Document 8R4oBLwxoYV46yNvKbqxZjy5e

June 24, 1955 Mr. Manfred Bowditch Bead Industries Association 420 Lexington Avenue New YorkCity 17 Bear Manfred: I have not ignored your letters and enclosures on the situation in Australia, but I've been too preoccupied otherwise to participate in the correspondence. The action taken by the Australian Federation of Organizations of the Blind Is j , I. chink, quite unrealistic, for a number cf reasons. The position with respect to paints 13 '.veil known to yourself and has been well expressed in the . ecoad paragraph of Leonard Greenburg'slatter. The other issues, and especially the etiologic and clinical aspects of optic neuritis have been discussed satisfactorily, from my viewpoint, by your other correspondents. On the other hand, one has to look at this matter on the peculiar background of Australian (specifically Queensland) experience. In view of the publications of Glacon, and the controversy over the relationship between lead poisoning c. .id chronic nephritis which has produced a monograph (Chronic Nephritis and Lead Poisoning.by L. J. Jarvis Nye) and a controversy which has been reviev 3d repeatedly and given rise to at least two elaborate reports in the Australian Medical Journal, it is not surprising that this country and many of its people are highly sensitized to the hazards of lead absorption. I have been in touch with a number of their medical people, including Nye,for a good many years, and on the background of the legislation promulgated in Queensland, this proposal does not strike ms surprising at all. 7/liat does surprise me is that Taylor is not aawwaarrse cf the background which has made this a not altogether unexpected development. I may say that it is quite unlikely, at least in my thinking, that tills proposal of the Organization will be acted upon favorably by the Australian Government. The Medical Association, I should think, would be consulted for its reaction, and it would be most surprising tc me if some of the well informed and sensible people in Australian medical circles were not to point out the same things that have been said in your correspondence. This proposal, it would seem,stems from a lay group, impressed by certain things in the past history of the area (which they have misinterpreted) and motivated by a sincere but misdirected sympathy for those afflicted with this dreadful handicap.' KB 001491 r1 1 Mr. Manfred Bowditch - (2) June 24, 1955 I shall be interested in what may come of this, and if it should be indicated by any information which you receive, I might take a hand in it through correspondence with some of the people who might, if necessary, do something about it. I have had some continuing association with several fairly influential medical men in Australia, through which I could obtain information and raise certain questions of fact and opinion. This may not be necessary, and if it is not, it is better left to the Australians. Sincerely yours, RAK ef Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. 0014318