Document VK7m5pqyN4oOzEez9wJKy4ro

KT ()l} i -<3j . v,,- Fetnsiafy 20*. 1959 53?* H# G Honor Manila hospital anddahltorium 70? .Vermont Street Manila - . Stem* Boater Eonort-- 2 have just received word from.Mr, Alan C. fully of SthyX ixpert Corporation that he has discussed with yan the question of the medical supervision, of certain employees of Standard Vacuum Oil Company* who will he engaged in mixing Sthyl Fluid with-gasoline in Manila, 1 hasten to approve. Mr, fully*e recommendation that you ,carry on this work for X am very glad that we have this means of getting the work in sueh good hands* It .has keen my purpose in the ease of every mixing plant in this country or elsewhere* to provide for competent medical super vision not only for the purpose of detecting any evidences of lead absorption before serious conse quences result* but also for the purpose of recog- . niftlng' any other type of disease in the personnel ;... and thereby asking sure that intercurrent illnesses of another type might not be mistaken for lead . Intoxication. In ihieeeountpy and Canada this , i: ' supervision la. carried out by assistants of mine '. . who travel In different parte of the country. Sl$e~ where-we:. have been dependent on practitioners of medicine and of industrial hygiene* who might be willing to take the time to carry on this work. In general we have tried to have responsible! men in each country whose i;:pOiition ^and'modioli competence were of such sort 71 that no questions'could'arise concerning professional competence and judgment* ) th' jobs of this ' laboratory* over a period of years* has been to . study; the oocupational hazards of this entire industry* and also to determine what* tf any*, public health : problems were worthy of consideration in connection f with ^ne distribution of leaded gasoline. As a Consequence 1-01 - these studies*, uswellas of- certain other- studies Carried on by public end governmental agencies* there Is a very considerable body of Information. j{ 0 0 x 3 30 o lpv f Mjcordingly I am sending you under separate cover series of reprtnta whleii discuss various phases of the problem andwhtoh give the data obtained in a number of our experiments! studies* Unfortuna-tely Some of the articles arenot available in reprint form,.. ^er-of these:.ls.; a:rather comprehensive field Study ofours whiehrevlewg the previous literature on thesubjeot* and which describes * survey mads . on lead absorption among filling station employees and other handlers of leaded gasoline. This article can be found in the^db^mai^of Industrial Hygiene Volume 16 * Page 100 ~193% If you have access to this journal*! think you will find the article of interest and value to you* ; Briefly to describe our ex> perienee in the field in which you will be wording, it should be said that the ..equipment which has been devised for mixing and the regulations which have been set-up around the mixing operations* are of such quality that no cases of poisoning and no actual lead exposure Is to be anticipated* providing the equipment is kept In order and therrogulations are followed. After such a statement you may question why I am so interested in Competent and careful medical supervision. The facte are that X have always thought of careful medical supervision as a very useful and necessary precautionary measure* and my chief fear has been that workmen would become careless after a period _ of apparently safe performance of their duties* and that such carelessness would eventually result in faulty methods of work and cases of poisoning. Medical supervision* in my opinion* will serve to keep the men cautious while at the same time providing to the doctor evidences in the form of lead absorption* if the men should become careless in the performance of their duties. In order that eueh carelessness may not be noouraged* we have felt it necessary that the mlxi% plants b# maintained in the best possible state of cleanliness and efficiency. Accordingly it is desirable# 1 beiidve# that the doctor should inspect the mixing plant from time to time and assure himself that the masks* clothing* and other equipment are kept v in proper order.' I have given the expression of my general point of view about this whole problem in a memorandum to-our medical, consultants* a copy of which I am sending with the other printed material* 1 am also sending you a set of the Buies and Regulations for your own use, I am sending also a few articles which have no . - K& OU.i 3 3v imm&tatef relation to th pt*<}l5l0m <sf these mixing plants, but which might be of some interest to |tou is connection with the general problem of lead poisoning* X would appreciate it very much if yon would communicate with me from time to time, an&partioularly if there are any onestlone or any difficulties which, should be brought to my attention. 1 try to keep informed as to what is going on in this worlc in all parts of the world, and it is a source of considerable satisfaction, therefore, to obtain Information from time to time from medical consultants. Cordially yours. RAKjis Robert' A." Kehoe, M^D. te- j 3.3 U 4