Document NeMp6Ex6XjLvdevM3bb36ZeJV

THE ASSOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED ARTILLERY HOUSE, ARTILLERY ROW, LOYDOY, S.W. 1 Uelephcne: ABBEY 3974 Jrlcgrams: ETHYLPORT, SOWEST. LONDON Personal Dr. Robert A. Kehoe, Kettering Laboratory, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. YOUR REP. 21st August 1951. Dear Bob, Many thanks for your letter of August 15th regarding Dr. Boyd's visit to Cincinnati. My desire is to make certain that we have a competent and reliable Chief Medical Officer and I should dearly like Dr. Boyd to do the full three-year course, but clearly this is impossible. The programme which you outline is entirely acceptable to me and, if in the event it is found that four months is too short a period, then I should like you to know that I am quite agreeable to Dr. Boyd spending such further time at Cincinnati as you may consider necessary or desirable. Dr. Boyd is at present on a short vacation and is expected back on September 2nd. His newly appointed Assis tant, Dr. Barry, is due to join us on September l4th. I imagine that Dr. Boyd will wish to spend a minimum of one week with Dr. Barry, and, accordingly, I am suggesting to him that he make arrangements to fly to New York and directly on to Cincinnati during the week commencing the 24th September. I hope this will fit in with the plans you have for him but, if you would prefer any other date, please do not hesitate to let me know. During Dr. Boyd's absence. Dr. Bennett, whom I believe you met during your last visit to Northwich, will be available to help Dr. Barry. Dr. Bennett is in practice in Northwich and has been closely associated with our local activities there since the earliest days. In fact, he acted as Medical Consultant during the construction of the T.E.L. Plant and until the appointment of Dave Cassells. Since that time, he has kept in close touch with our affairs and, a few weeks Dr. Robert A. Kejioe Da t e 21/8/1911. ago, arrangements were made for him to act for us more or less permanently on a part-time basis. I did this largely in the belief that it would give Boyd confidence to be able to call upon an older and more experienced man as and when he felt the need to do so. Boyd was in favour of the idea and, in fact, the original suggestion came from him. Dr. Bennett, who is a man of the highest reputation locally, acts in a similar capacity for I.C.I. at Winnington largely, I understand, at Cassells1 instigation. Cassells has indicated his willingness to help us out in any way that he can during Boyd's period of training. Knowing Cassells and his interest in our affairs, I need hardly tell you that this is a very genuine offer and is what I would have expected of him. He has already been of considerable assistance to Boyd in a number of ways and has gone to some pains to put him in touch with the local medical fraternity. He has also given him some useful general advice. Boyd, as you know, is a very young man, and Dr. Phair will no doubt have told you that, for the moment, he has only the vaguest idea of what is required of him. As is only to be expected in one with such limited experience, he is finding it difficult to get his bearings. I believe him to be a sound man, conscientious and anxious to learn; with experience, I am convinced that he will do a good job for us He is keenly interested in the prospect of a visit to Cin cinnati, and I am sure you will find him good material. Boyd's assistant, Dr. Barry, is, if anything, even more inexperienced, but I believe that, with the assistance of Dr. Bennett and Dr. Cassells, he will be able to look after things quite satisfactorily during Boyd's absence. Approximately this time next year and provided you are agreeable, I should like to send Dr. Barry to spend some time with you since I am sure both the training and the ex perience will be invaluable to him. We are by no means ideally situated at the moment in view of the lack of experience of our medical staff, but, taking the long-term view, I think we have done the right thing in selecting a man as young as Boyd, and I have con siderable faith in his ability to handle the job satis factorily once he has gained a clear insight into what is required of a medical man in industry. Your paper, which I have read with very great interest, sets the position out most clearly. I have found, as a layman, considerable difficulty in explaining to Boyd that KF 001029G Dr. Robert A. Kehoe. -3- Da t e .. the job with us calls for a great deal more than merely keeping an eye on our employees to see that they are not suffering from T.E.L. poisoning. Due to his lack of training and experience, he looks upon our efforts in the medical field as a somewhat unnecessary elaboration, and the fact that he has not found any need to exercise his professional skill in treating any cases of T.E.L. poisoning since he joined us has tended to confirm this impression. I say that he has not had need to exercise his pro fessional skill in treating any cases of T.E.L. pbisoning since he joined us, but, in fact, this is not strictly true in view of the tank cleaning incident at Poole. Un fortunately, this incident coincided with the day of Boyd's employment *by us and he was pushed into it with no experience at all. The case was rather a confused one and certain aspects of it have tended to weigh heavily upon his con science. As a result, the draft report, which he has prepared and a copy of which in its final, form we intend to pass on to Dr. Merewether in accordance with our past practice in such cases, tends to draw rather more definite conclusions than the evidence would justify. I have suggested to Boyd certain alterations that might be made and have recommended that, before issuing the report in final form, he take the opportunity of his forthcoming visit to Cincinnati to discuss the evidence and his con clusions with you. There is no immediate urgency in issuing the report. Turning to personal matters, Timmie and I and the two boys are going off next Friday for a two weeks' vacation in the North of France. I only hope the weather improves since the prospect of a cold, wet beach and two exuberant children is not a very appealing one. However, I am sure we shall enjoy it whatever happens. I have not been to Paris for some considerable time and, therefore, have no news of Kathy. Is she still there? I expect to spend a few days in Paris during the first week in October and will call up U.N.E.S.C.O. on the off-chance of getting hold of her.I I rather expect to pay a short visit to the U.S.A. during the second half of October. The way things are at the moment, I imagine it will be a rushed trip, but I would certainly like to see you and will let you know what my plans are as soon as they are settled in the hope that we can meet either in Cincinnati or in New York. HI: 0010297 Dr. Robert A. Kehoe. Dat e 21/3/1951., Timmie and the boys join with me in sending love to Lucile and all best wishes to yourself. I know Timmie has in mind sending you some snapshots of William with the "Hopalong Cassidy" guns that Lucile sent him. He refuses to be parted from them and spends most of his days armed to the teeth, - a most dangerous customer! William is going off to his first boarding school next January and I think he is looking forward to it. John is doing very well at school and is growing up fast: he is already pretty big. I will pass on to Dodds your most interesting article and, when he has finished with it, X will pass it on to Boyd. Please give Dr. Phair my kindest regards. What a very charming man he is. With all best wishes to yourself, T.R.A. Bevan P.S. Since I shall be away, I- have asked Boyd to write you direct regarding his intended date of arrival, etc. Would you be kind enough to fix him up with hotel accommodation. KE" 001029