Document 8a5Zw4j0vVM4aaa6xLy52n2m

. November 16>1946 - - H r . T . K# A* Bevan, ,, . ,The Associated Ethyl Company Limi t e d , Artillery Bouse, Artillery Bov, London, S . V. 1, England. . 'Dear Bay*;/ Thanks f o r your tvo letter of October 29 and November 1, respectively. I am very;gla4,;to have the further information on the lead in the scale of-tank cars, and I shall look, forward to the receipt of additional'information from Smith vla'your office. : .: ; : -' ' - "/Z I am delighted to know that you are coming back to the United States early in the year. I am looking forward to seeing you -for mre reasons than one. There are a number of matters which should come to a head by that time that vill.be of mutual-interest Than again it is always a great pleasure to me to sit down and talk with you about many things. ^ I am also glad to know that Davison is turning out well. With reference to his inquiry about the information in "Koxious C a s e s " by Henderson and Haggard, 1 regret to say that, while this is a very good book in many respects, it is practically worthless in any matter that h a s Q ^ ^ d ^ y l t h clinical medicine. Neither Henderson or Haggard were/doctors, and neither of them had the slightest idea of anything related to medical practice. Both are to be commended as physiologists, and Henderson, who is now dead, was a very able and imaginative man. However, he was not altogether to be trusted in matters involving critical judgment, and perhaps you will remember in relation to the problem of tetraethyl lead, that he vs a bitter-ender in opposition.to the use of the product considering that the entire public was certain to be poisoned, and that this was all to be done more or less deliberately by designing r|ps:ihBS organizations who were willing to make ihelr fortunes b y laiy m e a n s . Haggard,despite & number of excellent intellectual qualities,Is a somewhat unreliable fellow, . who certainly lacks critical Judgment. : .^ All of the above discussion'is unnecessary in relation to the/, paragraph referred to, but/,is rather the explanation of why'it is that either or both of these-men was quite capable of writing. ' more or less dogmatically a b o u t ; things of which he new nothing As a matter of fact the only firsthand clinical descriptions of tetraethyl lead poisoning that appeared in medical, literature/ i xrst arcxcxe x maae some rex erence tu uue ioi< w m i * exposure v-o minute dosages of tetraethyl lead might veil producete,, c o n d i t i o n . Mr. T. H. A. Bevan - November 16, 1.946 - {2}. - which resembles ordinary lead poisoning. I have had repeated occasion to regret this, for actually vhat I sav that led me to this conclusion vas a combination of exposure to very small amounts of tetraethyl lead plus more significant amounts of decomposition products of tetraethyl lead that had reached the inorganic stage. I vas not aware of the chemical aspects of this problem at that time, and therefore should not be held too much to account for vhat vas said. On the other hand,,I did point out that tetraethyl lead poisoning, as seen up to t h a t t i m e v a s a totally different syndrome than that of ordinary lead poisoning. Actually I knew very much less about both of these conditions than I do now. At the present time* it' can be said categorically that chronic poisoning from exposure to tetraethyl lead has never been seen. When poisoning results from the absorption of tetraethyl lead, even in small quantities over considerable periods of time, it is always an acute central nervous system intoxication. She reference to nutritional disturbances, paralysis of motor nerves and suscepti bility of other diseases, as mentioned by Henderson and Haggard is pure moonshine. I have tried to imagine just where this idea came from, for I am under the impression that I have seen most of the information published and unpublished that has been available on this subject. I cannot for the life of me account for the statement I should be glad if you would transmit this Information to Davison at your convenience, tailing him that there is no published infor mation o n this subject. . With kindest regards, Sincerely yours, FAX ef Copy ..by Air Mail Fobert A. Xehoe, bl. D JM J H i 1 XI 1JL/ u U r i i A 1 V i x i i i x 1i i x . JlepisUn-,1Office: THEADELPHI,rpDOy,WC Z ' ' jrfJilri'ss a ll commnttioztions u n tilJUirther notice to.- - ARTILLERY H OUSE, ARTILLERY ROW; LOSTDOR, S .W 1 Telephone: a b b e y 3&7*i Jkrectorst''. J.A .G A SS ' ' ` S .A U G .K E SSL E R ( n c t h c r l a k o s ) I.L E Q H JO N K S . r.G .C . M ORRIS t.H .P O R T E R S . , t.W .SE L L E R S ' .A .S H E P A R O (U .SA .) l.J.S IN G L E T O N * . .S P R V . . *' r. r .a . b e v a n (Jfanayinp) . JelojrnntS: e t h Vl p o r t . b o w e s t .L o n d o n .r : ' OUR REF a v >YOUR REF. , 1st ] Dr. R.ji. Kehoe, . University ,of Cincinnati, - - College of Medicine, ' CINCIKHATI. ,, ' ^^ ~ , .4sr:v f:' .,;, Dear Bob, - . .. '' ' e'f'**\'\ __ * . - V- ' I enclose copy of a letter .from Da" me to obtain your comments on a statement w! entitled "iloxious Gases" by Henderson & flag ' I-am very glad to say that SDavis on well and we are most pleased with- hi's'-hvork. .- .' ' . '.k:' . . - It is probable that I shu 11 ,bo com: time in January next and look forward with l you at that time. ; ., ,7/ith kindest regards, Enel. I have- recently read a standard text book called. "Noxious ~ , >' Gases", by Henderson & Hazard of Yale University/ published 1945 by v *i'"1;/VHeinhol'd Publishing Corporation,'Hev; York/..which giyes'two paragraphs'*'op. v;:> tetraethyl lead. >: .The second paragraph, on page' 240 of the book,^ is- - quoted', in full: j - , . .;v&y .v. ... .'"In acute poisoning, lead encephalopathy may develop J . - . ' ' . with symptoms of increased iritracrauial pressure , ./ .'"meningeal irritation ::ahd:acute mania. 'Chronic - poisoning by'.tetraethyl lead, resembles the ordinary .and far more''.'.common chronic form of lead, poisoning from paint and-lead dusts, and. ia characterized by ->y ' *' .;;|pnutritional disturbances, paralysis of motor nerves ;* : ' and increased susceptibility; to such diseases as : pyorrhea and .tuberculosis." j . - ` ;;b\. ' ' ` * - . ' Jirom all I have .read this, paragraph..appec-ars incorrect and / > . * . I can find no published literature' to corroborate:Vsome ;o:f vthe .statements i >,' ';*&: `jA.1.yU-,h.^, 1! made. I spoke, to Cassells about it-aid he is of, the opinion ti- ir -hie tbst chronie poisoning from tetraethyl:dead is unlikely. tovoccur. From y some of the correspondence received fr<j>m Dr. liehoe it would appear that., * chronic lead poisoning may occur. y 'J * -- lu V-_ (J,, ' , , " I would be most grateful if jDr. Kiehoe Could comment'bn thia'"5'" y'-paragraph and let us have copies of any published literature on "chronic .tirbi'i&'aklead:'poisoning- from tetraethyl- lead. H "I4.r k.ix:** c: ,, , -" - >% V/ith kind regards,;' . i'r Yours sincerely, . DaVIS&f ,, #* v vVi? i n ' : r'A ffv'' ; 00072t)o t yw i < * * / *V *= j - *--* >ri r- % t- , * Sirh - ' F^ , ; -^7835*^