Document J3gBE13Yerry7RxLRm5Lv1X76

July 11, 1955 Mr* T* R* A. Bevan .. Ethyl Export Corporation Thames House, Hillbank London, S. W* 1 England Dear Mr* Bovans I have your letter of June 15th In which you Brought to my attention the case of on and I have your more recent letter In reply ^ c ^ s ^ r e p o r c on Michele Vescia which requires no further comment from me. It is a little hit difficult for me to give an opinion on the case of Auer for the data are not adequate to justify a diagnosis. If there were a lead line on the guns and if the blood test (of whatever character it nay have been) indicated lead absorption, one may presume that some lead absorption did occur. However, the clinical picture described doos not coincide with the customary picture of lead poisoning* It is true that spasm of the blood vessels is an occasional reaction to the absorption of considerable quantities of lead. However I have never seen such a vascular spasm proceed to the development of persistent obstruction of the peripheral blood vessels resulting in necrosis. It would be ny guess that the patient in question has one of the vascular diseases known variously as Berger's Disease (in the United States), and more generally called endarteritis obliterans. If the latter Is the case, the disease can be expected to progress with remissions from time to time. Eventually I should suspect that this un fortunate man will lose certain of his extremities as the result of the progressive obliteration of the end arteries. In as much as the diagnosis is questionable, and since the disease is likely to be progressive, I should say that by all means for purely praatlc&l reasons, tills man should be kept out of exposure to all lead compounds. I have no fear that his hahdling of leaded g&soline will Influence the clinical picture In any way, but in view of the situation in Italy and elsewhere. It would be very unwise If the question of lead absorption from contact with leaded gasoline were permitted to be raised* KEf 0007027 T. R. A. Bevan I am just now off for a vacation of a fishing trip in the mountains of Colorado* I shall be out of the laboratory for a month or so but if anything happens which requires ay attention, it will be passed oh to me* ' > ' f. As to our medical consultants in Italy I think it is wise to allow the matter to ride until I come to Europe in the coming fall or winter.* With kindest personal regards, Sincerely yours, RAKjIs v Robert'A* Kehoe, 'M*i). k? 0 0 0 70 o