Document jB9wmZadZDm7oD4EyRw66YvDp

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1957 Apr DOC#: UC340 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Journal Article from Industrial Health - The Communication Lines and Problems of a Toxicology Laboratory Working for Industry The material on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyright law. V O L U M E 15 * A QP RHIL L1U9 5S7 r M ED.N UT.U M B E R 4 INDUSTRIAL HEALTH The Communications Lines and Problems of a Toxicology Laboratory Working for Industry Henry F. Smyth Jr. Spread of Particulate Contamination from Stacks William B. Harris Neuroses and Compensati.on Alex D. Pokorny and Floy J. Moore --> ... - , ? v-*- - . . .T'_ ' . J >. l' ^ %} i*> * Aerosol Deposition in the Human Respiratory Tract ^ J*A*>*~ , fY ,, \ 9 Bernard Altshuler, Leonard Yarmus, E. D. Palmes, and-p 'O \ t Norton Nelson U4 ^ -.j Occupati.onal Medici_ne in Industrial Relations V , *, ^ <; A Panel Discussion Hazards of Isocyanates in Polyurethane Foam Plastic Production John A. Zapp Jr. Studies on the Toxicity of 0,0-Dimethyl-2,2-DichIorovinyl Phosphate (DDVP) William F. Durham, Thomas B. Gaines, Robert H. McCauley Jr., Vincent A. Sedlak, Arnold M. Mattson, and Wayland J. Hayes Jr. The material on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyright law! I'* ' - W" NSis %-f.n- SCONSIN iLUMNI search noationH [he Communications Lines and Problems of a toxicology Laboratory Working for Industry p f j j p NRY F. SMYTH J r ., Ph.D ., Pittsburgh Wantle. res. 15 The fact that a toxicology laboratory is nological advance which the team produces working for industry has no bearing on shall not be at the expense of human health. im W. ts. le purposes of its work. Like any other lexicology laboratory, it is concerned with For success it is essential that the laboratory communicate its results and judgments to Bysrjpe quantitative and the qualitative actions each specialist on the team in terms which tU bf a chemical in the body. It estimates the he will understand and act upon intelli IATION lagnitudes of tolerated and of excessive gently. ago 10 mtact with or absorption of a chemical, | , jjfend it elucidates the nature of injury which result from excessive exposure. It [' p red icts the signs and symptoms by which Response to exposure can be recognized TSjj&nd the degree of response to an exposure VSwhich is just short of injurious. It furvhishes information allowing therapy for ^excessive exposure to be rational rather The toxicology laboratory is not fulfilling its obligations toward the rest of the indus trial team if its work is restricted to suc cessful products which are sold at a profit. Toxicological data are one factor in deter mining in advance whether or not a chem ical can be made safely on an industrial scale, whether it can be packed for safe as that "''than symptomatic. shipment at a reasonable cost, whether it -ight Unlike other toxicology laboratories, can be utilized without injuring workmen regain that those working for industry have not dis or endangering the public. The toxicologist charged their obligation when they have should make predictions while the team is m published their results in the scientific deciding whether or not the chemical might literature. In industry, toxicological investi-. be a profitable product, and he must furnish gation is a staff function, furnishing infor increasingly definite facts, based upon ex mation which guides the actions of many perimental studies, while the rest of the M C l specialists. The laboratory is a member of team is exploring the possibilities of mak a team. The purpose of the entire team is ing the chemical and the potential value it i us j iff to make a profit by satisfying human needs. would have if it became an article of com The purpose of the toxicology laboratory merce. Using his special knowledge of KH itself is to see that the commerce and tech- toxicity, he should suggest modifications in molecules which will reduce handling haz Received for publication Dec. 8, 1956. Mellon Institute and Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation. ards, in the hope that technical utility will remain. An active industrial team will start Jay ] Presented at Second Symposium on Industrial the development of many more products than Medicine and Toxicology, University of Miami, it finally markets. Therefore, the toxicolo Dec. 14-15, 1956. gist, if he serves the team to the maximum, 269 The material on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyright law. S' T K , A L H l^ u WfiMUNICATIONS LINES AND THE TOXICOLOGY LABORATORY 11H contact. T h isH |eeause industry is still conducted by ; :1. 10 p ro,ii!cti0n| , pans, the digital computer not yet having finding methods. This should be completed and predictions should be. made about chron 'lU M riaiJl lihpleted its conquest, the development of mrat.s as n e|l as ' J P y product is not always so well inteni. chemists. ' ^ted with toxicological study as in the ic toxicity before any of the compound is sold. The toxicology laboratory must have communication lines with research, devel .? been promis. f%ious example. In another hypothetical opment, and sales personnel good enough al are offered t0 jlfance, in the hopes of securing a large so that it can furnish predictions and start l a T labeling s policies of fhe| [litial business with good profits, a firm [^tracts to supply 100,000 lb. of a com- studies before possible ignorance leads to injury. These lines may well pass through Association and I jj|tely new, unstudied chemical within 90 a central medical department, although the `state Commerce 1 tall am ounts 0f | fers. The toxicological laboratory predicts fet, handling the material will be quite exact routing is not important as long as free undistorted communication takes place as a hunicctant I ifzardous and that inhalation must be pre- in both directions. Whatever the formal raw material ] sticizer '<1 1 at all costs. While the first toxicoI studies are under way, production routes of communication, frequent personal contacts are necessary to allow communica if "'HI offer 1 _ ng has to proceed on the basis of the tion of attitudes, inferences, and specula in cold cream, I |pfher alarming prediction. In this instance tions too vague to be put onto paper. One indication, as a i|||o s t daily communication by telephone must be on guard against a feeling of secu lies an d i,, a ;|^st be resorted to in order that adequate rity from past satisfactory verbal contact, containers. ^ ^ ca u tio n s may be taken or that modifica- because rapid promotions in industry often tbe product is . ffjh of the prediction, justified by experi take a thoroughly indoctrinated chemist out d toxicological | - mental results, can allow changes in of a key position where he directly applies to protect the 2p?duction plans soon enough to meet the toxicological facts and bring in one to whom qnirements 0f tic Act if the ential promise \ .jjrbmised delivery time. 'Mi- ft Communication 111 the toxicological laboratory is a stranger. stuTdhye wamhiocuhntaopf rmodourectderteacieleivdestoxsihcoouloldgicbael I ! t now predicts cn to be safe almost three also predicts cale plant to jr no special AtIt should be clear from the two examples -fiat the toxicology laboratory working for -industry must have ready communication vvjth all other members of the industrial ;t|gm. The most penetrating and thorough -toxicological study is useless if its results proportioned to its probable uses, to the degree of human exposure in its use, to the degree to which it reaches the consuming public, and to the magnitude and subtlety of its toxic effects. In advance of actual handling of the product, there should be estim ate the trmine prob in st the cost satisfy the m inor cost They eval`d products d u rin g the a plant and dy. I n the hat the maad vantages iff a plant ifficient deie chemical never reach the man who needs them, if they do not reach him soon enough, or if they raeh him in terms he does not understand. Communication can well.be a full-time job. There are four basic problems to be solved: 1. What compounds shall be studied? 2. How much work shall be done on each? 3. Who shall be told the results? 4. How shall the results be expressed? Probably every compound planned or made by research and development labora tories should be considered by the toxicology laboratory, at least to the extent of making predictions about handling hazards. If the compound is of sufficient interest for the firm to offer samples to customers, then its obtained sufficient information to demon strate the degree of care required to make that handling safe. The results of toxicological study should be widely disseminated within the specific industrial establishment, so that they are available to everyone who is responsible for safe handling and to everyone who makes decisions upon the sales and the future of the product. It is easy to reach the man who knows he needs toxicological opinion, but only constant vigilance will reach the man who is not aware of his need. Toxico logical information should be furnished to every customer, because the supplier is re sponsible for seeing that the customer has acute toxicity should be estimated by range- the facts to allow safe use. The more direct April, 1957 Smyth 271 The material on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyright law.' tandbys-- lead, benzene, and ocarbonx. just because thjs red the h o rrify in g action of 1 new. I'art of his responry is a continuing program n aimed at inform ing e\erys required to handle safely latsOever. em uniquely that o f the mr\' is being the right size, should have facilities to reasonable time anv ques- asked. T h is calls fo r an ce, and supply of animals than can usuali)- he kept tesfions of immediate con o handle the p rofound or i which often arises. Staff arch caliber do not remain sence of puzzling challenge skills. A solution is to nember freedom to pursue nterests. w ith the help of tafi, until such time as a : his undivided attention. \ j analogous to the research j a faculty m em ber whose ing, although in the vary- i in industrial laboratory it , ed as definitely as in the One of the greatest scientific problems of any toxicology laboratory, not uniquely the industrial laboratory, is the question of joint toxic action. Is the new chemical under study simply additive in toxicity to those already being handled, or does it po tentiate the effects of something already in the environment of some persons? There are as yet no rules for predicting potentia tion. In the face of the insuperable task of testing a new chemical in combination with every other chemical, the industrial toxicologist, like his academic brother, usu ally can do nothing except try a few particularly suspicious or frequent combina tions. Sum m ary In summary, over and above the question of sound technical methods, there are three outstanding problems of a toxicology lab oratory working for industry which are absent or trivial in other toxicology labora tories. Its work must be paid for with profits, but it should have the freedom to study many compounds which will never earn a profit. In order to handle urgent problems expeditiously, its staff and facili ties should be larger than can ordinarily be utilized fully. It should learn of the plans of research and development laboratories before these groups believe they require toxicological opinion, and it should see that toxicological data are in the hands of all who require these data in terms which are meaningful to the recipients, even when they do not recognize their need. Only when some approximation to the solution of these problems is attained is the industrial toxi cology laboratory reasonably well fulfilling its functions. Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Ave. (13) REFERENCE 1. Smyth, H. F., Jr., and Carpenter, C. P . : The Place of the Range-Finding Test in the Industrial Toxicology Laboratory, J. Indust. Hyg. & Toxicol. 26:269-273, 1944. .'hat m ight be expected, e of the problem s of an ry. A s w ith all other in . the experienced worker he thinks he may he findnas com pleted his studies his conclusions. Common s the toxicologist from .ire. T>y the tim e he is iclusion. development has 1 ' to the point where dislju re his in d u stry 's com enc a study is completed ready (o m arket, it is in ryone. industry and pubtoxicological facts should owledge.