Document GK9QM0Jge4gQ4LeQjgja2KMyn
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/ment of Indust r ial Hygiene
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
SCH OOL OF PUBLIC H EALTH
55 S h a t t u c\ Street `Boston 15, <JAassachusetts
ferch 5, 1947
Dr. -Robert A. Kehoe Kettering Laboratory University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Cinci nnat i , Ohi o
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Dear Bob:
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Every now and then my good friends, American Smelting and Refining Company, have a claim against then for lead poisoning.
They are in the lead smelting business and have a very large smel ter at Alton, Illinois, vine,or the management of 1r. Luther J. Buck.
-7e have established routine urinalyses which are made from
spot samples taken under supervision in the shower room when the men are finished with their shift. Lead-free containers are used and the specimens sent to our Hygiene Laboratory at Salt Lake City where they are analyzed. Check analyses are run from time to time by other laboratories such as U. S. Public Health Service at- Bethesda, and
Massachusetts Division of Occupational Hygiene, so that all pre cautions within reason are being taken' to assure us of our accuracy. Controls on non-exposed people are run with each sample.
In the event of a suspected case of compensable lead poisoning
the men would be hospitalized at or near Alton and a 24-hour specimen
taken. Our lab would do an aliquot vihich we would then offer in
evidence, but we would like to know if your lab would make such an oc
casional analysis, so that we could use your figure if ours is questioned.
Your analyst might have to testify personally. T/e have no reason to think
ours will be questioned, save for the fact that vie would represent the de
fending company and might be accused of bias. I will assure you that there
will be- no argument about your accuracy versus ours - - if our figures are
disallowed, or our lawyers d o n 't .want to offer them in evidence v/e would
use yours; but as a matter of pride we would naturally want to use our
own data.
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There would not be much of this, but I would like to know if you will help and under what terms. Please write me and send copy to :r, Buck.
cc : Yr. L. J. Buck Dr. J. II, Aber sold