Document Bzv6a5gEj6pV7NqOvvJgVqLk

SOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED Address all communications untilfurther notice to : ' ARTILLERY . HOUSE, ARTILLERY ROW, S.W.l Telephone : -a b b e y 3974-7 Telegrams : e t h y l p o r t , s o w e s t , Lo n d o n , .W .B O Y U CE U . a . A U G .K E S S L E R (riCYHEHLANOs) H . 8 - MEATH EV ES R .W . S E L L E R S N .A . G A SS W , N . G R U S BB (oU.S.S-A ) A .U . SIN G L ET O N E .E .S O U B R Y L . N . H A M IL T O N (U-SSAj ) E . W . W E B B (U .S.A ) T . R . A . B E V A N , MANASIMSOtneCTOR 0/29 HF/WEB May 28th, 1942 Dr. R. A. Kehoe, Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology, Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Lear Dr. Kehoe, I am passing on to you herewith copy of a letter which Dr. Cassells handed to me today for transmission to you. This is being forwarded by Air Hail, and Dr. Cassell's original manuscript by steamer. Yours sincerely U 0010101 N29758 BRITISH ETHYL CORPORATION LTD. t e l e ph o n e : NORTHWICH 2 3 5 4 . YOUR REP. OUR REF. DAK0 / \ i P , NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE. 28th May, 1942* Dr. Robert A. Kehoe, Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology, Eden Avenue, Cincinnati', OHIO. - Dear Dr. Kehoe, - I am very grateful to pci for your letter of last I'Tovember, for the most interesting reprints which you sent, and for the figures among some of the wor'rmen which you furnished. It is very good in deed of you to have considered rny figures and to have replied so fully to the points which were causing me concern. I am glad, that your regard, the values we found in the urine as pointing to safe conditions of work, and I am pleased to he able to say that these values remain at a stable and satisfactory level. The last mean figure for urine which I gave;you was .0774 mg* per litre for August 1941* Since then, the mean figures have been .074^5 .0668; .0638; .0650; .0645 mg. per litre for October, I-Tovember, December. 1941, February and April, 1942 respectively. All these figures refer to men in exposed occupations - autoclaves, stills, smelting plant, blending. The remainder of the men, during the same period, have given means of .0360 and .0 377 mg. per litre. 'In collecting samples we instruct-- the men individually and stress the need for cleanliness, and care against contamination; in addition each man receives printed instructions similar to those issued in America. The containers, which are chemically clean, are delivered in'a closed paper bag, with a smaller paper bag inverted over the stopper and neck, from a lead-free laboratory 5 miles distant to the workman's home on the day before be gives the sample and . collected by the laboratory on the day after. They.do not come near the factory. The same applies to the faeces container and I think the risk of contamination is minimal. The men are granted a day off work, with pay, during which they provide a 24-hour sample of urine and whatever faeces are passed during that time. They are a hand picked, intelligent body of men each one of whom has had the why and the wherefore expained to him by me and I feel as sure as it is pos sible to be that they exercise meticulous care in giving the samples. The granting of a day off work for the purpose was urged by me partly because it provided a beneficial rest and nsrtly because the risk of contamination of the samples was less than if tney were given at the factory or at odd times at home. CONTINUATION: Sheet No. 2 Date 28th hay, 1942. Up.'.ibo-the present, the men in the more exposed jobs have provided samples ; , every 7 weeks, the remainder giving them at -14-week intervals. Now, J & f'- everyone is on a 15 *-week basis since this suits the routine of the factory "better. . ' - 4 ',, .The faeces values have not dropped a great deal, until the last sampling when the mean value did drop a-iittle. The last mean figures which I crave you were .2160 mg. ner gm. of ash and .9041 mg. in sanrole for August, 1941. Since then, we have had .2203; .1723; .1750; ~1823; .1336 mgms. per gm. ash and .8430:' .9486: .9404: .9364- .8 38 O mgms. in sample for -October, November, December, 1941 February and April 1942 respectively. These figures refer to men in the exposed occupations. The rest of the men have, during the same period, given means of .1233; .1258 "mgms. per gm. ash and .5178; .6258 mgms. in faecal sample. It may be of interest that the mean Drj'- Weight of Faecal Sample is in the 'y region of 33 or 34 grams; I.don't know how this compares with that of your men. .. ' Decently we have done a good deal of spring cleaning in the plant and there is a marked diminution in the amount of dust one sees. Also the air samples have shown lower figures and I am attributing the latest drop in faecal values to the fact that there is less dust about. Tine will show however. 1 A i .4 i -;S A A,i A There is m e 'matter of long-term policy which is exercising our minds at present and on which I- would appreciate an expression of your views. I understand that older men are more susceptible than younger to the effects of lead, and I was advised in the beginning not to take on- any men over 45 years of age as a general rule. The time will come however when the men'will reach 45 years of age. What does one. do with them then? ^ Is. it safe to allow them to continue at this work till the - usual retiring age of say 60, or should they be transferred to a less . hazardous occupation?- Perhaps you would let-me know what you advise and what procedure you foil07/ in America, If retiral at or about the age of 4 5 -is advisable, it will' raise a problem in labour supply. :jl.Men wh Mare worth having will not relish finishing work at this age to start anew in a fresh job. At an age when thjr would normally expect some security of work at a fairly good wage, bonuses and other small privileges of long service, they will be told they must now give up their jobs and either find or be found a new one. : Th" latter could only be, in most cases, less well-paid; also,, the men could scarcely hope, in competition with more experienced and younger men who have already spent years at the work, to reach a statvis in a . ' new job comparable to that which they have given up. We would feel obliged to tell men about the retiring age at the time of taking them on and we fear we would have difficulty in recruiting labour. On my brief experience here, I would be quite prepared to continue employment up to 60 years of age. . r o m British Ethyl Corporation Ltd. , >i-:^":ftorthwich. ,*r': ", " To,>- Dr. Robert A. Kehoe, * '"'oi-no. CONTINUATION: Sheet No. Date 28th Kay,. 19^2. If susceptibility increases with age, however, we may be faced with a succession of cases to whom the firm would be obliged to pay compen- . sation for loss of health or earning po?/er. is this a real risk? I see Dodds from time to time and he wished me to thank you for your message'of greeting which.I conveyed to him; he hoped to be able to write you but 1 imagine that, like you, .he is overwhelmed with work and he may not have found the opportunity. He was delighted that you had replied so fully to my last letter and was greatly interested in the reprints which you sent and which I lent to him. We are indeed sorry that you'won' t be able to visit us while the war lasts. An occasional visit while the actual problems are facing us would have been more rapidly fruitful of results, I feel, than our present procedure of dealing with the sources of exposure and so on as we discover them, however interesting we find that to be. We . would warmly have welcomed such visits from you, and we shall certainly look forward to meeting you after the war is over. With kindest regards, Yours sincerely, DAVID A. E. CAS SELLS. K& 0010104 SOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED Jieff. Office,:THE ADELFHI, LONDON, W. C.2 Address all communications untilfurther notice to : ARTILLERY HOUSE, ARTILLERY ROW, S.W.l Telephone : a b b e y 3974-7 Telegrams : e t h y l p o r t , s o w e s t , Lo n d o n V C tO fS: BOYLE J . B . A U G .K E S S L E R (NETHERLANDS) HEATH EVES R .W . S E L L E R S GASS A .U . SIN G L E T O N G R U B B (U SA ) E . E- SOUBRY H A M tL T O N (U S ) E .W , W E B B (u.S.A> T , R . A . B E VA N , MANAGING DIRECTOR 0/29O U R R E E YOUR REF. iic . May 28th, 1942. Dr. R. A. Kehoe, Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology, Eden avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dear Dr. Kehoe, I am passing on to you herewith copy of a letter which Br. Cassells handed to me today for transmission to you. This is being forwarded by Air Mail, and Dr. Cassell's original manuscript by steamer. Yours sincerely, tfik 0 0 1 0 1 0 a i A T v i ) ' I T H Y I . ; *t i.M lTKn. COPY OF LETTER, WRITTEN BY DR. D.A.K.CASSELLS, TO DR. R.A.KEHOE. , Dr.Robert A.Kehoe, Kettering Laboratory of Applied PhysiQlogy, Eden Avenue, '- Cincinnati, OHIO. 28th May, 1942. Dear Dr. Kehoe, I am very grateful to you fofvyour letter of last'November, for the most interesting reprints which- you sent, ana for the figures among some of the workmen which you furnished, / It is very good indeed of you to have considered my>figures'and\to,?have replied so fully to the points which were causing me ..concern*.. \ \ \ I am glad that you regard the values we found in the urine as pointing to safe conditions-of work, and' I am pleased to be able to say that these values "'remain at a stable and satisfactory level. The last mean figure for urine which I gave-you'was .0774 mg. per litre for August 1941. Since then, the mean figures have been .0746; .0668; .0638; .0650; .0645 mg. per;litre for October, November, December, 1941, February and April, 1942 respectively./ ; All these figures refer to men in exposed occupations - autoclaves,'' stills, smelting plant, blending. The re mainder of the men, "during the same period, have given means of .0360 and .0377 mg. per litrel"""'*"''" In collecting samples we instruct the men individually and stress the need for cleanliness and care against contamination; in addition each man receives printed instructions similar to those Issued in America. The containers, which are chemically clean, are delivered in a closed paper bag, with a smaller paper bag inverted over the stopper and neck, from a lead-free laboratory 5 miles distant to the workman's home on the day before he gives the sample and collected by the laboratory on the day after. They do not come near the factory. The same applies to the faeces container and I think the risk of contamination is minimal. The men are granted a day off work, with pay, during which they provide a 24-hour sample of urine and what ever faeces are passed during that time. They are a hand-picked, intelligent body of men each one of whom has had the why and the wherefore explained to him by me and I feel as sure as it is possible to be that they exercise meticulous care in giving the samples. The granting of a day off work for the purpose v;as urged by me partly because it provided a beneficial rest and partly because the risk of contamination of the samples was less than if they were given at the factory or at odd times at home. Up to the present, the men in the more exposed jobs have provided samples every 7 weeks, the remainder giving them at 14-week intervals. Now, everyone is on a 15-week basis, since this suits the routine of the factory better. KJr 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 -2- ]>ATK The faeces values have not dropped a great deal until the last sampling when the mean value did drop a little. The last mean figures which I gave you were .2160 mg. per gm. of ash and .9041 mg. in sample for August 1941. Since then, we have had .2203; .1723; .1750; .1823; in sample for October, November, December, 1941 February and April, 1942 respectively. These figures refer to men in the exposed occupations. The rest of the men have, during the same period, given means of .1233; .1258 mgns. per gm. ash and .5178; .6258 mgms. in faecal sample. It may be of interest that the mean Dry Weight of Faecal Sample is in the region of 33 or 34 grams; I don't know how this compares with that of your men. Recently we have done a good deal of spring cleaning in the plant and there is a marked diminution in the amount of dust one sees. Also the air samples have shown lower figures and I am attributing the latest drop in faecal values to the fact that there is less dust about. Time will show however. There is one matter of long-term policy which is exercising our minds at present and on which I would appreciate an expression of your views. I understand that older men are more susceptible than younger to the effects of lead, and I was advised in the beginning not to take on any men over 45 years of age as a general rule. The time will come however when the men will reach 45 years of age... VJhat does one do with them then? Is it safe to allow them to continue at this work till the usual retiring age of say 60, or should they be transferred to a less hazardous occupation? Perhaps you would let me know what you advise and what procedure you follow in America. : If retiral at or about the age of 45 is advisable, it will raise a problem in labour suoply. Men who are worth having will not relish finishing work at this age to start anew in a fresh job. At an age when they would normally expect some security of work at a fairly good wage, bonuses, and other small privileges of long service, they will be told they must now give up their jobs and either find, or be found, a new one. The latter could only be, in most cases, less well-paid; also, the men could scarcely hope, in competition with more experienced and younger men, who have already spent years at the work, to reach a status in a new job comparable to that which they have given up. V/e would feel obliged to tell men about the retiring age at the tine of taking them on, and we fear we would have.difficulty in recruiting labour. On my brief experience here, I would be quite prepared to continue employment up to 60 years of age. If susceptibility increases with age, however, we may be faced with a succession of cases to whom the firm would be obliged to pay compensation for loss of health or earning power. Is this a real risk? I see Dodds from time to time and he wished me to thank you for your message of greeting which I conveyed to him; he hoped to be able to write you, but I imagine that, like you, he is overwhelmed with work and he may not have found the opportunity. He was delighted that you had replied so fully to my last letter, and was greatly inter ested in the reprints which you sent and which I lent to him. We are indeed sorry that you won't be able to visit us while the war lasts. An occasional visit, while the actual problems are facing us, would have been more rapidly fruitful of results, I feel, than our present procedure of dealing with the sources of exposure and so on, as we discover them, however interesting vie find that to be. Vie would warmly have welcomed such visits from you, and we shall certainlymlook forward to meeting you after the war is over. K * 0010107 VJith kindest regards, . Yours sincerely,