Document KRLvNR758Bak75vzQGrE4KVMK

consumers Research , inc. W A SH I N G T O N , NEW JE R SE Y SrTFB F. J. Schlink, President and Technical Director toy 9 , 1338 Dr. Robert A. -tehee Care o f College o f ; .Medicine U n iversity, o f Cin cin n ati. C in c in n a t i, Ohio ' .. Dear Dr . Kehoes I t i s l a t e t o be an sw erin g you r l e t t e r o f December 27, b u t t h e r e ar e one or two p o in t s In i t which I t h in k sh ou ld be br ou gh t to you r a t t e n t io n , becau se you c le a r ly h ave a m isappreh en sion about u s, and I t h in k p o ssib ly abou t D r . C a r d iff t o o . I t h in k , a s t o you r secon d sen t en ce, Dr. C a r d iff h as p r obably sa id a l l o r :cny o f t h e t h in gs a t t r i b u t e d t o b in , b e c au se h e i s a fr e q u e n t .c o n t r ib u t o r of p u b lic it y m at e r ial fo r h is poin t o f view to w estern fr u it - t r a d e jo u r n a ls, and se v e r a l p e o p le , in c lu d in g Dr . C a r d i ff, h ave t ak en p a in s t o se e t h a t we were su p p lie d w ith c o p ie s. Secon d , I t h in k s c i e n t i f i c sen sak e a g r e a t m ist ak e in scan eip g so f a r a lo o f from t h e t r o u b le an d t u r m oil o f th o w orld o f a p p lie d scien ce t'h at th ey do n ot concern th em selves t o co r r e ct m isappreh en sion s o f a g r o ss n u tqr e 'which ap p e ar in p r i n t . I know a l l o f t h e argu m en ts fo r n ot b ein g bot-ix'ecl w ith t h e t r i v i a l i t i e s and t e m p o r a lit ie s o f clay-by-day m isr e p r e c e n t at ic n s o f n ew spapers and t r ad e jo u r n a ls; I a l so know th e r e s u l t s which commonly flow fr o m :sc i e n t i fi c men' s f a i l u r e t o con cern t h em selves vrith such .p r a c t i c a l m a t t e r s, p a r t ie u l a r .Tv p t he low esteei^gw h lch s c i e n t i f i c se n t en d t o be h e ld on accou n t o f t h e l^ ijn cd lice r n w ith t h e p u b lic w e lfar e . The fa c t t h at you r e se n t what you c o n sid e r t o be e x a gge r a t io n In a ''h o ly " cau se i s no r e a so n fo r n ot con cer n in g y o u r se l f, i f I may say so , w it h misr e p r e se n t a t io n in a s e l f se r v in g c a u se . Th at i s a l i t t l e b i t l i k e t h e fam ous econ om ist who d isp o se d o f Tour Money1s worth in a r eview in a le a r n e d economic jo u r n a l, by e x p la in in g t h a t such; w ast e s a s we d isc u sse d in t h e book w ere, o f c o u r se , r e a l and ex i s t e n t , blut th ey d id n ' t salve an ;/ d iffe r e n c e b e c au se w ast e s in in d u st r y t en d to can cel each oth er o u t . You a l so sp eak o f c o n fu sio n . Modern s o c i a l s c i e n t i s t s know t h a t i t i s a l s o most con fusin g] t o p r op ose a se p a r a t ism betw een em ot ion al r e so o n se and h on est and p r o d u ct iv e t h o u gh t . As u n d e r st an d in g o f t h e human mind ad v an ce s, i t i s d i s cover ed t h a t idle su p p osed ly a lo o f s c i e n t i s t i s ju s t a s se l f- se r v i n g in h i s way a s t h e su p p osed ly em ot ion al o r se n sa t io n a lly minded m an .of t h e s t r e e t ox* o f h u st in g s. Avoidan ce o f t h e ar e n a where o t h e r p eop le a r e being" scr at ch e d up in c o n t r o v e r sie s i s I t s e l f a form o f s e l f - s e r v i c e , and t h e common man who i s wrong about, many t h i n g s, t o b e su r e , i s r ig h t in h i s a p p r e c ia t io n in ge n e r al o f t h o se whojdo n ot sh r in k from com batin g a wrong or c o r r e c t in g a m isr e p r e se n t a t io n in Con su m ers' Research is organ ized on a n on -com m ercial basis to provide u n biased in form ation an d coun sel on good s bou gh t by th e u ltim ate con sum er. N 6287 Dr . Rob er t A. Hehoe - 2- May 9 , 1938 e m ot ion ally d ist u r b in g s i t u a t i o n s . He r e se n t s co o ln e e s and a lo o fn e ss in d eed on a la r g e s c a l e , a s be d id in t h e c a se when Mr. Hoover was made t o seem scf by t h e e m o t io n ally e ffe c t iv e Mr. C h ar le s M ich elson . I was nob - p r op osin g t h a t you sh ou ld fi g h t w in d m ills; I was p r o p o sin g m erely t h a t when you see a w id e ly prom u lgated m ist ak e in v o lv in g y o u r work o r p r o fe ssio n a l i n t e r e s t s , you sh ou ld t u r n from you r r e g u la r d u t ie s lo n g enough to try- t o c o r r e ct i t . I do n ot con sid er t h a t a m atter o f ch oice in a sc i e n t i fic man -- and I h ave known a good many an d worked with- many a s w e ll - I co n sid e r i t m ain ly a m at t e r o f sim p le d u t y , e sp e c i a l l y when a q u e st io n o f t o x i c i t i e s in v olv in g a |ver y l a r g e fr a c t i o n o f t h e t o t a l p o p u lat io n "i s in v o lv e d .' I agr e e w ith you t h a t t h e r e h as been t o o l i t t l e soun d c l i n i c a l and e xp er im en t al work in t h e f i e l d , bu t you can n ot blam e u s o r th e em otion ally- m in d ed p eo p le whom you r e se n t ., fo r t h a t . I t seem s t o me t h a t an e x c e lle n t o p p o r t u n it y fo r r e se n t ment e x ist e d a t t h e moment when Con gr ess p a sse d l e g i s l a t i o n st o p p in g t h e work which i t h ad p r e v io u sly approved on t h e t o x i c i t y o f le a d a r se n a t e , and th e Food arrLBrug A d m in ist r at io n n ot on ly st op p ed i t , b u t a l s o d e st r o y e d t h e ex pen sively acquired eviden ce alread y av ailab le in th e b od ies of th e experim en tal an im als. I t seems t o me t h a t an y t o x i c o l o g i s t who i s st r o n g fo r sound c l i n i c a : and exp er im en tal work would h ave a duty t o beeome a t l e a s t r e aso n ab ly em ot ion al ab ou t t h e d e st r u c t io n o f many t h ou san d s o f d o l l a r s w orth o f su ch work o f t h e v e r y h igh e st gr ad e an d a u t h o r it y known t o modern in v e st ig a t o r s i n h is f i e l d . T'rfe wrong done by Co n gr ess, i t seem s t o me, i s w it h in t h e scop e o f p r op er in t e r e st o f t o x i c o l o g i s t s who would h ave u sed t h e fin d in g s h ad th ey n ot been ren d red u n u sable by ad m in ist r at iv e act io n or fa ilu r e o f ad m in ist r at ive a c t io n , and p r op er p u b lic it y t o a d an gerou s si t u a t i o n , on th e p a r t o f o t h er toxicolog In a way you se e , you a r e ar gu in g bot h w ays in you r l e t t e r : t h e r e sh ou ld be more f a c t u a l , s c i e n t i f i c in fo r m at io n an d few er n otion al e x p r e ssio n s in r e gar d t o i t j y e t . when fa c t u a l m a t e r ia l i s - su p p r essed o r p r even t ed from b e in g d evelop ed , i t would a p p e a r , fo llo w in g y o u r own n om en clat u r e, t h a t th e tim e h as come fo r some d e gr e e o f b ein g em ot ion al abou t t h e su p p r e ssio n , and i t h as n ot come t o my kn ow ledge, th ough I h ave fo llo w e d t h e c a se c l o se l y , t h a t t h e w e ll- q u a lifie d t o x ic o lo g ic a l exp er ts o f th e coun try h ave seen t h e ir duty in th e prem ises and done i t . As t o you r h avin g y e t t o se e a c a se o f i l l - h e a l t h d em on str ab ly d e r iv in g from t h e u se oir con tam in ated f r u i t , we knovi o f a n umber, an d o f f i c i a l s and a d v ise r s o f t h e fe d e r a l govern men t h ave n ot on ly known o f a n um ber, b u t h ave given evid en ce o f them b e fo r e a c o n gr e ssio n a l com m ittee. R e su lt s o f such evid en ce in t h is or a sim ilar case were also su ppressed by th e a c t o f a con gression al c o i t i c e l a ! the fac t of co n t r o v e r t e d t h e r e a ft e r ) xn one o f t h e le it - w x n g jo u r n a ls^ Your ^comment xn t h i s con n ect ion rem in ds u s somewhat o f t h e home econ om ist from t h e St a t e o f W ash in gton who f e l t t h a t we, t a d no r i g h t t o c o n sid e r - t h a t a c a se o f p o iso n in g h ad o ccu r r e d from f r u i t in an y case where t h e p er son d ie d o r became i l l un der cir cu m stan ces which d id n ot perm it t h e atten d an ce o f a p h y sician or p a t h o lo g ist e sp e c ia lly q u a lifie d in t h f i e l d . I t was n ot a co in cid e n ce t h a t sh e was from t h e St a t e o f W ash in gton . Sh e was e m o t io n ally bound up in t h e a p p r o p r ia t io n s t o a c e r t a in p u b lic i n s t i t u t i o n , th ough sh e th ou gh t sh e was b e in g very u n em otion al abou t t h e whole m at t e r . Ho or d in ar y p h y sic ia n , sh e h e ld , h ad any b u sin e ss p a ssin g Dr. Robert A. Kehoe May 9 , 1958 on a c a se !o f a r se n ic p o iso n in g, ano^ i f h e t h ou gh t i t was a r se n ic p o iso n in g, i t very l i k e l y w asn 't u n le ss he h acf been t o t h e r ig h t in st i t u t i o n and st u d ie d un der t h e r ig h t p e o p le . By t h i s c a lc u lu s t h e r e a r e c e r t a in ly no d em on str ab le c a se s o f a r se n ic and. le a d p o iso n in g due t o con tam in ated f r u i t , b e cau se few p e o p le h ave been t h o u gh t fu l enough t o h ave t h e i r se r io u s i l l n e s s o r d eath occu r u n der p r o p e r and su p e r - p r o fe ssio n a l a u sp ic e s. I do not w ish t o q u a r r e l w ith you on t h i s p o in t a t a l l } I r e a l i z e t h a t most s c i e n t i f i c men h ave t h e i r b lin d sp o t s and t h e i r st r o n g w il l - t o - d i sb e l ie v e in f i e l d s where t h ey f e e l t h a t t h e on ly e x p e r t n e ss i s tatiii inf t h e i r own an d t h a t o f a few c o lle a g u e s who h appen t o agr e e f a i r l y c lo se ly w it h th em. However, t h e r e a r e a l a r g e number o f a u t h o r i t i e s, and t h ey a r e t h e b e st p o ssib le a u t h o r i t i e s a s m easu red by t h e cu stom ar y c r i t e r i a a v a il a b l e t o s c i e n t i f i c men, who ' d isa g r e e st r o n g ly an d ou t sp ok en ly w ith y o u . Ju s t why an yon e l i v i n g in t h i s com p licat ed age sh ou ld su ppose t h a t i t i s wrong t o con du ct propagan da in fav o r o f th e p u b lic h ealth bu t r igh t t o do r esear ch which, reason ab ly in t e r p r e t e d , c a l l s f o r propagan da o r some socioecon om ic u se , I am u n ab le t o d et er m in e. Th at a t t it ild e tow ard s c i e n t i f i c w ork-w as much commoner f i f t y y e a r s ago t h an now. I t was alm o st th e st an d ar d view in h igh ly p r o t e c t e d i n s t i t u t i o n s in t h e govern ment se r v ic e a s l a t e a s 1315 when I was in t h e Bu r eau o f St a n d a r d s.' I t i s now r egar d ed u s a b i t o ld - fa sh io n e d t o seek t o w all o f f sc ie n c e from l i f e in such a sh ar p ly p a r t it io n e d fa sh io n . As a m at t e r o f f a c t , a good many w r it e r s in th e s o c i a l sc ie n c e s h ave d isc u sse d t h e su b je c t and t h e b lin d n e ss o f t h o se who ar e supposedl;^-_.t eac h in g. o t h e r s t o se e , in such f i e l d s a s you r own. You w i l l fin d t h e p oi'CKlor xefly b u t w e ll p r e se n t e d in t h e book The Hew UIn iv'veei r se , by Dr. jak or Br ow n ell o f N orth w estern U n iv e r sit y , p p . 4 ,5 , and 8 - liar eh 133$J p r in t in g . IRZ-7 I do n ot in t h e l e a s t mind you r somewhat a c id comments on my own work an d t h a t o f our o r g a n iz a t io n . Th at view p oin t i s e n t ir e ly a m at t e r o f you r own a t t i t u d e s , o p in io n ,^ p e r so n al and o f f i c i a l co n n ect ion s an d i n t e r e s t s . We do n ot r a ise any qu estion a s t o your r igh t t o .t ak e th e p o sit io n t h at th e a p p lic a t io n o f you r sc ie n c e t o human a f f a i r s , w h eth er i t i s m isap p lie d o r n ot a p p lie d a t a l l , d oes n ot i n t e r e st you } ju s t a s you w ould n ot wash t o q u a r r e l w ith u s in our fe e lin g t h at scien ce in vacuo h as^ n o/^ p ecial sign ifican ce fo r u s except as a frequ en tly in t e r e st in g p sy ch ologicaj^ ^ p n 'om eion r ^ ^ I know you w il l h ave f u l l t o le r a n c e fo r my h avin g been co r r e sp o n d in gly fr an k w ith you i n r e p ly in g . I t i s by such d e fi n i t e and c le a r - c u t ( I h ope) in t e r ch an ges op p o in t s o f view t h a t th e w orld p r o gr e sse s ( i f i t d o e s). Very t r u ly you rs, en c; "H ealt h H azards in Con tam in ated F o o d s,1 by P. J . H an zlik