Document Mw8OwGzzYVYk3n2zwEBRREGy

<*. o. 48 4-A 4, S t a n d a r d Oid Co mpan y (INDIANA) Reskar ch Depar t ment Box U31, Whiting, Indiana - March 12, 19U8 Dr. Robert A. Kehoe Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology University of Cincinnati Cincinnati 19, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoe: of our empWleoyheaevsewthhoemcaoynbteinueixnpgosgedenteoratloxpriocblmemateorfiaslsafeinguearitdhinegr tehxepehreimaletnhtal or manufacturing operations. Our usual procedure in the past, where such hazards were known to exist, has been to set up working conditions in which the exposure of the operators or experimenters to toxic substances would be nil or of a very low order. This, it seems to us, is quite adequate in most cases, but in operations where the toxic effects of the substances athree scaufmeguulaatridvse airteisinaddiefqfuicatueltu,inftinloatnimobpvoisosuisblcea,setoodfepteorimsoinneingwhreethsuerlts.--- Icutmwuolualtdivbeepdoeissoirnaibngle, btoefodrisecothveersyamnyptolomws boercdaemreoofbpvoioisuosn,inbgy soormceasseosrtooff periodic examination of the persons involved. Also in some cases people mknaoywenveonr bseuswpeocrkteindg. with materials, the toxic nature of which may not be It is our understanding that the medical staff of one large chemical company has reached the tentative conclusion that the first evidence of poison ing of any kind in the human body is shown by a lowering of the blood pressure. pCroenssseuqrueesn,tlay,t tfhreiqsueconmtpianntyehrvasalasd,oopftedthothsee pperarscotnicsewohof mtaakyinbge tehxepobsleododto toxic substances. Where any lowering of the blood pressure from that which is normal for the individual is observed, poisoning is suspected. This method, if adequate, would be simple for us to employ as an added safeguard to the health of those persons working where actual or potential hazards exist. Waenegcseohnuoenurtealdrledltiekisnet,,tinoandhduasvftoeryry.voaurriooupsinisopnecoifficthetypveaslueofopfotihsoenainbgovleikmeeltyhotdo, baes in our minWdse hcaovnecebreneinnggtahlevapnoizteedntiinatlohaacztairodnoofnontheisofmoautrteerxbpyeraimneunntaclertainty operations. In this work some people are exposed day after day to materials containing very minor amounts of cobalt carbonyl (less than 0.1$ concentration). Cobalt carbonyl is known to be toxic but earlier estimates by us appraised the hazard as being essentially nil, because the quantity which could get into the N21906 Dr. Robert A. Kehoe -2- March 12, 19U8 biionddy idnuritnhge laintyerwaoturkriengandyaydweofiunlditebesteaxttermemeneltythsmatalclo. balet hcaavrbeobneyelnisunaabcluemtuo lative poison but, if it is, the hazard maybe greater than we previously thought. We should appreciate receiving any information and opinions which you may have concerning the toxicity of cobalt carbonyl and any comments you maywish to make regarding the handling of it. Wewould also appreciate rinececiavsiensgoyfocuurmcuomlamtivenetspaosisotoninthge. significance of blood pressure changes Very truly yours, / j,0/ 9 CccEA-/sDsr. F.F. Heyroth B. H. SHOEMAKER Asst. Director of Research KB 0020500