Document DDOBRXq1oM9z0XOgn4ny4w92O

Mr. F. 1* VanMMv Sor**sy 420 Iwm ' " hv Mi IT, . T. Soar Mr. Meswoort Vs ar oaoXoftinf copy of. ft lt,tr tew Pretfoaaor BrSakor of U BeportaMcsfe of tetastrfal %x&8% iomnl Mww4ty? msdor date of fifcrawFy If* l$47,. with steMi eepy of loitor torn Br io tfa* aa of . olfcmto thorny in loot peiaoniBi. 1% * tft ti ttiat, as of tfeo b&ttasy amfutatw* la tte UA asig|tA> b# tttilliic to rasdartak* tfro sta^r* Imrm r#ay traly* '"'i'-JC. -&i&!*e(&'~ix' ' mmEm-tr- / 6 <* Mr B F. Marpfey Mr. I. 7. ComrtX- Memo to Mr. Murphy: Do you think that it would be worth while for us to make a study? //,- filler- wtf ohl iikf y***' a , F. C;mrntft. RECDFEB 24 1247 c 0 P I HARVAHS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Department of Industrial Hygiene 55 Shattuck Street Boston 15, Masaachusstts February 19, 1947 Mr. Andrew Fletcher St, Joseph Lead Company 250 Park-Avenue New York, New York Dear Mr. Fletcheri ..... Ebcloaed is copy of letter of February ISth from my colleague. Dr. Marshall Clinton, Jr. to me on citrate therapy in lead poisoning. AH of us in this area hare given this matter considerable thought and study and 1 thought you would be interested in it. Tour comments would be appreciated. Sincerely yours. Pd/t (Signed) Phil Philip Drinker DR6100045 c 0 p I February 18, 1947 Professor Philip Drinker Harvard School of Public Health 55 Shattuek Street Bostons 15, Massachusetts . Dear Professor Drinkeri Recent reports (references appended) indicated that sodium citrate is an effective therapeutic agent in lead poisoning, and that the dally ad ministration of 15-20 grama of sodium citrate to Individuals with a history of long-continued lead absorption causes an appreciable increase in urinary and fecal excretion of lead* Citrate presumably exerts this favorable action by forming a soluble complex: with laad which removes lead from tie- suea and permits its excretion * It occurs to me that prophylactic adminis tration of citrate to workers who are unavoidably exposed to lead might be of considerable benefit, X am bringing this to your attention because I wondered whether you might not be interested in seeing such a study carried out inu, connection with the . smelters of lead with whom you are associated. It is my opinion that a field study of tha utility of citrate would havei-in considerable practical as well as scientific value, I would propose the following study obl workers exposed to leads 1, Determine physical and exposure status of a group of workers and measure their urinary lead output, 2, Divide them into two group* and administer sodium citrate -10 grama daily - to one of the groups for a period of one month* 3, Check the urinary lead'output of treated and control groups after 5, 10, 20, and 30 days, for purposes of comparing the lead output of the two groups. Cheek . the physical status orthe group# at the end of this period* 4 Th*0 reverse the groups'- administer citrate to those who had nofrreceived it, and give no citrate to those who had received it. Again, check the urinary lead output of both groups after 5, 10, 20, and 30 days. Determine IhaTphysical status of each group at the end of the 30-day period* . * --- If citrate is as e ffactive as claimed, and the workers under study are undergoing appreciable lead absorption, I should aspect the following! 0RS100046 >1 1* Increased lead, output when citrate is started, followed by return t usual levels as body adjust* itself to same intake but lower contained level of leads 2# Decreased lead output when citrate is discontinued, foSoweT"by return to usual levels as body adjusts , itself to higher contained level of lead* < 3# Increased well-being Mid ifeaem of any evidence of lead poisoning la group receiving citrate* Such a study seem* to me highly practical, although I realise that the frequent collection and analyse* of urine samples which it requires would be difficult# It would be an ideal study for a few men living under controlled conditions* The variability encountered among workers living a* they please would tend to be eliminated by having reasonably large groups, so that statistical analyses could be applied# The procedure of giving citrate, and the routine and intervals of collecting samples would have to be rigidly standardised to pewit a statistical comparison of the results* - Sodium citrate is salty, but can be taken without difficulty if given in divided doses in a large volume of water (1Q0-2GQ cc) It can be made more palatable by the use of fruit Juices or flavor! syrup** The doses in volved are entirely non-toad#. If such a study can be carried out, we would very much like* access to the data resulting therefrom, as it would be well worth publishing, regard less of the resuits* Sincerely yours. mc/f Marshall Clinton, Jr#, M#D* RG100047 REFEREHCES la Kty* 3# S and Letonoff, T.V.i ,The treatment of lead poisoning by sodium citrate. Am* J. M. So. 205tA06 1943. 2. Letonoff, T* V. and Kety, S.S.t Effect of sodium citrate administra tion on smration of lead in urine and feces. J. Pharmacol. 77tl51. 194J* R610004