Document 6RYXJeKd5yebkOGKLg4mz6Rz6

February 23, 19&5 Reg. - ; . Gerwerberat Stfen Ge werbeuafsicht samt fur den Regierungsbezirk 3^30 Montabaur, Reinland-Pfalz West Germany Dear Kr. Stofen; Your letter of December 28th has been on my desk without reply, for the reason that I have been overburdened with heavy demands on my time since the first of the new year. There was a further difficulty that the questions raised, in your letter could not be answered briefly, and that they seemed to be unduly compile ated by extraneous issues. . For .example, you refer to the views of the. Soviets with respect to the permissible limits of the concentration of lea:: in the air, an : to the opinions of Arthur Stern on this matter. Stern is a good investigator in his own field, but ha is an engineer, not ? physiologist. Moreover, the Russian invest! have not provi: id evidence on the p o i n y o u have queried, bu only opinion. However, it is net my purpose to engage in an argument with you or anyone else over these matters, but rather to supply you with such evidence from our experimental work as has been published. The behavior of lead in the human organism, has been the subject of study in this Laboratory since it was founded in 1930, as has also been the investigation of lead poisoning, from, the aspect of diagnosis, prevention and, to a lesser extent, therapy. The results of some of this work have been studied and published, while many of the details have been left for the careful critical examination which is costly in time. I have not had such time at my disposal, and I have postponed such study until after my retirement from the headship of this Department (this will come at the end of June of this year). What I have said about the concentration of lead in the air breathed by human beings has been based upon carefully designed experiments in the Laboratory, together with extensive HE 00C742 N 7891 Mr. StBfen 2 February 23, 1So l o 'd .nervations made in industry for many years. These have shown (among other facts) that the concentration of lead in the blood of persons subjected to exposure to lead provides excellent information as to the extent of the absorption of lead by such persons, and demonstrated conclusively, whether they are or are not in danger of being poisoned by lead. This is what is meant by my statement that the degree of risk can be determined in advance of any harmful consequence. That is, men employed in industry can' be removed from further exposure and shielded from danger, before any injury of any kind has been sustained. Hot only can this be done, but it has been done with complete success in certain industries which we have had the means of following, for the past years. There is no question here of theory; rather., this is faep. ' The same principle applies to people in a community. Ey measuring the lead In the air, one can appraise the environmental situation; by measuring, with precision, the lead in the blood of persons in such an atmospheric environment on* cun perceive the coming of danger before it has induced any unfavorable results, Again this is not theory but fact. There ir. no doubt that lead in the air, in rood, or in the human body, may be dangerous, but it is also perfectly clear, that certain quantities of lead in each and all of these, is entirely without any potentiality for harm. It is in the establishment of the quantitative relationships here, that we in this Laboratory have contributed importantly ao the knowledge of tne behavior of lead. Those wuo have not been accustomed to thinking in rruantitativc terms will fine the facts somewhat difficult to believe. After some forty years of experience in toxicological investigation it has become clear, however, that the quantitative relationships are fundamental in almost all physiological nrocesses. With reference to the statements whicn I have made in the literature on this subject, I would not be concerned, if I were you, about my having to revoke or repudiate them. There is little likelihood, indeed, that I shall be put to that necessity. This is not to claim that I cannot be mistaken in my interpretation of our experimental results. On the other hand, I have not rushed Into print, noz* have I ventured upon brash statements. What have said has been based upon years of critical observation carried out in search of facts which would enable rue to take a responsible position in a matter involving human safety. I have never spoken hastily, but only after careful examination of the facts. My position has been peculiarly responsible, as a physician, and I have attempted to bear such responsibility faithfully, and in the true spirit of the physician. I am fully aware, in speaking M r . Stiffen o~ February 2 3 , 1965 thus, that no man can speak convincingly of his ovai integrity ant competence, Only his acts can speak fir him. I am a bit too old, however, to be concerned about the immediate acceptance of my views or that of our work. My concern is to be right, for at this stage of my life, that is the only thing that has imo or tane e . I am sending you some of the more recent publications that bear on questions which you have raised or implied. I er.pect, in the near future, to be able to publish more of our work on this subject. Suffice it, for the present, however, to give you some of the background information. Cordially yours, K ob crt A . Ke hoe, 11.D , Director me ii Enclosures - The Harben Lectures-, i960 (other publications under separate cover) K QirO v 4 z 1 . , . X ^..^.ufsTchtsamt -- --`'"'"''for den Regierungsbezirk M ontabaur Az.-........................... Tgb.- N r........................ (bei Antwort stets angeben} ri p" GewerbeaufsichUomt Montabaur . . T` x 1. o e o/ o lettering Laboratory e i n e University _o o o i n n a h i / O h i o L **1 -i 5430 M ontabaur,den Tiergartenstr. 17 Fernruf 321 Postfach 148 28. Dez. 1964 . ,itrier Kehoe, ie x f a c t o r y i n s p e c t o r of th i s 1J_LcdU c I 1v c o m w e t e r n o r 8. in.mi c l e v a plant a n a so n a v e d e a l t w i t h the p r o b l e m s r p e r ia.tr o r s hy re an U u s t 8 0 ~.r1 UtJ L y e a r r e s e a r c h e s a;.cut a m o t o r m e ! <. till 1.u v e S 1udieci 4U-it.e .; .V.j.1 :; i c C U 2. itt 6 X C C " JS: V; .-reut profit. 'ihey really helped ne in teuer. n a v e xv;c s r o ln one i c r w h i c h I a a a r e e s t e i l to x aam. ry rere ;;aer triat >-.J. *>tern, vu.oU t.0L: rretain; ,.rcv;9 ua.s re1erred some-where a.igu x the Covi h:t StUaies or ieaa \Xhevia ..OU VV111 know 0X18t the Lovie is allow on!- very low leau ooncev trait or; in trie air, out 1 aon 't urev the scienxii ic reason oi thi s d.eein icr. * r r ope that ...X cx err coula be _hX__ x* -y H 5 o you be kind enoug h to give me r..is add ress or to coutac t yourself by iorwarairg tnis letter to fin? CO A; s.-** in your report "iubaic reaJ.th aspects ci ir.creaein: lexraaetrs o,` ' Lead Content in o 11,r raei" abstracted Dy j.r.n .r.. L y m , o o you say - ana ] completely agree - that tine- is the important factor in the development of a physiologic response to the absorption of minute quantities of lead. You pretend that by applying the methods of your investigation you could establish the effects in advance of any harmful consequences. I must admit that I d o n 't agree with this opinion. I 'm rather sure 1 have found in the environment of the lead plant for which N 7891.01 2- - which are evident still 1bd years after tie iuhalaib.on of the lead aust 'by the mother. fortunately x succeeaed im interesting2 scholars of the university of j.v&irz tor my ideas. although I'm sure that my iae&s and. experiences will be acknowledged, 1 should be happy, ii you too would examine them. Your possibilities are far superior of course. i'he effects of the leaded gasolinetouch the problem of the defense of the est against the boviet Union, that's to say the common sane of your country and mine and that of the' other nor.-co.-..miniat states. On the other hana I 'm conscious tfm-x it would be very delicate for you to revoi.e your results alter trey have been forwarded to the Congre.es., Co I hesitate to 1'tfora; you cono let 6hOy J1 h oi,ever th ey are welcome - perhaps you cnn exami re them wi tho ut rub lie disci. c:lT:o. then send t resuits *t`o the ;j0 art. rent of seal .CLucation ana v.elf are - I Qhould 00 r1eeeeo to coo: V;I Cj. '/ iO. J. ho n oo.. especia 1lly app T~00--0.L j -- .. co,.-- :. :/cl voit o r o. owl er of yoUr staf o . cm wfp, __ ''o.'' -. Z 0 the otates --est o 1Gi~.' lx ; oI> 0r o me-:'.,er or y CGam should c0--'-s to -.Europe rleas 9 1 p.t :e nrox . I c COme xo alnos t Cl-h_L countra 0 C)1 ur o o ' ------- u. V:rion there is Cd. CU ance of T-ereera y cCy'1 1 ref-eit 'When continuing the study of your report, 1 see that you were able to make out the lead "body burden". If this means that you are able the determine the lead content of the bones and other tissues too, 1st would l:e very important for the German schience, I think, and 1 should be thankful to you, if you could tell me, how this procedure goes on. K if G0Cm 4 ^9