Document a1rkJJ9OGBj6qpz1o8dqxgDJa

July 3, 1969 Miss Glenda Webb Center for the Biology of Natural Systems Washington University St. Louis, Missouri 63130 - Dear Miss Webb: 1 am pleased to send a copy of the Harben Lectures in response to your letter of June 30th. In addition, I shall be glad to give any assistance of which I am capable, to the extension of investigations of lead poisoning. My associates and I have had an extensive experience with the problems of diagnosis, and particularly with the means of case finding. It is not clear from your note where your interests lie, whether in occupational lead poisoning, or in the diverse sources of lead absorption in the adult population (from which but few cases develop),or lead poisoning among very young children (from 1 to 4 years, mostly) which, I am sure, occurs relatively frequently in St. Louis, as it does in all of our older cities. The diversity of the problems, and the frequent misunderstanding of them, not only among the laity, but also within the medical profession, prompts me to suggest that it might be useful for some of those who may be associated in this work, whether clinical, chemical (analytical), biochemical or epidemiological, to pay us a visit. I am frank to say that the therapeutic aspects of the clinical approach to this type of intoxication have not .undergone any great advancement in recent years, despite the current enthusiasm about the chelating agents. Our experience, here, is not to be regarded as adequate for the appraisal of the present situation or of the progress made recently, but I am confident that when all of the shouting is over, the only real benefit that has come from the use of these agents lies in their capacity to hasten somewhat the elimination of lead from the body. I have not been greatly impressed by their relief of the symptomatology of plumbism, especially in situations involving the salvaging of life, as among children. Instead, I consider that the prevention of lead poisoning is the only effective approach, and there are Indeed few situations in this country in which preventive measures cannot be applied effectively. Unfortunately, there has not been time, in the busy years of the past several decades to put together the Information that is in our hands and to document thoroughly the reliability of certain of the diagnostic preventive measures. I expect to get out a monograph at some considerably later date, but in the meantime, I shall be glad to be of assistance to other investigators. The Harben Lectures represent an attempt to present the principal findings of some thirty years of work in three lectures. It was a splendid opportunity, and I enjoyed giving them, but the coverage of the subject was, of necessity, thin in spots. Sincerely yours, Robert A. Kehoe, M.D. CliNTHR FOR THE BIOLOGY OF NATURAL SYSTEMS WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63130 June 30, 1969 Dr. Robert A Kehoe Kettering LaboratoryCollege of Medicine University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 Dear Dr. Kehoe: In order to carry out an extensive study of lead poisoning here in St. Louis, I wish to obtain as much information as possible about work previously done on lead metabolism in man. I feel that your publication from the Harben Lectures, Metabolism of Lead in Man in Health and Disease, will be of tremendous help. Therefore, 1am writing to find out procedures for obtaining a reprint of this publication since I have been unable to locate it from other sources. Any other information you may have will be greatly ap preciated. Sincerely, Glenda Webb