Document 5L0JdJD6DpO6poD2b99zR33GR

ETHYL GASOLINE CORPORATION CHRYSLER BUILDING HE? YORK, December 23, 1936 MEMORANDUM TO - Dr. R.A. Kehoe Dr. G. Edgar Mr*. John Schaefer Mr. H.W. Kaley Gentlemen: The following is a letter written by our safety man in the Atlanta Division to Mr. Warren: "Mr. Schwarz told, me of a very interesting happening that took place last spring, at the SOKY bulk plant in Tampa, Fla. At this plant there was a 500,000 gallon tank that had contained Crown gasoline. The number which is tank 16, was empty for six months. After being open and aired for six months they decided to clean this tank, and on Thursday, March 26, 1936, Mr. Schwarz entered the tank to she what ?/as needed to clean this tank. On Monday, March 30, 1936, three men were put in the tank to clean it, two white men and a colored man. One of the white men, after being in the tank a short while, felt sick and came outside. The other white man and the negro finished cleaning the tank staying inside about fifteen minutes and outside for the, same length of time until the tank was cleaned. "The men did not wear masks of any kind but wore rubber boots ana rubber gloves. These men complained of small pools of water in the bottom of the tank that smelt very bad and when swept 'with a broom would fizz. On Wednesday, April 1, 1956, the white man and the negro who completed the cleaning of the tank became nauseated, accompanied by nose bleeding and on April 7, the negro rent crazy and died. His death was attributed to causes which aggravated his influenza. The -white man is still working for SOKY in Tampa, and I obtained permission to have him examined by our doctors if they so desired. Mr. Schwarz had a sample of the bottom sludge which came out of the tank #16, when the men became ill, so I sent this sample of bottom sludge to Dr. Kehoe." W:GCL cc: Mr. E. W. fiebb Mr. J. 0. Taylor Mr. G. W. Warren Hi 0017249 0. B. LEWIS