Document QJNLxBBRNKYVwk7M5JYKXK1NR

July 27, 1971 Mr. Terry O'Keefe Kidwell, O'Keefe & Williamson 200 West Douglas Wicnita, Kansas 67202 Dear Mr. O'Keefe: I nasten to rep iy to your letter of July 21, and to explain my present situation to you. Before doing so, however, I shall inform you about Julian Chisolm, Jr., M.D. He is a specialist in Children's aiseases in Baltimore, in the Department of Pediatrics of Johns Hopkins Jfcdacal School and in the Pediatric Division of the Baltimore City Hospitals, Baltimore, Maryland. He is a very busy man, who has been treating children for years ana studying the problem of lead poisoning in children in Baltimore for years. He is one of the best informed persons in this (or other) country on this problem and has done much to alleviate this problem in waich Baltimore has been heavily involved. He is not in the field oft medicine about which you are concerned, and I doubt very much that he will enter directly into such a problem, except by commenting on it an writing. This is not to suggest tnat you should not communicate with him if you so desire, but is merely my opinion based on my Knowledge of Dr. Chisolm's work and primary activity. * As for myself, I cannot help you_now for I am Leaving lor a much needeu vacation in a few days, to be out of circulation ioh a month. I shall return home near the first of September, and I can see you ana aiscuss your situation or that ui your client's at that time. I do not seem tasas of this type, for I have retiree irom the direction of this Laboratory, and am engagea primarily in publishing tne results of the work of many years. However, I do consult in such matters as you have referred to, and I make use ox the staff and facilities oi tnis Laboratory in investigating such situation: as you nave aesoribed. If you care to wait a month or somewhat more, I shaii be available. - The work none in the Laboratory by staff members would oecharged to you (or your clients) at the cost (to the Laboratory) of the traveling ana time of technical persons involved in sampling and analyses (whether of air or vegetation or of blood and urine of exposed persons). This, of course, is subject to'discussion and agreement as to what is to be done. In your case, a fair amount of such work would be required to establish the facts in the case. This is work with which we are familiar after many years of experience. ,\{y fees are uetarsined by the amount oi time which I have to spend in visiting the premises, determining what must be dj.se, a-.a m reporting on findings and their significance. One cannot enter into such a situation as this, legally or medically, without knowing certain essential frets, unu I would not testify in such a case without adequate knowledge. Ail of the requirements would be discussed with you in advance so that you 'would know how far you and your clients would be committed. I charge $150,DO for every full day during which my own work must be set aside, and proportionally for every fraction of a day. Traveling expense, and other out-of-pocket expense agreed upon would be added. Mr. Terry O'Keefe Page 2 July 27, 1971 Incidentally, the situation which you describe is not an especially unusual one. The usual pattern of the emission of lead compounds from such a plant as you mention, affects the local forage crops for animals, without injuring to any very great extent the people who live in the neighborhood. Moreover, the sulfur dioxide is actually more of a nuisance (because of the unpleasant smell and irritation) than a serious matter. This depends, ot course, upon the actual severity of the conditions, which I am not attempting to ppraise, except on the basis of past experience. The reason for the situation which I have written about, is tnat the animals eat contaminated forage in large amounts and so take in quite a large amount of lead. People, on the contrary do not eat forage. The roots and fruits which they eat contain (after ordinary washing} very little lead, while the animal flesh which they eat is also low in its lead content. Thus, only what they breathe in is involved, and this (in the neighborhood of a plant) is usually small. I shall be in Cincinnati until August 2nd, if you wish to telephone me about this before I leave town, the telephone, by direct dialing is (513) 872-5781. Very truly yours. RAK:wb Robert a. Kehoe, M.D. Professor Rmeritus of Occupational Medicine 01 066