Document jBj2oko955Qx9e2nYyyVrD8jp

December 13,1926* Mr* E, W* Webb, c/o The Ethyl uasoline Corp., 25 Broadway, New York, U* Y* . My dear Mr* Webb: Your letter of December 10th enclosing Doctor Bricker*a letter has been received, I should be very glad to cooperate with the Pennsylvania Department of Hygiene and Sanitation, and 1 shall answer directly all the questions which have been asked* I am very glad to see their Interest in these matters as I think it will be decidedly beneficial in very way* I sincerely hope, however, that not all of the states express a desire to have our examination reports* In the first place 2 like to obtain Us much in the way of confidential information possible in these reports, and I wish to hold them with the same professional priva cy as would be used in the case of private patients* ^In the se cond place the matter of providing these records involves some considerable amount;of clerival work, which I highly wish to keep at an irreducible minimum, I should much prefer making to them a report as to the particular results of any examinations which have been made, without providing them with complete copies of my records, and I sincerely hope that if any attempt is made to draw up such forms for reporting in these matters, that no such complete reports will be asked for. Concerning the questions asked:- number one, the use of rubber gloves Is, of course, for the purpose of providing a material impervious to tetraethyl load. Cloth gloves In addtion to those are desirable only, as asaneans of allowing a firm grasp of objects which are to be handled,, as well as to prevent damage to the rub ber gloves in lifting heavy things and in rolling drums* I should not be Inclined to Object If the management at any of our points wish to dispose of the cloth gloves, provided a proper Inspection of the gloves makes certain that the rubber gloves are always in good condition. Our experience has been that the cloth gloves, however, are advantageous, Humber two, I had adl&sed the use of double lockers with one Idea only In mind, namely, that the cloth ing belonging to the employee should not be hund In the same lock er with his work clothing. The Idea here, of course, is to make certain that there is no contamination of the clothing which the employee wears home. Therefore, if the clothing which the employee takes off before beginning the mixing job Is hung outside the lock er,.! see no reason for requiring the use of another loclcor. In this connection wo have attempted to explain to the management at tho mixing points the thing which we are trying to accomplish by a given rule, and have asked for the enforcement of tho spirit of our rules and the carrying out of the prupose for which they have K 0001336 fv y t ' M1* K. w, Webb* December lo,192, -2 been iade rather than to have a letter perfect adherence to them, Purthermore the inspections which are carried out both by our inspectors and by ay assistants give us every assurance that the purpose for v/hiclx the rules have been devised are be ing carried out* The above applies equally well to the rule which has to do with the providing of clean clothing to be worn on every occasion on which mixing is done* As you know the clothing which is provided is wtiite, so that it shows up any stain due to contamination with Ethyl fluid, I have given permission here and there for the wear? ing of the clothing on more than one occasion provided a responslble inspection of the clothing after its use gives assurance that there is no contamination with fluid* You will realise, I think, that with the development of improvements to our mixing equipment, contamination of clothing with fluid occurs only infrequently, and I have not wished to impose any unnecessary hurdon which Is not justified by the facts in connection with the work. In the matter of shoes, the rules I think are specific in their request that shoes be especially provided, and that they be changed' after the work of mixing is finished, I consider this an important rule for he reason that if any portion of the clotiling is to be contaminated, the shoes will certainly be the most likely, I should insist, there fore, that special shoes be provided for this work, and that they are changed afterward, and that they be carefully inspected so that there will be no possibility of absorption of lead into the leather of the shoe and subsequently into the foot of the wearer, I have been le^d to believe that in one or two places a strict enforcement of the rules is not being carried out. For example, a somewhat iaore important matter than any of these has oftenboen englected, namely the wearing of masks at the time the bung is removed from the drum, during the Introduction of the pipe and fittings# and I have found that one or two of the inspectors 'wore not even'aware that this was required specifically in the rules and regulations, i think it Is well for every member of the de partment of Inspection to keep himself familiarised with all the details of the rules, and I,think it highly advisable that no change should be made from that which Is written done in detail, except as specific permission to do so is given either by myself or one of ray assistants, I do not believe that we can afford to bo the least bit lax in these matters, for as time goes on, there will be a tendency toomit and tokhbange them so that eventually the rules as prepared will be almost worthless. I feel that one of the principle duties of our medical department is to see to it that the rules as they have been laid down are carried out In even the small details, for in no other way can they be kept alive over a long period of tine. Wherever changes become necessary or justifiable, because of the Improvement of the conditions and mechanical equipment, the written rules should be modified accordingly, but until such modifications are made they should be carried out carefully. On the other hand, wherever any improvement in teClinique can be made, I should like to see it done, but I should like to have it brought to my attention so that it can bo duly recognised and Incorporated in our methods. 0001337 In relation to all of these matters, Mr, Walter suggested to me f > hr. E* Vi, Webb* December 13,1326 when 1 was in Hew ^orlc, the advisability of having a second meeting of the mechanical and medical staffs to discuss all of these matters in exactly the a m m fashion in 'which they were discussed at our last meeting in August* 1 think this is a good suggestion* but I feel that it is not immediately necessary to do so* The rules and regulations were demised for the purpose of taking care of any emergency which might ariso and were prepared more with the idea of talcing care of th situations which would arise in connection with the some what unsatisfactory pumping devices, than for the greatly im proved eductor aysten* I fool that our most urgent need is not the changing of the rules and regulations, but is rather a complete doing away with all of the systems of mixing which we recognise to be unsatisfactory* 1 do not feol.fthat modi fications of the rules and methods of handling ar# indicated until this has boon done* I believe that the above will serve to make my point of view q.bout all of these matters perfectly plain* .ith Kindest regards* Very truly yours^ K 0001338 FORMNO.lO<S-f4) /Ethyl Gasol ine Corporation 25 Broadway Int er-Office Cor r espondence NEW YORK December 10, 1926. Dr. Robert A. Kehoe, Dear Dr* Kehoe Bricker. Enclosed is copy of a letter received today from Dr# I take it that we are not only willing but pleased to fully cooperate with Secretary Lansburgh's suggestion about filing all re ports of the examinations of the mixing men* -It would inpress me as the better plan for us to transmit from this office - or your office - directly to the Department copies of the examinations of the men working in Pennsyl vania* , Frankly, the interest manifested by Dr. Bricker is the sort of thing that nay prove very helpful, dependent upon the ability and honesty of such investigations* I do not, of course, question the good mo tives in this case, but have in mind the possibility of this kind of work being taken up just as actively in some other states. Earnest and well in tentioned cooperation, properly handled, might well turn out to be construc tive; it should have the effect of keeping our customers alive to the fact that their way of handling the business is being checked by a state depart ment, which is using your handbook on Rules and Regulations as the guide in handling the concentrated material and that of the Surgeon General for Ethyl gasoline* , Kindly let me have your views relative to the various matters referred to by her and how they should he answered* I do not wish to place any interpretation upon your rules other than the language clearly imparts, nor to suggest any modification or sanctioning of any let-up on their enforcement unless I am fully advised by you to such effect* An early reply will be appreciated. EWW:CH Yours veiy--truXy, \ "COPY DEPARTMENT OP LABOR AED INDUSTRY Harrisburg December 9, 1926, Ur. 33 ,\7. Uebb, President, Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, 25 Broadway, Hew York City, H.Y Re: Companies Mixing Ethyl Gasoline. My dear Mr. \7ebb: Phis is in reply to your letter of November 24th supplying me with information concerning plants mixing ethyl gasoline* Your previous letter giving me the names of the establishments in Pennsylvania doing mixing contained, the information I asked for at that time8 This Department is particularly interested in the gasolines containing tetraethyl lead and the knowledge that such fuels must be sold under your trade mark will be veiy helpful to us in checking up on conditions in Pennsylvania , During the summer, the Atlantic Refining Company advised us that they were about to put on the market ethyl gasoline. I have made several visits to their mixing plant and have found them to be very cooperative in supplying this Department with all information and assistance asked, They are how sending to us regularly the reports of the physical examinations of the men employed in their mixing T)lant which reports I understand are obtained from your organization. During the past ten days I have visited the other plants in Penn sylvania doing mixing Pennzoil Company, Oil City; /averly Oil i/orks, Pittsburgh; and the Sterling Oil Company at Smlenton, Pa. I had hoped to arrange with these companies to have sent to this Department the records of the physical examinations you are making of their men. In each instance however, I was told that they re ceive no detailed report from you. Secretary Lansburgh is very anxious that this Department bave on file all reports of the examinations of these men. The com panies just mentioned, all stated that they would be gLad to have you furnish us with copies of the reports, or if you prefer to supply them with the copies, they will see that they are forwarded to this office* '/ill you kindly let me know what procedure would be most convenient for your company to follow in this matter? In visiting the plants in v7estem Pennsylvania, I found that work ing conditions were not so good as in the plant of the Atlantic Refining Company, Philadelphia, I am therefore writing you to learn how you interpret certain rules contained in the pamphlet entitled Rules and Regulations Governing the Handling of Rthyl Fluid* Specifically these points are: Rule 9 page 1- Rubber gloves covered with cloth gloves with leather palms. I found that the Atlantic Refining Company upon my last visit, uses a very heavy grade of rubber gloves and omits entirely the use of cloth gloves* I presume that this deviation was satisfactory to you, but shall be glad to have your confirmation of this opinion. In several plants I found that Rule 10 page 2 v/as interpreted to require lookers only for the clothing worn by the men in mixing ethyl gasoline, their other clothing being hung on hooks in the dressing room while the mixing clothes were being worn* Another point in this rule vas the providing of clean clothing to be worn during the mixing* As I found it, this rule is being inter preted that so long as .no ethyl fluid is spilled or touches the clothing- which K 0001340 & SEr3. W. 77eM> ;'-2 the men wear, it is worn again without being laundered. I presume that it is your desire and that your instructions are that workmen doing the mixing should change their clothing completely before and after such mixing is done. If so, does this include the changing of shoes? Your explanation of these points will be very helpful to our inspec tors in their visits to these plants. The Atlantic Eefining Company has developed a system of instructing their service station employees with regard to the precautions to be observed in the handling of ethyl gasoline, which Secretary Lansburgh thinks is very desirable. ?/e are developing similar methods by which service station em ployees selling all types of ethyl gasoline may be similarly instructed. The companies above mentioned approve of this plan and have expressed their will ingness to cooperate with this Department in this matter. I should like to take this proposition up with the corporations distributing fleetwing Ethyl, United Ethyl and any otfeer companies distributing ethyl gasoline in Pennsyl vania . I shall therefore be much indebted to you if you will advise me where the above named products are being mixed in order that I may write those companies direct* Appreciating very much your continued cooperation, I am Very truly yours, Elisabeth B. Bricker, li.D. Chief, Hygiene and Sanitation Section. EB:3 K 0001341