Document 91B5v8gLbQZg8DzeJ2O65dRkR

REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SCIENTIFIC AM E RICAN THE JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL IN FO R M A TIO N S cientific American (ESTABLISHED 1845) P u b l is h in g C o m p a n y M u n n & Co. WOOLWORTH BUILDING 2 33 Broadway N ew York PU B LI SHERS OF SCI ENTI FI C AN O TECH NI CAL BOOKS OUBGEON Q H lF -F October 14, 1924 D r . H. F o s t e r B a i n , D i r e c t o r of U.S. Bureau o f Mines, W a s h i n g t o n , D. 0. D e a r D r . Bain: 924 OCl 16 AM 10 w INTERIOR OEPARI'MENT BUREAU OF MINES WASHIfNGTOri 15.0. I have been somewhat c onc er ne d by t he a c t i v i t y o f t h e G e n e r a l Motors Company, and t h e i r r e l a t e d i n t e r e s t s , in p u sh in g the use o f lead compounds in g a s o l i n e - the so-called "ethyl gas". I t s t r i k e s me, w i t h o u t knowing v e r y much a b o u t the su b ject, that th is is a ra th e r dangerous procedure. Is i t n o t p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e l e a d i n t h e g a s o l i n e w i l l come o u t in the fumes in suctua fashion as to produce lead dust in the a i r , and to r a i s e a t l e a s t a p o s s i b i l i t y of s e rio u s p o i s o n i n g i n p l a c e s l i k e F i f t h Avenue, New Yor k C i t y , whe r e the congestion of motor t r a f f i c is very great? I think th is is^tTkind of thing that the S c i e n t i f i c American ought to watch o u t f o r , and do something about in case the danger is re a lly serious. I hear in d ire ctly f r o m t h e G e n e r a l Mot or s Company t h a t t h e B u r e g ^ o ^ Mi nes h a s t e s te d the m a tte r, and th a t you are about t o ' m a 'v e r y f a v o r a b l e r e p o r t . I f t h i s i s s o , c oul d you w r i t e me ( c o n f i d e n t i a l l y i f you wish) j u s t what the Bureau has done, and what your e n g i n e e r s have c o n c l u d e d ? Of c o u r s e , I do n o t want t h i s f o r p u b l i c a t i o n , b u t m e r e l y t o h e l p me t o f o r m u l a t e my own p o l i c y in the matter. EEF:LD S^ricerjBl/ y o u r s , AFL. y y} E. E. F r e e Ed i t o r A V> 6';' .< yy /\ X