Document EvZBqJpDb8X37KKG83M8BB7Rj

August 19 I9 U0 Mr. Harry Kaley Ethyl Gasoline Corporation Chrysler Building New York City Nov/ York Dear Mr. Kaley: With respect to the regulations to be supplied to customers of Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, concerning which there has been both correspondence and discussion betv/een Messrs. Web'o, Taylor, you and myself, we are now in position to arrive at a defin.it conclusion. I discussed this matter with representatives of the Public Health Service last Tuesday and explained to them quite fully my reasons for making the recommendation contained in ray letter of July 2nd. They are quite in agreement with me that it is altogether necessary to maintain certain regulatory mechanisms, and that there is every necessity for maintaining careful supervision of the lead concentraf_ion in gasoline. In their opinion, as also in mine, there is good reason for using signs on the pumps and for main taining the distinctive coloration of Ethyl Gasoline. On the other hand they are convinced that the use of leaflets for the purpose of warning the public have proved themselves to be impractical. In addition to the Impracticability of the use of the leaflets, I pointed out to Dr. Neal, who is the acting Director of the Division of Industrial Hygiene of the National Institute of Health, that it was no longer possible to prescribe warnings to the public which had any validity. I expressed myself as entirely willing to issue any warnings which might be regarded as necessary, but asked how I could warn the public honestly against a hazard which our experience and clinical work had shown to be non-existent. The issuance of a warning under this condition -would be professional hypocrisy and, moreover, would Involve the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation in a substantially dishonest representation of its viewpoint. It was HZ 0009306 N9947 r\ ' -2 agreed, therefore, that these leaflets should net he used. Aa to the mechanism for the expression of the official point of view of the Public Health Service, it was agreed that I should write a memorandum to the Surgeon General, to the attention of hr. L. R.Thompson, Director of the National Institute of Health, presenting my point of view concerning the use of these leaflets, and the reasons which were behind them. On the basis ' of such a memorandum the matter would be considered and such official action as might properly be taken would be transmitted either to me, or through me. For reasons which are quite understandable, the Service prefers to deal with the matter through me on a frankly professional basis. I see no reason why you should wait for any official action on the part of the Service toward thi3 matter, I think, therefore, you are in position to issue your rules and regulations to customers. With this idea in mind, I am enclosing an exact draft of the final copy of these rules and regulations. The one change which has been made in ,them since the discussion of Mr. Webb and Mr. Tailor will be noted in the paragraph at the bottom. I have discussed this paragraph with Mr. Webb and have given him the reasons for this slight modification. I trust this will all be satisfactory to everybody. Very truly yours, RAKris Robert A. Kehoe, M.D. K 0009267