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arch 20, :f.r * T~eyne A . '3-3c kor US VA Hospital Building ?7 F'-anoke, Virginia D s ar Mr. 3e eke r: It j,ras not my intention' to give offense or to be patronizing in my letter cf March ll{.. Nor was I being either oracular or omniscient in .my statements. As it happens. I have spent the greater part of my professional and: scientific life in - the Investigation of lead poisoning, and perhaps more, specifically, in the study of .the physio logical arid pathological behavior' cf lead in the -.animal organism including man, with some special attention to some of the organic compounds of load, principally tetx'aethyl lead. In view of my long experience with the practical problems cf the lead industries, including those of the tetraethyl lead industry, with which I have worked since its 'origin, as Medical Director of Ethyl Corporation, and as the Chief Consultant to Ethyl Export Corporation and its successor, the 'Associated. Ethyl Company, Ltd', as well as my familiarity with the. medical and scientific- work of colleagues in many countries, I should know a fair amount about lead, including tetraethyl lead, its use and its potentialities for harm. I hope this background and experience have made me no less of a physician and no less sensitive to human anxiety and suffering. It was, therefore, my thought to give you as good and kindly advice as I could. I trust you will'accept this as a simple and straightforward statement of my intention. Inasmuch as I seem-to have laid myself open to misinterpre tation, I am entirely willing to males amends by offering to have carried, out in this Laboratory for you cei'tain tests, which are designed to demonstrate somewhat indirectly, the load content of veur tissues -* the so called "body- burden'1. For this purpose, 1 would .bo glad to send to your physician the necessary containers with instructions for the collection of certain samples for analysis. I shall report the results to him with a written interpretation, and then if the results offer any prospect for further productive observation, I shall make such suggestions as may seem to be useful. As I indicated in my original letter, I think the outcome of these tests to be predictable, but I have no such stubbornness or pride as to be unwilling to be convinced by evidence, to the contrary. Mr. Wayne A. Becker -{?)- March 20, 195>8 As an alternative suggestion, should you prefer to coi.e to tiaclnnati for a consultation and for the conduct of suea tests as 1 have in mind, I shall be ylaci to have ,<ua uc so. I would orefer that this be done c/i ,is advice and with che full cooperation of your physician, on the unde rat ending that i 'vill report fully to aim on. oyj? findings and my opinions. Sincerely yours. EAK:ss iiobert A. Kehoe. M.~T). KE 0018831