Document anekoppzkKGMxpYGKv2x1dZa

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IOS ALAMOS SCIENTIFIC LABORATORY {Cont r act W-7405-eng-36) P. O. Box 1663 Los Alamos, New Mexico ;n RZPJ.Y r zfek t o: June 9, 1954 Mr. Manfred Bovditch Lead Industries Association 420 Lexington Avenue Haw York 17, Sew York Lear Manfredi As you know, I do not intend to be present at the San Francisco meeting. veryI do agree, however, wholeheartedly that that session would be the best possible place for a discussion of the prophylactic use of ELIA. myIt would be hope that out of this discussion should cone a directive to the Council on Industrial Health to publish in the Journal a strongly worded protest and recommendation against such, a practice. There should be an attempt to have such a communication reprinted at the earliest op portunity not only in the & g & & S , the AIBA Qyffirtqjfly, and M t f W r t Medicine, but also in as many pertinent trade journals as can be reached. This would require that the communication be phrased so that it could be easily understood by the layman. I can conceive of a situation where a bad lead exposure might turn up in a plant, particularly a small one. There would be a presumption that the workers already had considerable absorption. It might be justifiable under certain circumstances to start administration of EDTA on a semi preventive, semi-therapeutic basis, only during the period whan more conventional safeguards were being introduced. Other than this, I would regard the administration of EDTA, except for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, as a most reprehensible practice. It should be possible to give this matter wide publicity in addition to the journals indicated above. The material could be spread through news letters of the IMA, AIHA, and similar organisations. The safety engi neering journals, the news media of the AGGIH, and the various state agencies should be included. I am sure that the Industrial Hygiene Foundation would pick it up automatically. Los Alamos recently had a serious forest fire which resulted from some well-intended efforts on the part of a group of amateurs to clean up a campsite so that it would not be a fire hazard. I visualize the prophy lactic use of SETA as leading us down a path which will have some 0006166 N7507 1- Manfred Bovditch 2- Jam 9 1954 corpses at its end. It is sot a dependable or a proper method of preventing occupational disease, and it is a procedure which should he strongly condemned. Very sincerely yours, TLS/lca cot Dr. Kehoe Dr. S-Lkins Dr. Hamlin Dr. Hardy Dr. Johnstone Dr. McGee Dr. Peterson Dr. Sander Dr. Shepard Dr. Sterner LASLt Dr. Foreman, H-4 Dr. Whipple, H-2 H. Schulte, K-5 File THQMftS L. SHIFMAIf, H. D., Health Division Leader 0006K ? if' 0