Document bBwZ50mrBxxB0OJKLgRL8dMrD

October 11, 19^3 Dr* Byron D. Bowen Biiffalo General H ospital 100 High S tr e e t B u f f a lo , New York Dear D octor Bowen?- I have ju s t had a telephone c a l l from Mr* Je n k in s o f th e H a rris o n R a d ia to r D iv is io n of the G eneral Motors C o rporation a t L ockport concerning th e case w hich we d is c u s s e d in B u ffa lo some days ago# I t would seem from Mr* Je n k in s* In fo rm a tio n t h a t th e r e i s some d o u b t among your a s s o c ia te s as to the adequacy o f the means which I proposed, fo r s e t t l i n g th e q u e stio n s a t issu e in th is c a se , I had supposed th a t the published work o f t h i s la b o r a to r y on the c l i n i c a l problem s a s s o c ia te d w ith le a d exposure and le a d a b s o rp tio n , and th e p r o f e s s io n a l p o s it io n o cc u p ied by m y se lf and s e v e r a l o f my c o lle a g u e s In th is f i e l d were s u f f i c i e n t to ju s t i f y the im p lic a tio n s of h o n e s ty and e x p e rtn e s s a s s o c ia te d w ith my s u g g e s tio n . S in c e t h a t seems n o t to bo th e c a s e , I h a s te n to e x p re s s ray w illin g n e s s to s e t t l e th e problem by some m ethod e n t i r e l y s a tis f a c to r y to you, I do th is because i t seems w ise fo r m ed ical men to so lv e su ch a c l i n i c a l problem among them s e lv e s . I have advised Mr, Jenkins th a t c e rta in a d d itio n a l sam ples of blood and u rin e should be obtained from th e p a tie n t, fo llo w in g the p recau tio n s a g a in st contam ination o f the samples th a t I have p rev io u sly o u t l i n e d , I am w i l l i n g to s p l i t th e u r in e sam ples a f t e r th e y a r r i v e h e re w ith anyone whose work we an m u tu a lly agree upon as s a tis f a c to ry , I know, fo r exam ple, by the experience of exchanging sam ples, th a t the r e s u lts of W illoughby, o f C lif f o r d and Wichmann, and o f one o f P re s c o tt* s associates at o f C ow gill a t Y a le , and of Homer C a lv e ry , can he tr u s te d * (You can f in d o u t, i f you ch o o se, from any o f th e s e men as to th e p ro b a b le r e l i a b i l i t y o f our w o rk ,) In s p li ttin g samples o f u rin e fo r lead a n a ly se s, i t Is necessary to ex ercise the utm ost p recaution a g a in st contami n a tio n as w e ll as unequal d is t r ib u t io n o f th e le a d . The ex isten c e of any sedim ent or suspended m a te ria l in the sam ple makes i t im p o ssib le to s p l i t th e u n tre a te d sam ple in to equal p arts w ith resp e ct to lead co n ten t. I t is fo r these reasons th a t I urge the a d v isa b ility of our handling the sam ples. . I am a ls o w i l l i n g , o f c o u r s e , to stu d y the p a tie n t In th is la b o ra to ry , as I prev io u sly su g g e ste d , and to supply to you th e r e s u lt s of our study and the f h l l d e t a i l s of our procedure. I ehould be g la d to r e ta in a liq u o ts of a l l samples f o r such d is p o s itio n as would enable you to s a t i s f y y o u rs e lf as to the accuracy of our r e s u l t s . However I u n d erstan d from Mr. Jenkins th a t th e p a t ie n t does n o t w ish to make th e t r i p to C in c in n a ti. Above a l l I w ish to av o id th e u n s a tis fa c to ry s itu a tio n which a ris e s from a p u b lic d isa g re e ment among p r o f e s s io n a l men, w ith r e s p e c t to th e f a c t s . For t h i s re a s o n I s h a l l make e v e ry e f f o r t t o m eet any s u g g e s tio n w hich you may o f f e r f o r s e t t l i n g our d i f f e r e n c e s . I f I have appeared to be g u i l t y of presum ing to o much upon my e x p e rie n c e and know ledge i n t h i s somewhat s p e c i a l i z e d f ie ld o f c lin ic a l m edicine, I tr u s t you w ill not th in k t h a t my a t t i t u d e s p rin g s from a la c k o f p e rs o n a l o r p ro f e s s io n a l r e s p e c t and c o u rte s y . I should bo g la d to have the opportunity todom onstrate th a t such is not the case. C ordially yours, EAKtia &oberlT iU 'K e h b o '111). H 0003664