Document Edv91vaO3nXE5m9Q3mkjEERJn

/ March 1 3 , 19 3 8 Dr, A, J . Lanza A ssistant Medical Director p o l l ban Life Insurance Co. New Y o r k C i t y Hew York Dear Doctor Lanzat- I am a f r a i d t h a t t h e r e I s v e r y l i t t l e T oan r i v e you In the way o f nee I n f o r m a t io n r 3 t c the i n f l u e n c e o f l e a d p o i s o n i n g on m o r t a l i t y . TJothing t h a t I have on the s u b j e c t 19 n o r t h a n y t h i n g In a 3 t a t l a t l o a l s e n s e s l n o e I h ave o n l y my own e x p e r i e n c e s Ln the m a t t e r o f c l i n i c a l c a s e s to go on, and t h e s e , I b e l i e v e , would be of very l i t t l e a ssis ta n c e to you. In the course of the past sev era l years I have seen s e v e r a l f a t a l cases o f lead p o iso n in g in c h ild r e n a3 the r e s u l t of I n g e s t i n g l e a d from t o y s , p l a y p e n s , and in one instanoe contaminated food. I have also seen sev era l cases of f a t a l encephalopathy in connection with the manufactrurw o f w h ite l o a n . I have a l s o had d i r e c t knowledge of s ix or aeven deaths from acute organic lead poisoning in connection with the oleaning of storage tanks h eav ily contaminated with te tra e th y l lea d or I t s decom position products. I can not con c e i v e o f t h e s e as h a v i n g much a i g n l f l o a n e e in r e l a t i o n to t h e g e n e r a l q u e s t i o n o f m o r t a l i t y . My e x p e - i e n c e l e a d s me to b e l i e v e t h a t f a t a l l e a d p o i s o n i n g I s q u i t e uncorsnon and a s i d e fro m the I n s t a n c e s w h i ch I have men tioned, I b e liev e that f a ta l oases ooour r a r e ly except ln oonneotion with ship breaking or cu ttin g operations ln w h i c h an oxyaoe telene blowtorch l a used on a h e a v i l y painted surface under conditions ln whloh v e n tila tio n is laoklng, or very inadequate. The only man T know who haa s y s t e m a t i c a l l y c o l l e o t e d data on t h i s s u b j e c t i s one of my o o lle a g u e s on the Committee on Lead P oisoning in the Section of In d u s tr ia l Hygiene of the American Public Health A ss o c ia tio n . I have no doubt you are f a m i l i a r with soma of Dr. Hoffman's p u b l i c a t i o n s and I b e l i e v e he has the d a t a on t h i s q u e s tio n ln b e t t e r shape than almost anyone else ln so f a r as a v a ila b le s t a t i s t i c s arc concerned. I personally doubt the ^ B 00389 2 ao c u ra cy of the s t a t i s t i c ! and In any c a s e my Impression is th at they shoe l i t t l e evidence of a significance of lead poisoning in mortality tables* I f I oan he of any a s a l s t a n o e to you in g e t t i n g Or. Hoffman*! r e p o r t s , do not h e s i t a t e to l e t me b o n , Sincerely yours, RAKtls Robert A, Kehoe, S 00890