Document MG5w8n1mg8Lx8oV3xLzo9qY6a

January 8* 1942 Products 545 F i ftli Avenue N e w Yor:te City, *# Attention* Hr. H A, Coram Dear Sirs I have your letter of December 29 concerning Information on the subject of lead poisoning. Perhaps X can give you a few words of information vhieh may be useful to you, The committee of the American Public Health Associattdh,' of vhieh X am chairman is engaged in the preparation of a report vhieh vill appear in due time and vhieh will bring this sub* ject up to date* It vill be some time before this report is available, I should say in all frankness, that when it does appear, it will be of little practical use to you In way of in formation on lead poisoning as brought about by the absorption of lead compounds through the skin* The fact is that with the exception of tetraethyl lead and a few related compounds that at present are curiositieslead compounds do not penetrate the skin In significant quantities* It is possible that this is not strictly true with regard to hirsute skin areas* There are a few facts vhieh would seem to indicate that the hair or the hair follicle can absorb inorganic lead compounds and transmit them through the skin into the body* The evidence for this in my opinion is not good and 1 do not believe it is true. On the other hand, the facts would have to be worked out by suitable experimental means before one could be certain* In general* hovever, I think it is fair to say that if we were concerned only with the problem of lead absorption through the skin from hair dyes we Would be very little concerned About any dangers involved therein* Perhaps greater dangers arise from the contamlnstion of : the skin and the hair with leal compounds, this bringing about contamination of the hands* There is also some danger in the case of mothers With small children. Quite apart from the actual facts involved there is a very con siderable antagonism in public health circles for hair dyes that contain poisonous mineral elements* This is true* of course of cosmetics in general, A great many difficulties have occurred through the use of cosmetics containing poisonous materials, and the result has been to build up a great prejudice against poison ous ingredients} first* because they are unnecessary* and second, because they are potentially dangerous* Because of this feeling, vhieh is almost certain to lead to difficulties on the part of the distributors of such cosmetics, these materials should be avoided, if it is possible. In view of the present prevailing point of view, with particular reference to the dangers of lead Jesaop Pro d uct, In c ., p o iso n ing , X should ho lo ath e to d istrih u t a product o f t h is hind co ntaining as such as one p ercent o f lead# You have not asked f o r sy o p inio n on t h is , hut X g ive i t to you as one sho i s in a p o sit io n to reco g nise the trend in p o in t o f v ie * on these m atters* D esp ite t h is p o in t o f v ie v , hovever* X Repeat t h a t , in ny o p in io n , th ere i s l i t t l e o r no danger o f absorbing m easurable q u an t it ies o f lead through the sk in o f the scalp , as a re su lt o f the use o f an in o rg an ic lead compound in a h a ir dye Hovever, there are no a r t ic le s av ailab le , so f a r as I know/ that would tend to .*vp ro ve t h is p o in t H ith sp e cific re la t io n to r lead . ......... - ,r , i ^ i 'r ' *i r ' < ut*' V: . Very t r u ly yo u rs, f*,' x'lS-i t Li-fo . r w . . .\1 *:.#/' r V - y\. 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Hehoe, - .; \ University of Cincinnati, ` Cincinnati, Ohio. - v**' \ ' . .1 : Dear Doctor: I am advised by the American Public Health Association, 1790 Broadway, Hew York City, that you are Chairman of the Lead Poisoning Committee. We have a copy of a book published by them, dated 1930 on lead poisoning. recent data? I am writing to ask if there is any We are manufacturers of a hair color restorer and the product contains one per cent (l<t) of lead. ! What we would like to have in partic ular is anything pertaining directly to us or on the subject of lead poisoning through the skin, ; If you have any pamphlets for sale on this subject please be good enough to let us know th cost thereof as we would like to buy the same. Vary truly yours, RAC/JL JSSSOP PRpDJICTS, INC-, By. Secretary. N 6091.01 : r m j I 30