Document MJ7XKVr23YOzjJGXdLz0y5g0M

5--. Kehoe, T. Sr-Taytor :City.................................................................................................... ..... See me _______Investigate and report Phone me _______Comment and return Returning to you _______ Handle For your approval _______ Return For your information _______ File ___Answer direct (copy to)____________ ______________________ ___Note, Pass on to_______________________________________ __ ............Take up with Subject: I thought you might be interested in this further bit of information on the- toxicity of inorganic manganese compounds. w 21/21/56 JSTRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL j Ma y BE ^EICPSEO ONI.V UY DULY AUTHORIZED PFF'OriNEL J to pr o m subj ec t Dr. A. S. Havkes Rex D. Closson Manganese Toxicity IN T E R . OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE addr ess addr ess dat e Detroit Detroit October 2k,1956 The purpose of this memorandum is to give wider distribution to some information on manganese toxicity which Dr. T. H. Coffield picked up at the 130th ACS meeting at Atlantic City. The information as reported in his contact report from the meeting follows: "Dr. George Coleman of Wayne State University gave some interesting information on manganese poisoning. A staff member. Dr. Albert Boyle (M.D., PhD.), has recently returned from Cuba where he conferred on poisoning of workers mining and handling manganese ore. Briefly, the ore dust is taken into the lungs and through body processes divalent manganese assimilated into the system. The assimilation is cumulative and after a sufficient period a slow paralysis begins. The final result is a complete paralysis. The mechanism of attack is presumed to be similar to that experienced with nerve gases. This would involve inter ference with the transmission of impulses at the nerve synapses by manganese ion. Dr. Boyle is studying eliminating the paralysis through removal, of the ion by chelating agents and has had some success. It is Interesting to note that only divalent manganese,~the ion used as starting material In our AP-3 synthesis, causes the poisoning." y R. D. Closson- - RDC:deb cc: W. G. Lovell P. J. Schroeter C. J. Sprunk R. Sugimoto Central Files HP 001S301 N22234.01 '