. D. Hornbeck N13333.03 KB 0012781 I J . *. < 0*3 3 j . ethyl oru x'.iex no 1 arch 15, 1965. attn* "in. a. melgaard - dansk esso - Copenhagen, cr:; .:.r, aage danielsen. mr neesbye - hansen of kalundborg requested ethyl inf ormation* cn raising tel limit in gasoline to 4.0 ml per gallon, i plan contacting ethyl medical department and request information, please advise whether you wish our professor doctor raush to contact directly the medical director of denmark who i understand to be doctor uhl. cor sic crab le '.work on this subject has been done by engineer jcnn ;euvers ;of esso netherlands who works with committee on air pollution, i suggest you consider contacting him regarding his experience in europe. ? more detailed statement of your needed material and the dif ficulties expected from doctor uhl would oe very helpful, we are ^iaoy, willing and able to help, more information requested, d.d, hornbeck, ethyl s.a., brussels. t* esso a kh etnyl' cru 0013 13.14 v ethyl bru esso a kh Copenhagen mrs 16/1965 13*10 Lw ethyl brussels thank you for your telex no. 1 march 15 on ethyl information on increase in health hazard when raising lead .from 3 to 4 ml per us gal. stop we do not want any official approach at present sc please do not contact danish health authorities directly but send us any material you may have which demonstrates that nealth hazard Is increased only marginally by such .almove stop we v/jli contact john oaukers of essn nettipFi ands meldgaard/esso Copenhagen sent 13.20 telex 2419* . ethyl bru 0330 a kfl N13333.04 OQUTHZ March 19* 1965 Mr. Robert J. Riggs Manager, Technical Services Ethyl International Division 100 Park Avenue Hew York, Hew York 1001? Dear Mr. Riggs: Dr. Roush has talked with me this morning about the desire of Esso D&nsk to increase the permissible concentration of tetraethyllead in gasoline in Denmark from 3*0 to 4.0 ml. per American gallon. He considered, further, the type of information which should be made available to the authorities of the Danish Government, in support of the feasibility of such an increase, without jeopardising the health of the public or of persons who engage in the handling and use of gasoline. This is, of course, an old story, and no doubt it will be repeated, in one form or another, and in one country or another, from time to time in the future. The appraisal of this situation in the United States, which may or may not be accepted abroad, has been documented by certain publications, by certain unpublished or partially published reports of the Kettering Laboratory, and by experimental work now in progress in the Kettering Laboratory, the results of which, to date, bear directly and significantly on the certain pertinent aspects of this situation. I am sending, herewith, copies of the available documents, with the suggestion that you review the, yourself, so as to Judge their clarity and their potentialities for influencing the opinions of unbiased persons. I have appended to this letter some comments which may help you in extracting the best and most pertinent Information from these documents. I call your attention in particular to statements which I made in this connection in Los Angeles in legislative hearings. I hardly think this should be sent abroad, but it will serve your purposes very well. With respect to the recent experimental work, no formal report is available, but a memorandum type of report could be put together. In my opinion, such a report should be presented, at the proper time, in a face-to-face discussion of a member of the staff of this Laboratory, with the responsible authorities in Denmark, rather than by a representative of Esso. HE 0012783 N13333.05 Mr. Riggs (2) March 19, 1965 It appears that Dr. Roush is expected to go abroad, and he can and should do this, as a member'of the Staff of the Laboratory. The Laboratory is veil and favorably known abroad, and our foreign colleagues have more cultivated respect for University professors and scientists than do their counterparts in the United States. For example, I have been thought of in Europe much more as a Professor and the Director of the Kettering Laboratory in the University of Cincinnati, than as Medical Director of Ethyl Corporation, although the latter relationship was never concealed or glossed over. This brings ae to say that I have always been very much concerned about the manner in which the appropriate information on this general subject is presented to the medical and hygienic authorities in any country, including our own, Esso's representatives in Denmark may be entirely capable of doing a good job of this. It Is possible - perhaps even likely that they are not. I am somewhat dubious because of their request that no direct contact be made by representatives of Ethyl Corporation with the Danish authorities, and I am shocked by the following wording of the cable on this subject "which demonstrates that health hazard Is not increased (or only marginally) by raising lead level to 4,0 ML TEL," It Is evident that anyone who speaks in these terms fails utterly to understand the situation. If this Is hazard at all, the situation is serious; if the hazard Is increased, it is still more serious; and if the Increase in hazard is marginal (my insert, that is, if the increase in hazard increased the likelihood"of Injury to the public health to the point of marginal or questionable significance), the situation Is utterly intolerable. Ho honest and responsible health officer could consent to such a proposal. I think therefore, you should have assurances from Jersey's Medical Department (I refer to Dr. Ralph Schneider in New York, or Dr. Robert E. Eckhardt of Esso Research .and Engineering Company, Linden, Hew Jersey) before you release documentary material to be presented (with Explanatory remarks which may undermine the documents) by lay (or even relatively uninformed medical) personnel of Esso Dansk. It must be borne in mind, that despite our best efforts, the Swiss authorities maintained a ban on the use of tetraeethyllead in Swiss gasoline for many years, and that even yet, there are rumblings of protest. This is indeed a touchy matter, and it is of the utmost Importance that it be handled carefully and properly. Sincerely yours. BAKsmeh - ,S'T>rt1oom*oa Robert A. ICehoe, M.D. . Director ftM 9* Ha Mr. Riggs (3) March 19, 1965 Material enclosed: 1. Public Health. Service Publication Ho* ?12. Public Health Aspects of Increasing Tetraethyllead Content in Motor Fuel. 2. Memorandum from The Kettering Laboratory, dated March 18, 1959* On the Hygienic Aspects of a Proposed Increased in the Maximum Limit of the Concentration of Tetraethyllead in Motor Gasoline to Four Milliliters Per American Gallon. 3. Hie Harben Lectures, i960 The Metabolism of Lead in Man in Health and Disease by Robert A. Kshoe, M.D. (See Lecture III especially). The other two, one bound and the other unbound, are for your ovai information, these having been intended for non-medical persons 0 G127 6 ;> Comments for the benefit of Mr. Riggs - The documentary material supplied herewith, as listed at the end of my letter is voluminous and some of it may be difficult of interpretation for a non-medically or non-biologically oriented person, although the facts are presented as simply as possible. Certain of the more important matters are summarised in the two statements made in Los Angeles at hearings held by two legislative committees in 1961 and 1964, respectively. More elaborate information has been presented in Public Health Service Publication No. 712 (the red booklet), beginning on page 30. This material was taken from the larger report of the Kettering Laboratory dated March 13, 1959* The virtue of the Public Health Service Publication is, of course, that it is a governmental document. Attention is called specifically in the report of the Kettering Laboratory to the following pages, in which certain specific and important statements are made. The first three items are not relevant to the situation in Denmark. Tangential matters of occupational health (1. Paragraph (b) page 2 (2. Paragraph (b) page 4 (3. Paragraph {b) page 5 (4. Paragraph (b) page 7 and the Notes which follow through page 8 (5* Paragraph (b) page 14 (6. Items 6, 7? 0, 9 and 10, pages 14 through 34 in their entirety Primary issues of 7. Page 4l to the middle of page 42 public health All of the material in between Items 7 and 8 is pertinent 8. Page 6l Item (6) bottom of page through page 65 summarizes the facts and conclusions. In the Harben Lectures, the last lecture from page 72 to the end discusses the fate of inhaled lead in some detail on a physiological basis. This will appeal only maximally to a physiologist. E 0 0 1 ? * * ^ u