Document NENLxLZ5ebngx8BD2QmVz65OQ

Effective June 1, the State of Maryland nade it unlawful to sell toys and rlsythir.es, including children's furniture, finished with any material containing "lead or other substance of a poisonous nature from contact with which children may he in juriously affected,* unless such articles are so labeled as to show that the finish contains lead or other poisonous substance. It is a criminal statute, anA no administrative agency is authorised to issue regu lations or establish the percentages of various toxic materials that r.ay safely be used in finishes that will not require the use of warning labels. The State Department of Health has undertahen the enforcement of this lav; - c-r.fo rea rent in the sense of policing, without interpretation. It has disclaimed author lty to issue regulations, and has pointed out that ir. Maryland, in criminal cases, juries are judges of both the lav-? and the facts, and that no jury would be bound, y any action or opinion of the Department, Toy and fu niture dealers in Maryland have demanded guarantees of non-injurious f.nishes from sanufacturers, who in turn have demanded assurances from members of this industry, Some of our members have sought similar assurances from raw material munufacturers So far as we know, none have been given. Juries are judges of both lav; and fact. This s ar. rely difficult lav? to oppose. It had patent faults, end they v.-re pointed out, but the purpose, to protect children, was laudable, and could not be opposed. The hftchground was unfortunate. The Health Department had a record of thirty-one cases of lead poisoning of children in 191*8, four of vrhon died. Ten s'1 sec have beer, reported this year. The Daltiuorc City Health Department records e-hov: a total of 213 cases of lead poisoning in children 'under ten years of age since 1931. including 76 deaths. Its bulletin appeared wliile the bill vas before the Legislature, b'e are sceptical of the diagnoses but unable to dispute then. It would have been irairudent to point out tint the exposure from toys and children1 s fur.-iture is negligible and that children can contact other finishes about the 'ewe. That would have invited broader legislation restricting the use of lead. The -ti;-ore Health Department in the May issue of "Health -Tews" has already-arned parents: "Use only paint which doe6 not contain lead for repainting indoor surfaces, furniture or toys." "Do not buy paint for ir.icor use unless it is free from lead." "H.c.icve old paint from window sills before repainting v;ith bead-free pa '.at." * ---age v::3 -all act for brewer legislation. The possibility that v'h.-r s' ' .s -y -'oil:v M"...d's e.u'.-.nbe or 5a'.;-odv.s e even brer *er legislation -rest be ,._;lcvd. -2Ve do not know enough about the tonicity of the various naterials used by our in dustry. Heretofore, there lias "been r.o occasion for such an investigation. Ve should know nore. If such legislation appears elsc-whc-re, it vw.ld seen preferable to have a lav; en forced by an administrative agency with which the industry could deal. As such agency would probably know little or nothing of the tonicity of our materials, it would be '..'ell for this industry to know as much as possible and be prepared to give practical guidance, -he Scientific Section lias been exploring all sources of ? u'h information and the Conic Materials Commit tee will doubtless take the problem v.n.er consideration. k . Q. ::ac i NCA 0 03162