Document N29kgaow31n9vmdLYE5Q1oM9Q

o o xo: ui < V -Qap> tO dm pO -P i-H0P) <u 3 $ H O >Q>s ft fH o .H o ce a ft tOo p f--I * oa W <D P HP s? \ `r yK -** -* THE ASSOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED /. 20, BERKELEY SQUARE, LONDON. W.1 COPY Tth July, I960 Or. K.D.Fairley, 421, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne S.C.2., Australia. . * Dear Dr. Fairley, As you may well be aware, a new anti-knock compound, Tetramethyl Lead, has been introduced into certain types of gasoline at present in use in limited areas in the U.S.A. The manufacture of tetramethyl lead compound, the distribution, blending with gasoline and sale of such gasoline is being carried out with the knowledge and consent of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and of the Health Authorities of the individual States concerned. As you are no doubt aware, the Surgeon General of the U.S.Public Health Service has no legal authority in this matter and functions purely in an advisory capacity. It is to be assumed that in due course gasoline containing tetramethyl lead will be introduced into areas outside the U.S.A. With this in view. Dr. Kehoe, Director of the Kettering Laboratory, Cincinnati, and I have just completed a tour of Western European Countries, during the course of which we have provided Government Health Authorities, Occupational Health Leaders, Oil Company Doctors and our own Consultants with all the information that we have to date on the toxicological and public health aspects of this material, both in a concentrated form and when blended with gasoline. The higher volatility of tetramethyl lead would appear to increse the hazard, with particular reference to the handling of gasoline, but this is counter--balanced to some extent by the lower toxicity vis-a-vis tetraethyl lead and in any case the overall increase is of little or no practical significance. Since the overall problem does not differ substantially from that presented by tetraethyl lead, the same safety recommendations will be applied in respect of manufacture and distribution as apply to tetraethyl lead at the present time. KE 000824-"> N9643.01 I enclose such information as we have available at the present time* including a copy of a Report by Dr.Kehoe of a field trial which was undertaken in a taxicab garage in California in the summer of 1959* In accordance with our past practice, we feel it would be desirable to inform the appropriate health authorities in Australia of the possibility that gasoline containing T.M.L. may be introduced into your country and to acquaint them with the nature of the hygenic question and its present status in the U.S.A. We should be most grateful if you would undertake to provide this information to the appropriate health authorities on our behalf as soon as possible* and to inform us of what proeedurial action* if any* would be required in Australia prior to the introduction of this material into gasoline* Subsequently we should be grateful if you would inform our other Medical Consultants in Australia. A copy of this letter is being forwarded to Mr. Batchelor who will bo happy to assist you in any way that he can. I trust that all is well with you and look forward to hearing from you soon. With kind regards, Xours sincerely, (P.S.I. Barry) : Chief Medical Officer 0008246