Document VJOjjDBeYXG08J5MBjzYQq87K

< October 25> 1949 Dr* H. H* Smead, Medical Director, Solar Aircraft Company, 18th and Grand Avenue, De3 Moines 5* Iowa. Dear Doctor Smeadi I hasten to reply to the last tvo paragraphs in your letter of October 20 - This Laboratory had its beginnings in the middle 1920*s, when X and my assocites began the investigation of the toxicity and hygienic potentialities of tetraethyl lead, vith respect to the manufacture, distribution and use of this material and in the use of gasoline containing it, as a motor fuel. From that beginning ve vent on to investigate other industrial chemicals, under the sponsorship of other industrial organisations, and ve have since continued as a university laboratory under the systematic study of occupational hazards, particularly of the chemical, variety and of hazards to the public health that may arise coincidentally. The original laboratory building vas completed late in 1950, and a very sizable addition vas mads to it, this having been completed only very recently. TJae entire facilities vere provided by a group of industrial organizations, as outright unconditional gifts to the University of Cincinnati, and the entire budget of the Laboratory is provided by grants made by industrial organizations for the investigation of specific materials and products and occupational conditions. For the purpose of conducting any piece of vork ve enter into an agreement vM^opiptgcts the rights of the University and prescribes the righT^fxtHh^sp8isor of the work. We operate entirely as a imiveralty laboratory under the complete authority of the University administration, and all of our contracta and policies are based on orthodox university procedure. In considering any investigative program ve 'undertake to vork out vith the sponsors vhat should be done and how it should be done and vhac it should coat. Work Is performed at actual cost, as determined by conventional cost accounting methods, and the sponsor agrees to defray the entire cost of the experimental program. Eveiy effort is made to infora the sponsor as to the progress of the vork and as to the current cost, so that there will be no misunderstanding vith respect to the results of the vork or the cost. In addition to its intramural investigative program, ve conduct field investigations of a variety of types, such as that of surveying industrial plants and giving advice and technical assistance on matters 1 00114 Dr. H. H. Smead - (2) - October 25, 1949 of industrial health. We also have studied environmental conditions in a number of communities in relation to specific problem of air pollution, and ve have also made systematic studies of industrial workers, maintaining a diagnostic survey in connection with hygienic problems and medico*legal situations. In recent years ve have also initiated a program of graduate training for physicians vho plan to practice in the industrial field. In short, having started aB a purely physical or toxicological laboratory, ve have expanded our activities to cover the whole field of industrial hygiene and industrial medicine, having become one of the medical centers in this country for the conduct of teaching and research in this particular field. Our staff represented once by a few people numbers about eighty, and our activities: once stipported by one or two industrial organizations nov involves more than score of such organizations. I believe this will give you the information you require, and I attach hereto a short form of agreement which presents the general conditions under which our work Is carried out. It so happens that my primary scientific interest, for many years, has been in the matter of the behavior of the metals. Therefore, you would find me receptive to any opportunities presented to carry on further studies in this particular field. In view of the general investigative program of the Laboratory, however, ve would be much more favorably inclined toward a fairly long-term program rather than in a simple investigation of the primary toxic effects of the absorption of metals. In general, the industrial problem is a long-term affair, In that the effects of prolonged absorption of tolerable or relatively low dally dosages of these materials constitute our principle concern. Cordially yours, RAK ef Enc SoYerTXHM5o57 & E 1 00115