Document daNNpgKLwgyv6Q02ox58y2Md5

<' # - mmM MOTUG HESS SEPTEMBEE 6, 1936 CLOSE SCROTXNX OF FOBS PATIENTS Being Kept m Them by Doctors in Bare Disease THESE MEK KkWE DIED Disease Followed fxsit Into Hugh Empty Tank Four of seven sen who set out to clean corrosive substances from the bottoa of a vast gasoline tank on the Savannah river less than a fortnight ago araj now under the most close* constant and expert medical observation and care in local hospitals to avert development of a dangerous disease, so rare as to be unknown in medical annals of this section., The other three are dead* oint funeral sarvica^^plaimed this afternoon for^BPFand , brothers, jHHHH* the third victim, this afternoon will is grave alone* All three were colored. Brawn*s wife survives. The were single* Their mother lives* The lone white man in the case, right. The saae holds true for the other unS a brother to the two dead men of ww* eojtrwuBj.eoB, a paily vigil is kept in the four cases* Doctors have refused them discharges from hospitalisation* The disease against which the medical men guard is tetraethyl lead poi soning, product of an industrial and chemical age. Mixed in gasoline to provide an anti-knock agent whieh works with excellent results in automobile and airplane motors, it has no clanger in that form. The proportion is too minute. Breathed into the lungs as a dust, it is quite dangerous* The Standard Oil Company, which employed the sen to do the cleaning job, not only has provided the vest care possible locally to aid the men, as well ^ as helped their families, but has had a specialist in such a ease sake an air plane trip here fvot?. Cincinnati* For that matter, it has long taken elaborate precautions to prevent such things from happening. And it has had no such trouble here before* A frank account of the matter was given to the Morning Hews by Herbert Coons, Savannah agent of the Standard Oil Company, when approached for the facts , ' last night. .' Oil tank corrosion, Mr. Coons explained, is almost inevitable because of a particular precaution taken against fire. To gaurd against this danger, water is placed in the tanks, and since It will not mix with the gasoline, it quickly settled to the tank bottom. Naturally, this causes rust* There are many other factors which cause corrosive substances to gather on the tank bottom, too* The particular tank which had to be cleaned Is a large one, capable of holding over 1,500,000 gallons of gasoline. It stands near the river, and is load- ms directly fre* tankers which eoae into port* Although the tankers* rats are cleaned thoroughly after each cargo is unloaded, still corrosive substances get iii' the reservoir tanks. Ip .fact, t hears has been an unusual amount of this her, and the company has been taken steps to solve this* About two weeks ego the superintendent of the plant informed Mr* Coons that the tank is the case vsa leaking, and that it showed evidences of rusting* To prepare for the customary cleaning work, the same strict care was taken to pro tect the workmen as has proved completely effective in the past* The tank was first pumped dry* It was then thoroughly steamed at a Mgh temperature for a full ninety-six hours* The last precautionary save was to air the tank for over.forty hours. Ko danger was indicated from past experience or company research. The sen went into the tank, which was open so that fresh air filled itf aad performed their work just as it is normally done. The next day Mr* Kitchens reported he felt sick. The company provided his with the finest of medical aid, and this doctor ordered him to & hospital right away. It was not long before the colored men reported they were ill. The company had them placed in a special ward in an unexcelled local hospital* ^^35espitethes things, and the flying triphar^of theGincinnati special ist, Thursday. His brother, ant^ followed Friday. Although the surviving men seemed so well^the^aakesHFo-^ho^ital dis charges, their doctor ordered them to remain in these institutions. And the watch goes on* Hi00171H s=teSg|3lSss