Document bByYgOqnQ3EVORRzrn1edm8Xk

Docteur F lo ren t Coste P ro fe sseu r Agrg la F a c u lt de Mdecine Mdecin des H pitaux de P a ris 41, rue C ardinet \ P a ris , December 24th,1936 Dr HA* Mehoe U niversity of C incinnati C ollege of M edicine C in c in n a ti, Ohio, U.S.A. D ear D r. Kehoe, I was very g lad to re c e iv e yo u r l e t t e r , f o r I was ju s t going to w rite you to ask you a c e r ta in number o f q u estio n s regarding th e s u b je c ts t o which you r e f e r . X would make th e fo llo w in g comments on some o f th e p o in ts on which you want in fo rm a tio n : I . E v e n tu a l n e c e s s ity o f a d jo in in g me a n o th e r d o c to r . I th in k th a t th is is u s e le s s fo r th e time being, though I have been much more busy s in c e a few y e a rs and e s p e c ia lly I have been appointed P ro fe sse u r Agrg a t the F a c u lt de Mdecine l a s t y ear, i t is q u ite p o s s ib le f o r me to f u l f i l l my work f o r E th y l E x p o rt C o rp o ra tio n j u s t now and I hope t h i s w i l l c o n tin u e . I f i n th e f u tu r e I r e a l i z e t h a t I am no t in a p o s itio n to carry on a l l necessary exam inations, I v a il advise you im m e d ia te ly . As lo n g a s I can do i t m y se lf and a lo n e , X p r e f e r i t . As a m a tte r o f f a c t , an a s s i s t a n t v/ould be e s p e c ia ll y u s e f u l to me fo r th e d i s t a n t p l a n t s , and I should t h e r e f o r e choose him among th e l o c a l d o c to rs , whom I know f a r l e s s w e ll th a n th o s e i n th e P a r i s r e g io n . I would th e re fo re hlways be somewhat anxious a s to th e r e a l com petence, th e c a p a c ity and th e t a c t of th e d o c to r s e le c te d . I n consequence, I would ask you to drop f o r th e moment th e q u e s tio n o f a m e d ic a l a s s i s t a n t . I I . Im p o rtan ce o f E th y l m ixing p la n ts now w orking i n F ra n c e . The number o f E th y l p la n ts has in creased to a r e la tiv e ly g re a t e x te n t. Here i s a sh o rt l i s t which w ill enable you to r e a liz e the present situ atio n . ; 1) P a ris d i s t r i c t .- Desmarais F r re s , Iv ry F a th e r im portant volume o f b u sin e ss, 6 b le n d s o f '200/40 cu b ic m e tre s o f g a s o lin e a m onth. Standard F ranaise des P tro le s. Saint-Ouen R ather frequent blends, b u t o f l i t t l e im portance (45 cubic m etres o f g a so lin e ) The D ire c tio n have prom ised to b rin g th e number of mixes to norm al. French Government. La Courneuve Hot v e iy fre q u e n t b le n d s . One b le n d p e r month, but ra th e r im portant (1200 cubic m etres of g a s o lin e ). J u p ite r , P a n tin ; - B ath er few b le n d s, 4 to 5 a month, and o f v ery l i t t l e im portance (40 cubic m e tre s ). Consommateurs de P tro le , La P la in e S t.D en is l i t t l e im portance 450 cu b ic m e tre s ). 4 blends p er month, of L ille -B o n n ie re s & Colombes. Colombes In freq u en t blends (one per m onth). 2) W estern d i s t r i c t . - Consommateurs de P tr o le , Donges R ath er numerous b len d s (up to 10 per m onth), b u t o f sm all volume (55 cubic oe t r s ). Standard Franco-Amricaine de R affinage, Port-Jrm e : - About 8 blends per month (800 cubic m e tre s). ; t-R a f f in e r ie s d e l a Vacuum O il C o . - P o r t - Jrme In f r e q u e n t b le n d s ( about one p e r month, o f 500 cubic m e tre s). 3) E astern d is tr ic t.- P tr o l e s t, S trasb o u rg : - B lends not v ery im p o rtan t (40 cubic m etres) but ra th e r numerous (4 to 9 p e r m onth). F rench Government, I.Ietz L ess th an 3 b len d s p e r month (200 to 400 cm.) French Government, La Forge Less than 1 blend p er month (160 cubic m etres) nonP r o p tr o l, S tra s b o u rg No b le n d s have been c a r r ie d o u t up to ; I h e a r th a t they have received no F lu id y e t. 4) North d i s t r i c t i - S ocit Gnrale des H uiles de P tro le , C ourchelettes b len d s, le s s th an one p e r month, and o f sm all volume. Very in freq u en t R a f f in e r ie de P tr o le du N ord, Dunkerque Ho b le n d s c a r r ie d out y e t . Consommateurs de P tro le , Dunkerque 5 b len d s p er month (55 cubic m e tre s ). 5) C entral d i s t r i c t .- Socit F ranaise des C arburants, Gim ouille One b le n d i n 6 m onths (325 c u b ic m e tr e s ) . Very in freq u en t m ixes. Consommateurs de P tr o le , S t. P r ie s t In freq u e n t and l i t t l e im portant b le n d s, le s s th an one p e r month (250 cubic m e tre s). French Government, Gergy In fre q u e n t, le s s than one p e r month (250 cm.) ' I 3 6) Southern d i s t r i c t . - R affin e rie s de B erre, B erre (v isite d Febr.1936) th an one p er month (500 cubic m e trre s ). Infrequent blends, le ss Compagnie G enerale des P e tr o le s , A a r s ille sin ce a very long tim e. No b le n d s have been c a r r ie d out S ocit G nrale des H uiles de P tro le , Lavera cubic m etres a month. 3 to 4 b le n d s o f 100 Sompagnie I n d u s tr ie lle des P tr o le s , F r o n tignan (100 cubic m e trre s ). 4 to 5 blonds a month, Sta n d a rd Franco-A m ricaine de R a ffin a g e , P o r t S t.L o u is du Palne blends p e r month (30 cubic m e tre s ). 4 to 5 L ille - B o n n i r s s & Colombes, P o r t St .L o u is du Pilne (50 cubic m e tre s ;. One b len d p e r month J u p i t e r , P o r t S t L o u is du Rhone : 10 to 12 b le n d s , o f v ery l i t t l e im p o rtan c e , (10 cubic m e tre s ). Are going to in cre so t h e i r p ro d u c tio n . A non tank i s b ein g e re c te d to remedy the s itu a tio n . 7) Southern-W est d i s t r i c t * - D esm arais Pr r e s , E la y e Hot w orking jf e t . (W ill be s t a r t i n g d i r e c t l y ) , French Government, Bordeaux 3 blends every two months (140 cubic m etre s ). Consommateurs de P t r o l e , P a u illa c Alout 5 b le n d s o f 50 cubic m e tre s . A c e r ta in number o f th e se p la n ts do n o t work y e t in a very a c tiv e m anner. I n some o f th e p la n ts in w hich the number o f b le n d s exceeds th e a u th o ris e d l i m i t , you w ill n o te th a t th e mixes a re of very sm all volume, acco rd in g to th e q u a n tity of F lu id e which i s u s e d , n e v e r th e le s s we have made a l l o u r e f f o r t s to o b ta in t h a t th e number of b le n d s be b ro u g h t down to th e l i m i t a u th o r is e d by th e r e g u la tio n I I I . method follow ed fo r th e exam ination o f men. 1) O utside of th e complete c lin ic a l exam ination involving, m edical and o c c u p a tio n a l f a c t o r s which could cause a man to b e r e je c te d from t h i s work, I carry out in p rin c ip le th e follow ing exam inations : u rin e a n a ly sis, counting of w h ite and re d c e l l s , t e s t f o r haem oglobin by th e Grower*s p r o c e s s , sometimes com pleted by th a t o f T a llq u v is t (which i s ra th e r in c o rre c t) and a t H a s t ta k in g o f blood fo r t e s t fo r s tip p lin g o f red c e lls . For th is t e s t , I have always used th e method which i s o u tlin e d page 17 o f y o u r p a p e r "A .Study o f th e H azards a sso c ia te d w ith the d is tr ib u tio n and u se of E th y l g a so lin e (P.A. Zehoe & F. Thanann A p ril, 1928) I have a lso u se d , w ith c e r ta in men, th e method o f Lehmann (au blou Ge T o lu id in e ) . I make th e se t e s t s m yself a t hone, whore I have th e n ecessary equipm ent a v a i l a b l e . You w i l l remember t h a t I had bought a irderoscope and a certain,equipm ent fo r th ese te s t s . I p re fe r to carry than out m yself, fo r i t is im p o rta n t n o t t o change th e e x p e rim e n te r, and i n t h i s way I am s u re t h a t th e y a re c a rrie d out in a e o rro c t manner, and I can tak e th e re s u lts as a b a s is . This way o f p ro c e e d in g i s a ls o more econom ical f o r th e C o rp o ra tio n . 4 . At th e beg in n in g , I made s y s te m a tic a lly on each exam ination th e t e s t f o r s t i p p l i n g o f red c e l l s , b u t s in c e a c e r t a i n time I have o n ly made some t e s t s c o v e rin g th e men w orking on th e b u s ie s t p l a n t s , c o n s id e rin g th e sm all volume and d u r a tio n o f th e b le n d s c a r r ie d out i n a c e r t a i n number o f p l a n t s . Up to th e p re s e n t t i n e , I have n o t found any s t i p p l i n g o f red c e l l s on any man.On the o th e r hand I have not r a d s , ju s t now, t e s t s f o r c o u n tin g o f red and w h ite c e l l s . I have only made t e s t s f o r haem oglobin, I now in te n d , a s re g a rd s most o f th e p l a n t s w orking s in c e a c e r t a i n tim e , to make a g e n e r a l c o n tr o l on a l l th e men who have been c a r ry in g outa g re a t, .amount o f m ixes f o r a s u f f i c i e n t p e rio d o f tim e . I n th e course of the f i r s t s ix months o f 1937, I w ill take up ag ain a l l th e haem atologic exam inations, and th e t e s t s f o r c o u n tin g o f red and w h ite c e l l s , haem oglobin and s t i p p l i n g o f red c e l l s , and I in te n d to p u b lis h , tow ards th e m iddle o f t h a t y e a r or maybe in the nutomn, a p ap er in v o lv in g my chem ical and la b o ra to ry t e s t s . T h is T i l l be given fo r p u b lic a tio n to one o f our g re a t m edical new spapers, and of course I w ill submit i t to you b e fo re . This w ill be th e re fo re the f i r s t o rig in a l document pub lish ed in France on th e r e s u lts of E th y l G asoline a c t i v i t i e s . (In f a c t, V a le n tin ' s th e s is ih v o lv es only a very sm all amount o f t e s t s and i t e sp e c ia lly re p re se n ts a general review of th e q u estio n based on previous l i t t r a t u r e ) . I t would o f course be d e s ira b le to in c lu d e in t h is work th e corresponding chem ical c o n tro ls and I was ju s t going to w rite you on t h i s su b je c t when I receiv ed your l e t t e r . I would l i k e to a sk jrou th e fo llo w in g two q u e s tio n s : 1) Inethod o f a n a ly s is o f Lead in u rin e : biiich i s , a t th e p re se n t tim e, th e method you co n sid er th e b e s t, ta k in g into account i t s accuracy and the d if f ic u ltie s i t in c u rs. Is 'it advisable to use th e one o u tlin e d in y o u r p a p e r ''The norm al a b s o r p tio n o f Lead" (J o u rn a l c f I n d u s tr ia l H ygien, S e p t.,1933; page 261 and fo llo w in g ) o r the method m entioned by th e B r i t i s h Commission, in t h e i r re p o rt d a ted 1930, o r th e method d f SeeUcopf and Taeger ( Z e its c h r if t Exp. lie d .,1933) which is used by P ro fe sseu r F abre, by h is p u p il L ielle Lera, and which has been fo llo w e d by .V a le n tin in h is t h e s i s . Or should one have re c o u rse to Cholak' s sp e c tro g ra p h ie method. 2) S electio n of a chemist : I t is ev id en tly p o ssib le fo r us to ask, according to your suggestion, fo r Dodds' cooperation a t th e M iddlesex H o sp ital, but th e re w ill always be a c e rta in d if f ic u lty to send th e samples and moreover th ere i s a ris k th a t the c o n n e c tio n may n o t be v e ry in tim a te betw een an E n g lis h ch em ist and u s . On th e o th e r hand, th is would s e t a c e r ta in lim it to th e scope o f research es in F ran ce. P e rs o n a lly , and u n le s s your o p in io n i s d if f e r e n t, I would p r e f e r to a p p ly to a F rench c h e m is t. I w anted to do i t s e v e r a l y e a r s ago on th e demand of h . L ienhard (engineer o f th e E th y l E xport C orporation) but th is had no r e s u lt and L ien h a rd t o l d me a t t h a t tim e t h a t he had no c r e d i t t o u n d e rta k e such t e s t s i n F ra n c e . T h is i s why I hud dropped th e q u e s tio n te m p o ra rily , w ith th e i n t e n t i o n o f ta k in g th e m a tte r up w ith you some tim e ; I th in k t h a t tim e h as come now f o r t h i s . I t i s to he w ish ed , a lth o u g h E th y l F lu id b e g in s to he i n th e common u s e , t h a t we have o n 'h an d a do cu m en tatio n g a th e re d on th e s p o t i n F ren ch p la n ts f5 and su p p lied by competent French chem ists. I n th e a c t u a l tro u b le d s t a t e of s o c i a l c o n d itio n s , we m ust alw ays mind t h a t an in c id e n t may be g iv en g r e a t l y e x a g g e ra te d p ro p o r tio n s i n th e name o f hygien, and th is could s e rio u s ly h in d e r our a c t i v i t i e s . You t e l l me t h a t you know o f v ery few p la c e s where th is d e l i c a t e t e s t i s c a r r ie d o u t in a c o r r e c t m anner. You can be a ss u re d t h a t th e re i s n o t a person more su sp ic io u s than I as regards the v alu e of an experim enter. I know by e x p e rie n c e how d i f f i c u l t i t i s to f in d a com petent and c o n sc ie n c io u s ch em ist i n whose r e s u l t s one can have c o n fid e n c e . However, I th in k t h a t we can f in d h e re a ch em ist who would s a t i s f y th e re q u ire m e n ts and whose f ig u r e s can be relied upon. P le a s e excuse me f o r n o t g iv in g you any name f o r th e moment. I must th ic k about i t and co n su lt sev e ra l p ersons, fo r I h e s ita te a t th e p resen t tim e betw een s e v e r a l c h e m ists . On th e o th e r hand, I w i l l have n o th in g u n d e r ta k e n b e fo re knowing i f in p r i n c i p l e you a g re e to my s u g g e s tio n to c a r ry out these te s ts in France. As soon as th i s chem ist i s s e le c te d , I w i l l a sk h r . Bevan to send me w ith t h i s p e rso n to London fo r a few days in o rd e r to study in d e t a i l the work done by h r . F o o d s. On th e o th e r hand, should one of y o u r c o lla b o r a t o r s come o P a r is , he could he o f g reat help to us fo r the s ta r tin g ofth is work. I th in k t h a t t h i s q u e s tio n sho u ld be d e cid e d a s scon a s p o s s ib le , in o rd e r t h a t we may have started w ithin two o r th re e months, and so th a^i t:he w^ I, w o . j :_ intend to c a r r y o u t u n t i l th e m id d le o r th e end t n i i re a r can in c lu d e a il.l - ~Xc i ent chemical p a rt. Vie s h a l l s t a r t th o se re s e a rc h e s o f workmen employed on th e m ixing p la n ts b u t a ls o or whose work in v o lv es exposure to Lead p o iso n in g , s c o u n try s u b je c ts . V/e w i l l th e n ho a b le to re p e a t have been made in London on th e Lead c o n ten ts o f d i s t r i c t s o f the town. '-yL.jtU.i.iin a t ion n ot o n ly on fork in g at r e f i ll e r i e s or normai e i t is e n Olid ir is vko r sca re kOS 7,'h ich .!' - r<.A4u-her on in . v a r i OU3 fSX 7O* n soon on tries o var p o in ts and I w ill proceed immediately according to your in s tru c tio n s . With g re e tin g s o f th e season, Yours sin c e re ly , H& 00133 43