Document Q5MBwBnBRvXDLmo3b1e9J317

/ <o/> p h? o' P P C-t p < p Hammacher  i ', C A BL CTHYLPORiT, LONDON. y\ M\^'J!z/24As9*^ifr6V`**--* \L-*.'v'".* t e l e g r a ms ; ETHYLPORT, SOWEST. V \>'n jf' 1 ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION Incorporated In the State of Delawore. U.S.A.with limited liability. - wV evx xt v V* ' ; x Telephone: \ VICTORIA v I4 I THAMES HOUSE, MILLBANK LONDON, S.W.l Ou r Re f e r e n c e HF:DOB. y o u r Re f e r e n c e Head Office: 405, LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK, U.S. A November 8th, 1936. Dr. R.A. Kehoe, Laboratory of Applied Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, CIUCIIUIATI, Ohio. U.o,A. Dear Dr. Kehoe, Ur. Sevan asked me to agree the enclosed copies of a corres pondence with the Asiatic regarding the medical officers at their Tandjong Priok and Bandaran plants. I think yon will find the two letters to be fully self-explanatory. 1'e would appreciate it if you would advise us of your views, on the whole matter and any definite action which may be taken regarding thu two doctors, namely Dr. Hammacher and Dr. de Priester. Yours sincerely, c. Mr. Champlin. KE 00134 52 n o p y THE ASIATIC PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED. ETHYL/E SECTION No.185. St. Helens Court, Great St. Helens, E.C.3. Dear Sirs, 1st November, 1938. 'DTCAL OFFICERS - fANDJONG PRIOR AT 3ANDARAN ___________ETHYL- BLENDING PLANTS. Our Sourabaya office have now sent their recommendations for the medical officers who will examine the Ethyl blending plant and crew at Tandjon.g Priok and Bandaran. 3AMDARAN INSTALLATION - SOURABAYA. For the supervision of this plant they recommend Dr. J. Kammacber, who is a general practitioner and who has, besides his Dutch qualifications as a doctor, also the British qualification D.T.M. & H. Tandjong Priok Installation - BATAVIA. For the super-vision of this plant they have recommended Dr. N. F. de Priester, who is the K.P.M. doctor at Tandjong Priok. In connection with these two doctors our Sourabaya office write as follows:- ''Both doctors have carefully examined the instructions issued by the Ethyl Export Corporation as regards the nature of their duties in connection with their supervision of the blending plants, and we feel sure that these instructions are quite clear to them. Oh the occasion of his visit Mr. C. H. Noble had the opportunity of seeing Dr.Hammacher, to whom he explained various matters, but unfortunately we have not been able to arrange for him to meet Dr. de Priester on account of the latter being absent on local leave. However, Mr. Noble has discussed all particulars with our Batavia branch management, who have passed on the necessary particulars to Dr. de Priester. In this connection there is one point on which the two doctors hold different views. Dr.Hammacher of Sourabaya is of the opinion that the medical control of the blending crew should be very strict, and his idea is that a quarterly medical examination will not be sufficient guarantee for preventing a accidents. Therefore he thinks it highly necessary that a more or less permanent control of the blending crew should be exercised and that these people should be examined at short intervals. From our point of view we are definitely in favour of the strictest possible control of both crew and equipment, because we know from past experience that the Labour Control people in this country are extremely difficult in the case of casualties, and we would certainly incur no end of trouble if in such a case it would appear that we have not taken all possible measures to prevent accidents. In this connection we should not forget . KB 0013453 N15342.01 that v;e have to deal with simple natives, who never realise the danger such work entails, and therefore if we want to be certain that there will oe no cufficulties, we think that we should let Dr.Hammacher exercise the control which in his opinion is absolutely necessary. Of course this method of control, which will take a good deal of his time, is rather expensive, and Dr. Hammacher has suggested that we pay him a feee of FIs.200.- a month. For the amount of control be intends to exercise, we think that this amount is quite reasonable. Or: "he other hand, the K.P.M. doctor at Tandjong Friok thinks that a quarterly examination of the blending crew and an accasional visit to the blendinn plant will be sufficient, and he is willing to exercise this control for a yearly fee of FIs. 175.-. We are somewhat afraid that for shis amount we cannot expect Dr. de Friester to do much more than examine the crew once every three months and that there can be no question of a regular and strict control. Therefore we fear that during the time between two medical examinations of the crew, these people will be exposed to dangers which will not be recognised until it is perhaps too late and as already mentioned above, if this lack of control should ever lead to casualties, we would certainly incur all sorts of difficulties with the Labour Control people, and the Press would certainly comment very unfavcurably on our lack of precautions. However, wa have no experience as regards blending tetraethyl lead and therefore we think that the best procedure might be that at first, say for a year or two years, we see how the medical control works. If it would appear that the Sourabaya doctor has taken too serious a view of the situation, we can always decide to drop part of our precautionary measures and reduce the doctor's fee accordingly. I/, on the other hand, we find in course of time that the control by the Tandjong. Priok doctor is insufficient, we should of course have to decide that a stricter control should be instituted there as well. As already mentioned above, we do not feel entirely easy as regards the effectiveness of the control at Tandjong Priok and although we are prepared to watch first how this works in actual practice, we intend to instruct the doctor concerned to intensify his control and to examine the crew more frequently, say at least once a month as soon as there might be indications that this is advisable." Our own view is that our Sourabaya Office's lack of experience in Ethyl blending has made them take rather too* stringent a view with regard to the precuations which it is necessary to take, as we have found in Singapore for instance that the quarterly examination has worked quite '.veil. He should be pleased to have your views on the matter. Yours truly, For: THE ASIATIC PETROLEUM COMPANY, LIMITED, sgd. STURGESS. cc Aviation Dept. HE rs r\ ou ui: C-* KTHYI. KXI*01t'lj COH1M iUATION r / THAMRM IIOIJHK, MlLLKAXK, l,OMIH>n, D, .. TRAB/HME ETHYL/E SECTION No.185 3rd November, 1938. The Asiatic Petroleum Co. Ltd., St. Helens Court, Great St. Helens, E.C.3. Dear Sirs, Medical Offic Priok and Bandaran Plants. We thank yo above subject and have! with the |r w^the 1st November with reference to t) Ir people in Sourabaya say in connection iltants at these two blending plants. >, I think, that your people in Sourabaya have rather over-estini rs connected with the blending of concentrated Ethyl F with gaso. fit would be worth while stressing to them that,proVid the regula lown by ourselves for the handling and blending of Eth Fluid are f is minutest detail, and a responsible individual is p^e at all blends !fre that the natives stick to the routine closely, there! 1 little or no hazard involved since the system to all intents and purposes is e closed one and men working on Ethyl blending plants, unless a most unusual acc occurs, are not exposed to the concentrated Fluid or its vapours. \ As you know, we have some hundreds of blending plants throughout th' world and a great many of these have been in operation for a period of tenvt6 thirteen years. 1,\ ' Regular medical supervision is of course absolutely essential, but^ have the men examined once every month is in our opinion quite unnecessary ep experience over the last thirteen years has shown that provided only men who have been passed as suitable for work on a blending plant are employed, there absolutely no necessity for a medical examination of these men at more freque intervals than three months. We should be glad to ask our chief medical consultant. Dr. Kehoe, i write direct to Dr. J. Hammacher and Dr. W. F. de Priester, explaining .in...del to them the possible hazards involved and the reasons why he considers mediCf examinations of the men every three months sufficient. KT ovO 13 45 ii N15342.02 i)l< ( COKl'OKATION THAMES HOUSIi, MH.LBA.NK, LONDON, S.W. . -2- We believe that Dr. Hammacher has got an unduly exaggerated idea of the work and hazards involved and I son sure that an explanation frcm Dr. Kehoe will not only relieve his mind, but also clarify the exact.type of medical supervision required. Your people in Sourabaya mention that th Labour Authorities are likely to come down on them if it can be shown tha| they have not taken adequate precautions. We would like to point out, however, lat the medical supervision which we exercise over the personnel of blending; pf. its is primarily for our own information and is additional to any pr may be taken by your own company. We believe, however, that ar as' ^lending only is concerned, the medical supervision we suggest^li^SJ found ad<! ite. Ye t'. ink that the proportion to the work he wi the fact that he has mi sunders' we normally pay for mi 5 per quarter, dep we can agree to pay expenses. We woul by Dr.Hammacher are out of all to do, but this probably is due to ituation. As you know, the fee that bn of this type amounts to approximately pon local conditions, and I do not think inexcess of FI.250 per year, plus IscMfo paying Dr. de Priester the same fee. Ifhat in addition to carrying out a medical examinal of the pthe plant once every three months, our medical consull ;s also visit tfi8"TflCants at regular intervals to satisfy themselves that tt lequipment |ls|being kept in proper condition. Yours truly, T.R.A. SEVAN. cc.Dr. Kehoe. '* 4 0 ljt\ -4 ft /-- ^ Ui^