Document NeYvNVjZ25k9V3qDR95aM6GED

FMPi FE- 3/ 6/ 48 ETHYL GASOLI3E Dr. Robe rt A. Kehoe and h is a s s o cia te s i n th e Ke tte rin g Labo rato ry o f Applie d Ph y s io lo gy , Un iv e rs ity o f Cin c in n a t i, publis he d an a r t i c l e i n th e March 1934 is s u e o f The jo urn al o f in d u s tr ia l Hygiene e n t it le d "An Ap p rais al o f th e Lead Hazards As s o ciate d w ith th e D is trib u tio n and Use o f Gas o line Co n tain in g Te trae th yl Load". For the pre s e n t purpo s e s , the a r t i c l e may be summarized as fo llo w s * Te traor.nyi le ad i s a he avy, c o l o r l e s s , o i l li q u i d . I t i s in s o lu b le in h ot o r n o li w a t e r , but may be d is s o lve d in g a s o lin e . Sm all amounts o f t o t r u e t n y l le a d ar e used in some automobile fu e l s ; th e amount o f t e t r a e t h y l le a .j :i gas o line i s so s m all t h a t the s o lu tio n la ck s the t o x i c o lo g i c a l p ro p e rtie s o f t e t r a e t h y l le a d . The vapors r i s i n g from tanks co n tain in g le ade d ga s o lin e do not co n tain appre ciable amounts o f le a d . However, t h i s does not mean th a t no t e t r a e t h y l le ad may be e vaporate d under any o f the p r a c t i c a l co n ditio n s o f han dlin g and use or s p i lla g e o f le a d -co n ta in in g g a s o lin e . A d i s t i n c t i o n must be made between the a ctu a l hazards o f the m anufacturing pro ce s s and the p ro b le m atical dangers i n the handling and d i s t r i b u t i o n o f the fin is h e d pro duct -- a s o -c a lle d le ade d g a s o lin e . Leaded gasoline i s handled at re fin e rie s , bulk storage p la n ts , fi l l i n g s ta tio n s , and ga ra ge s . I t i s tran s p o rte d from the b u lk de pot or s to rage p la n t i n tank tru ck s to f i l l i n g s t a t i o n s . Large numbers o f pe rsons come in co n ta ct w ith the ga s o lin e in i t s d i s t r i b u t i o n . They in h a le vapors from ta n k s , hose lin e s and s u rface s on which the gas o lin e i s s p i l l e d . At lo ading ra ck s , at f i l l i n g s ta tio n s and at o the r po ints wr.ero gan o iins i s h a n d lod r e g u la r ly , the re pe ate d s vi lift .-e of raso li.no c o n t a i n i n g lead say o riag anout tno accumulation o f s m a ll a-.cunt a o f t e t r a e t h y l le a d , by reason o f th e ir absorptio n in to wooden p la tfo rm s , or o tn e r s u rface m a te ria ls such as co n cre te , a s p h a lt, g r a v e l,c in d e r,3 or e a rth . Under such co n d itio n s some po rtio n o f the te tr a e t h y l le ad i s 0004699 e vaporate d s lo w ly and the remainder undergoes de co m po s itio n. In e ith e r case o pportunity fo r in h alatio n o f le ad on the p a rt o f persons in the v ic in it y may h e pro vide d, tho ugh, no do ubt, most o f the accumulations are d is s ip a te d by fre que nt ho sing, or by r a i n fa ll . Tank-truck handle rs o f such gas o lin e are in a d iffe r e n t cate go ry from e ith e r f i l l i n g s t a t i o n atte ndants and garage m e chanics. A number o f tank wagon handle rs were s e le cte d fo r s tudy on the b a s is o f t h e i r le n gth o f exposure to le ade d gas o lin e on se parate o ccas io ns * About o n e -h a lf o f th e tank wagon handle rs had beenexposed fo r about fi v e ye ars or more. Mo case o f le ad in to x ic a tio n was found among the s u b je cts * Ko c l i n i c a l e vide nce o f le ad absorptio n o r le ad in to x ic a t io n were found i n any in d i v id u a l, and no in d ic a tio n o f le ad abs o rp tio n , as a consequence o f the e xpo s ure , was de te cte d when the s u b je cts were compared as t o t h e i r le ad e xcre tio n w ith co rre spo nding groups o f unexposed pe rsons who had been s tu d ie d . In f a c t , no combination o f symptoms and p h ys ica l fin d in gs were s u gge s tiv e o f le ad in t o x i c a t i o n . Evide nce s o f le ad ab s o rp tio n , which are common among le ad w o rke rs, were cons picuo us ly abse nt* There i s no s u b s ta n tia te d case o f le ad in to x ic a tio n in the d i s t r i b u t i o n and use o f such.gas o line a ft e r ye ars o f continuous u s e . The a n a ly t ic a l r e s u lt s o f e xpe rim e ntal fin d in gs s e rve to c l a s s i fy tank wagon handle rs as d i s t i n c t l y o u ts id e the hazardous le ad tra d e s . In vie w of the n e gative evidence obtained in th is study o f persons exposed to leaded O O s>* ga s o lin e , the re i s no re ason to fe a r the e xis te n ce o f danger to th e ir h e a lth o o f tank wagon d rive rs d i s t r i b u t i n g le ade d g a s o lin e . O c.' A subsequent a r t i c l e (18 Jo u rn . In d u s t r ia l Hygie ne and To xico lo gy) publis he d in January, 1936, lik e w is e e n t i t l e d , may be ve ry b r i e fly summarized: Under co n tro lle d e xpe rim e ntal co n d itio n s , no in d ic a tio n o f o ccu p a tio n al le ad abs o rptio n was give n by f i l l i n g s t a t i o n atte n dan ts dis pe n s in g ga s o lin e and le ade d g a s o lin e . F i l l i n g s t a t i o n atte n dan ts who had handle d la rge q u a n titie s o f le ade d gas o lin e ove r pe rio ds o f 3 .5 and 6 y e a r s , r e s p e c t iv e ly , -when abru ptly removed from employment and s tu d ie d under labo rato ry co n d itio n s fo r months, fa i le d t o show any. e vide nce o f o ccupatio n al le ad a b s o rp tio n . Lik e w is e , men s tu d ie d fo r months be fo re employment as garage me chanics de ve lope d no e vide nce o f occupational lead absorption. Lead e xposure as s o cia te d w ith th e handling and dis pe n s in g o f ga s o lin e containing te trae th yl lead at fi l l i n g s tatio n s i s n e gligib le . Dr. Lo uis J. Moorman, F .A .C.S ., Oklahome Ci t y , and former Dean o f the Me d ical Scho o l o f the Un iv e rs ity o f Oklaho m a,.has w ritte n an a r t i c l e conce rning in d u s tria l gas hazards a ris in g through the consumption o f petroleum p ro d u cts . I t may be b r i e fl y summarized as fo llo w s * jjl Acute po is o n in g may r e s u lt in sudden and immediate asphyxia w ith p a ra ly s is o f re s p ira tio n and h e art fa i lu r e and d e ath . In cas e s re co ve rin g from the immediate e ffe c t s o f acute p o is o n in g, pulmonary edema may d e ve lo p . Subacute po is o n in g may le ad to i r r i t a t i o n o f the mucous membranes; such i r r i t a t i o n be ing m anife ste d as c o n ju n c t iv it is , r h i n i t i s , p h a ry n gitis , la r y n g i t i s and b r o n c h it is , ran gin g from a m ild t o se ve re fo rm . These m an ife s tatio n s may not appear u n t i l a fe w hours a ft e r e xpo s ure . "When pneumonia o ccu rs , i t i s pro bably due t o e xposure or to secondary or in d ir e c t facto rs . From the s tandpo int o f in d u s tr ia l compe nsation, i t i s ne ce s s ary to * Asphyxia r e s u ltin g from petroleum gase s i s o f th e simple type and due to the e xclu s io n o f oxygen from th e re s p ira to ry t r a c t . 0004701 de te rmine whether o r no t ge nuine damage has re s u lte d from the in h a la tio n o f gase s from pe trole um p ro d u cts . In atte m pting to determine the m e rits o f any p a r tic u la r c a s e , i t i s w e ll to h e ar in mind th a t p r e -e x is t in g chro nic co n d itio n s , e s p e c ia lly c a rd io -re s p ira to ry a ffe c t i o n s , may le ad to co n fu s io n p a r t ic u la r ly in tho s e who are co n s cio u s ly or un co n s cio us ly m a lin ge rin g. He may d e clin e t o re tu rn t o work be cause o f a lle ge d he adache , w eakne ss, burning s e n s atio n in his lu n gs , s ho rtne s s o f b r e a th , p a lp it a tio n o f the he art and a fe e li n g o f o ppre s s io n or pain i n his c h e s t . Claim an t' s p o s s ib le pro pe ns ity fo r compensation may le ad to spurio us symptoms, which have no r e la t i o n t o the a lle ge d co n d itio n ; or he may e rro ne o us ly a ttrib u te one or more o f the fo llo w in g de scribe d co nditio ns to gas po is o n in g: 1 . Chronic s i n u s i t i s which i s common among persons who are able to carry on t h e ir d a ily ro utine work, might be considered a r e s u lt o f a lle ge d gas in g and th e conse que nt i r r i t a t i o n o f the upper re s p ira to ry t r a c t . 2 . Chro nic no n-tube rculo us pulmonary i n fe c t i o n s , giv in g r is e to b r o n c h it is , bro n chial asthma, e t c , are fre q u e n tly pre se nt without m ate rially a ffe ctin g earning ca p a city. 3 . Sl i g h t l y a c t i v e , la te n t or arre s te d pulmonary tu b e rcu lo s is may be p re s e n t, w itho ut o b vio u s ly im pairing the in d i v id u a l's cap acity fo r work. 4 . Chronic h e a rt le s i o n s , e s p e c ia lly tho s e in v o lv in g o nly the myocardium, may be pre s e nt fo r ye ars be fo re the y are d is co ve re d . I t i s w e ll to be ar i n mind the fa c t th a t pe trole um gas e s ( e xce ptin g hydrogen s u lp h id e ) are n o n -ir r it a t in g or s l i g h t l y i r r i t a t i n g as phys iants and do no permanent damage t o th e re s p ira to ry system and th a t th e p a th o lo gica l co n d itio n s mentioned above are common in many in d iv id u a ls who are able to w ork. I f non-tuberculous re s pirato ry co nditio ns pre vio usly e xis te d , in clud in g 0004702 actio n from card iac we akne ss, a thorough in v e s t ig a tio n o f sonal h is to ry may e s ta b lis h t h i s fa c t "While i t may o r may ie to e s ta b lis h the e xis te n ce o f chro n ic pulmonary tu b e r c u lo s is , say th at the in h alatio n o f petroleum gases could not operate oor; cause o f tu b e rcu lo s is Or. Moorman's te stim o ny i n Alle n v . Sh e ll Pe trole um Co rp. , 146 Kan. c?, 68 p a c .(2d) 651 ( 1 9 3 7 ) , may be b r i e fl y summarized as fo llo w s : He s p e c ia liz e s :r ^ce ase s o f the re s p ira to ry t r a c t and o f the lu n gs . He has se e n and e.?.mined many employees w orking in the pe trole um in d u s try . He has ne ve r found v. man s u ffe rin g from pneumoconiosis ( lun g d is e as e due to in h a la tio n o f minute p a rtic le s ) as a r e s u lt o f in h a lin g pe trole um gase s or fum e s *. Pe troleum gase s and fumes are not harm ful, e xce pt when one is exposed to s u ffi c i e n t co n ce n tratio n to ge t the acute or ane sthe tic e ffe c t , i .e ., asphyxiation or unconsciousness. A large amount may cause a pe rson to become un co n s cio us , and even d i e . But i f such pe rson re co ve rs co n s cio u s n e s s , he w i l l be mere ly groggy fo r two or thre e hours a fte r which he co m ple te ly re co ve rs . There i s no permanent e ffe c t from in h a lin g petroleum fumes. ' Be fo re w ritin g h is a r t i c l e fo r Oxfo rd Me dicin e , Br. Moorman examined vario u s m e dical a u th o ritie s and did n o t fin d a s in g le one which re co gnize d an o ccu p atio n al d is e as e in co n n e ctio n w ith han dlin g pe trole um p ro d u cts . 0004703 M. Octaviu s Spe nce r, i n Re print 78 6, Pu b lic He alth Re po rt September 1922, i n d is cu s s in g th e ^"f a c t o f ga s o lin e fume s, shows th a t exposure to gas o lin e fumes may cause de cre ase d ca p a city fo r w ork. He s ta te s th a t th e fo llo w in g symptoms, i n vario us co m binatio ns , may appe ar: * Minute p a r t ic le s are not found i n gase s o r fum e s . ^ "d iz z in e s s , i r r i t a t i o n o f the t h r o a t , he adache , v e r t i g o , dro w s ine s s , lo ss o f ap p e tite , d is tate fo r fo o d , co n s tip atio n , pain in the stomach, nause a, vo m itin g, s tu p id ity and l i s t l e s s n e s s , lo s s o f s tre n g th ,v ins o m nia, loss o f w eight, paleness or lo ss o f co lo r, aching e ye s, co n ju n ctiv itis , muscular tw itch in g and impairme nt, and e x h a u s tio n ." ( p . ) The symptoms most commonly observe d were he adache , smarting and burning o f the eyes with a g r it t y fe e lin g and e xce s s ive lachrym atio n. KE 0004704 -6