Document K6kJmpeooDx7OE0OGKRjLMOyw

_ . ' v .' Et h y l Ga s o l i n e Co r p o r a t i o n v Ch r y s l e r B u i l d i n g : ; 40S Le x i n g t o n A v e n u e S AFETY DIVISION Ro b e r t A. Ke h o e ,M.D. c h a ir m a n Os c a r B. Le w is ' M AN AGER Res s e e l Sc h e l l ASSIST AN T M AN AGER Ne w York May 26, I3U1 Dr. R. A. Kehoe Dear Dr. Kehoe: . We are enclosing original letter dated May 22nd f r o m ' 4 m | f l [ H H H H H ^ :,:^ ^ ^ o o n , Illinois, covering an alleged case of lead poisoning, for whatever atten tion you see fit. We have not acknowledged Mr letter. Very truly yours, gel Enclosure K f 0004593 RECEI VED MAY2 61941 hattoon, 111* Jay 22, 1941 The Ethyl Corporation Few York, M. Y. Dear SirJ. I am subject to lead poisoning, caused by coming in contact with the ethyl in gasoline. I have tried several treatments, including the doctors, and it seems like nothing will help it. Do you have any special treatment to recommend for this? I would appreciate very much hearing from you, as I can hardly use my hands there is so much of this poison on them. Thanking you for this favor, I am, Youra truly, 0004594 Juno 3, 19Ul ~o/o liyan Brothers Service Station 19th and Champaign Mattoon, Illinois Dear Mr Y ovt letter of May 22nd concerning youp illness, addressed to the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, of Hew York City, has been referred to me as medical consultant of the Corporation for reply. The precise nature of your illness is not clear from your letter, but I am assuming the most probable condition, some type of skin irritation, 3lnce this is much the moat frequent difficulty reported to us by persons who handle petroleum products# If this is the case, I suggest the advisability of your consulting a physician or, if you have already done so, you might ask him to communicate with me since I shall be glad to give him the benefit of any information which we have on this subject. I should make quite clear to you at this time that there is no danger of your contracting lead poisoning in connection with your work, so far as our information will enable us to judge. The lead content of leaded gasoline is too small to be of any material consequence, and in cases of skin irritation, it is the gasoline rather than the lead compound which causes the trouble# On the other hand, I am not in position to say that any skin difficulty which you may have Is due to contact with gasoline, since there are a large number of possibilities for skin irri tation which may be wholly unrelated to your employment# However we have seen some oases in which men have been so susceptible to skin irritation from gasoline that they have had to discontinue all contact with gasoline and petroleum products for a period of time which will permit thorn to recover completely. I trust that this is not the ease with you, but I suggest that you use every care to avoid contact with gasoline, that you avoid the use of strong and irritating soaps in cleaning your skin, and 2 that you maintain the utmost oars and cleanliness in the course of your work, at least until such a time as your hands have fully recovered* Generally speaking we recommend bland and unirribating ointment to be applied to the irritated skin, but again I suggest the advisability of your consulting your physician for the diagnosis and the treatment of this condition, and if ha cares tc oonsult me, I shall be glad to reply. Very truly yours, r'A K i i S Robert A. Kehoe, M.D.