Document MJOB11Bd57LV8NNeOeLLgzQdz

March 13, 1956 Dr. .Charles H. Daffin 536 East Fourth Street Panama City, Florida Dear Doctor Daffin: Your letter of March 3 raises questions which cannot be answered with absolute certainty. However, an answer can be given in such a way as to deal satisfactorily with all but the most unusual cases. In general, exposure to gasoline vapors in high concentration is serious as to life, since the hydrocarbons induce narcosis promptly when in sufficient concentration (I don't know just what you mean by 100% concen tration, but I mu3t assume that you mean a high concentration. Your patient must not have been trapped, for if he had been, he might easily have lost his life), and unless one escapes before unconsciousness ensues, or unless he is removed and resuscitated promptly, he does not resume breathing. On the other hand, resuscitation is followed generally by com plete recovery in a fairly short time. The outcome depends, to a consi derable extent, upon the composition of the gasoline, however. The higher the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons, the more likely one is to have a more prolonged illness. You will recognize, I believe, that modern gasoline is quite.a mixture or special blend of petroleum products, and therefore it is hard to anticipate all. of its effects. In general I shoddnot expect even severe exposure to gasoline vapors for a few minutes to result in clinically demonstrable damage to the liver. I do not say that it is not possible, but it is unlikely. One wonders, therefore, whether your patient was not ill or in the clutches of an illness (one of the forms of clinical hepatitis which occur not infrequently) at the time of his exposure to gasoline. It is not quite the same thing, but one does not expect severe damage to the liver to occur as the consequence of even quite an alcoholic binge. Mo more would I expect it in connection with the exposure to gasoline which you have described (too briefly to enable one to estimate it3 severity). Certainly chloroform induces severe liver damage with much greater ease and frequency than do the petroleum hydrocarbons, but only rarely does it, when used briefly, cause persistent hepatitis or hepatosis. (I am speaking here of a time when chloroform was used frequently, for the prompt and brief induction of anesthesia.) Dr. Charles H. Daffin * (2) - March 13, 1956 If I were responsible for your patient, I would wish to make sure whether or not he now has some persistent form of liver damage or disease. If he does not have evidence of such disease, I would consider carefully whether he may have had an attack of hepati^disease of a type that .may recur., If, however, the history and the sequence of events in his illness was such that the hepatic injury seems almost certainly to have stemmed from his experience with gasoline, I would tell him to forget about the likelihood of further trouble from that cause. The type of injury that might occur from that cause should be completely reversible and without sequel. I should be interested to know how your patient gets along in the near future, and if you would.care to write to me further, I should be pleased. I atm sending you an article on the subject of gasoline intoxication written by one of my former associates, which covers the subject fairly well. One must recognize that aviation gasoline varies from time to time and from one refiner to another, and that we may not have seen all of the possible effects of all of the mixtures of petroleum hydrocarbons which are now in use. What I have said fits into our experience over quite a period of years, however, and represents the best information 1 can give you. Cordially yours, RAK ef Enc. Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. 00127o^ CHARLES H. DAFFIN, M. D. 536 Ea s t Fo u r t h St r e e t PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 3 March 1956 Dr. Robert A. Kehee Director of Medical Department Ethyl Corporation University f Cincinnati College of Medicine Cincinnati 19, Ohio. Dear Dr. Eehee: I have a patient wh varies with aviation gasoline and he was re cently subjected te approximately 100$ concentration fer a few minutes. Ee was made quite ill far the next few minutes and felt rockyqas he says it) for the rest f tbs day. The next few weeks he lost his appetite, felt bad, lost thirty (30#) pounds weight. Belatedly he sought medical advice and was found t hav nonictsric hepatitis. He was sent to May Clinic and now has returned to work. He asked me t write you concerning the toxic effects of high ectane gasoline, the duration of any passible damage, end a proper management of toxic effects if obtained. Ke had written somewhere for this inf rmajbiaa and had a letter which stated that if his doctor would write you that the information would be sent to the patient's family physician. Hoping to hear from you in the near future, I am. sincerely yours N13236.01 Mr*3|MNMMt 514 Bursters Cove Ed. Panama City* Florida February 17, 1958 Tills is in reference to your letter dated February 15,1958 in which you requested informa'sion concerning the tonicity haaards of aviation gasoline. A section entitled ''health Hazards of Aviation Fuels" is included on Page 9 of the booklet, "Aviation Fuels and Their Affects on Engine rurformanco", copy of which is being forwarded to you under separate cover. This is in no sense intended as a medical treatise on the subject. I have discussed your letter with Dr, C, J. Sprunk of our Detroit Medical Department and at his suggestion wo ore forwarding it to Dr. Robert A. Kehoe who is Head of the Medical Department of the Ethyl Corporation and rill toko ouch action as he deems desirable. It'is possible that he would feel more inclined to discuss this case directly with your doctor and it is suggested that your physician contact Dr, Kehoe whose address is: Dr. Robert A. Kehoe College of Medicine University of Cincinnati Cincinnati 19, Ohio Tours very truly. P.VXtrel cot Dr* It. A. Kehoe' Dr. C. J. Sprunk Central File ORIGINAL SIGNED Q'f. ROBERT V. KERLET, Robert V. Kerley, Director Products Application Division O'- .. i . . N13236.02 9^?. (p. I/. P/AsCA&^f (pJUte-iLAsoi^ jXt pk$L&<x t 99A /fs~ ifV!^ ON Y B 1 fi 1356 Per;. ])&4vU /Cpl&u^, ^ ^ -rf~ J & a^. ^ "V ^ &^r- ^-*-<-*4 <2ry, `2~ *, ,w~^ a -y -- ^ (?*~*~^ C^'-PUvJL . 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