Document jBrGkwoVxKXXE0Xx9yq4wx0J5

Et h y l Ga s o l in e Co r p o r a t io n Ma n u f a c t u r in g a n d Tr a f f ic De p a r t me n t PLEASE ADDRESS REPLY TO>P.O. BOX I 2*71 WILMINGTON, DELAWARE February 9 > 1942 Dr. W. F. Machle Kettering Laboratory University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Dear Dr. Machle: Thank you for your letter of February 2, attaching copy of your blender survey in comparison with fifth floor conditions. I want to have the opportunity of studying your report carefully, after which I shall be pleased to pass on to you any necessary comments. Very truly yours C. Wasserman C:LS N9529 Object December 2, 1941 Survey of Hygienic Conditions in the Blender da To examine into the state of t&e- health of/blender,!1 ^ M --........... , , .......... ....... ........ J XT' workers,,for the year 1941/and to determine whether '/> ^ ... ' ..... fiJJ.teiLt" >/. f) has a-l-tar-od- materially in the east few 10 LbU* <Xx ..& / rears. . T^,an&ofttpl-is:h---4vh-i the clinical and analytical <X-U) records of the groun were studied on a time base and, by rvssH%s- 'r L , ' ^' C-tu/LLllX/ comparison with/'5th floor workers employed over the same /' nariod k, o^--trinev Conclusions (1) The state of health of blenders is onoarentlv worse han at any time since 1934, ($) As measured by the rate of occurrence of abnormal clinical findings, there has been a progressive trend toward increase in exposure since 193^* y (^3 "t* Jche charted rates o caxd~* _ c u 4u x j M ~ o are stable ^-j^wevfrs^, it is obvious that no ceis-ta-in- improveCO rent has occurred since 1934. a - /. Qi,A-X Ct,,I*1-.. > xroc-in n llyjZV.Ul {*&} The rate of occurrence of -jsosi-t-ive- clinical findings in the entire blender group when averaged over the past 9~ 2 year period has been less than that for the 5th Floor group 194-1 reach the 1934- levels 0 :7U7>Jixi,aXALi,f group do the rates for V VI in the b.lender must be estimated on the basis of the clinical status of the workers,. (7) The lowest rates of abnornality are associated with the longest service. (6) The present situation is not the result of cunulati\/gUeffects of years of exposure but is an immediate response to recent irregularly recurring and for the most part brief exposures of increased intensity. (9) There is no positive correlation between the amount of drumming (which has remained relatively constant) and the occurrence of abnormalities in the blender group. (10) The most likely explanation for the increase in exposure in 194-1 is the inauguration of the 6-hour cycle and the increased throughput K? -3- (11) Twentjr per cent, of blenders were not worse 'in t ^ ****** JspiUAM.L-3 19^-1 than in 194-0; a*isi^ejcL more abnormalities in the '-'jl.ast year. Procedure The data for this memorandum were taken from the clinical records of the Dye Works Hospital, and the analytical records of the Kettering Laboratory. To effect comparisons on an annual basis, the frequency of occurrence of abnormalities was converted into rotes A in each exani na t ion uuv_* 0 he group under study, the modes '"U,s/ of expression being two-fold: as/number of examinations A required to elicit one abnormality, and the number (or fraction) of abnormalities encountered in a single examination, The criteria by which abnormalities were judged iBsw*e- as follov/s: (1) Subjective (a) Headache - occurrence in history (b) G.E. tract disturbance - occurrence in history HE 0007749 or report of occurrence on dispensary card. -4(c) Insomnia or dreamst- report in history or dis pensary card (d) Weakness, incoordination, etc. - report in history or dispensary card. (2) Objective (a) Hemoglobin - any value less than 76% (b) Erythrocytes - any va-lus less than 4,300,000 (c) Hypotension - any value less than 100 systolic or 65 diastolic (d) Hypertension - any value above 14-5 systolic or 90 diastolic (e) Albuminuria. - any occurrence (f) Urinary lead - any value above 0.15 mg./liter Cg) Fecal lead - any value above 1.00 mg./sample. (h) Blood lead - any value above 0.05 mg./lOO gm. (i) Stippling - any value above 2C/50 h.p.f. (j) Pallor - any occurrence For purposes of rough comparison the rates of occurrence of abnormalities in both groups were computed for the total 00077 JO 5- - number of men in each. Following this the rate for each group was determined by years and study was made of sub divisions of each group divided on the basis of 5_yeaF periods of employment. The mean age of each group was cal culated^ an d. The incidence of hypotension, low erythrocyte counts and low hemoglobin values -were determined by years for each croup on a rate basis b >ince these observations ere in our opinion the most significant objective clinical findings recorded. Results U-./ In Table 1, the rates of occurrence of abnormalities in the blender and ^th Floor vrmdc&re- may be compared -wirth-- A C^jftfrry- . CkX^JJ i><-L 0,,<U,ZAiX.U,.HXf i- / e-ae-h"cthe-r^an d / duration of employment. The two large groups are comparable from the point of view of age as may be seen from inspection age given in Table k! of the mean values for age giv More over, :,he distribution of men on the basis of duration of employ ment was in general the same in both sets / K fT 000 7 7 01 the -6- 5th Floor grouper, however, tending to center somewhat core closely about the mean with too few men employed for less than 2 years to make up a satisfactory group for comparison. The overall rates for each group were not greatly different, being higher in the case of the ^th Floor employees. It is a matter of considerable interest to note that an / inverse relationship exists between the number of years of/ work and the frequency of abnormalities. That is to say, men who have worked the longest have been freer of symptoms than those working less than two years. This finding U.M increase establishes that the recent tensma in abnormalities is not A the result of accumulated injury and exposure, for if this were the case, the higher rates would be associated with the longer timas of service. It is also apparent that this relationship is . spurious -44 Hr re suit of recent 04 '-O t IV steady increase in exposure (except possibly in the 1 - o cz> 1.9 yr. group) since the 10+yr. group ind-Iu&e-s. the year 1931*-^ (Fig. 1/ in which the rates were the highest encountered, Kg 0 The rate of labor turn-over has been such that if could 7 not influence the results over the long tine-base studied, since by far the greater proportion of the men had more than 9 vn-ars of service in their respective operations, data from the few short-time employees previous to 19*5-0* ir< ;u ng - fi , / teen i-^rat!^53~4#uthis study. It follows, therefore, that are dealing v;ith a bona-fide phenomenon in which employees h the longest period of exposure manifest the greatest potential effects. \ f\ j mayj^rcrhapsfattribute ac t that these men also have/the nost .oncost period of training in the operation. .... i /> ;9t'dV/lP A,-i.(.A ' ' - The conclusion that the increased rates in 19*5-1 vere of chance, desultory exposures isj further borne out by tbe finding that the increases in rates in 19*5-1 were -A* /<ry, ----V distributed at rando ni (fftir ou"Aout-~the*/ blendeJr/ without CO \o r f' '^r relation to the number of years of employment. further O O o supportive evidence emerges from inar-* the analytical `u results given in Table 2. Prior to 1935 or 1926> s a! op 3 e s obtal ned from the men /o][drc oura teljy portray the co ndit ion3^.^(owever, since-t-hio t ino -the mean results for x a***.*s *j concentration b-i irt-i rua parallel the incciidaence oi - g .- ,/Wfc{ . all v Vaivat abnormalities surprisingly well. Several other interesting considerations are anparent from the figures in Table 2. First, fecal lead excretion^as measured by the amount of lead found in a single sample of feces^does not correlate with the year-to-^y^1* differences in rates of occurrence XT~ of abnormalities seen in the blender group. This is to- -b- saiiijd-p&fce*dr in view of the fact that 1 y' . ; i - .I ef sporadic high exposure^-itr to the vapors of T.E.L. and not to dusts. On the other hand the relatively constant AI XL-&4 rate of fecald, excretion in the Fifth Floor men isA. tftHrfrat with a similar relatively?- uniform rate &* '' abnormalities^ as would be anticipated^, x ia ,ma J ? ~tfL &J) exposure ^mthis group is mainly to -com- -prn^d^. In neither group do the fecal excretiops reach no tp r- values that ,j?-r*a*s4*al. ixdered 'to ha-^af; ..ciiniQj * <0 O si^^niXiiaaae^?-* ...... 4jn-~the-..Qt he.r_han4, .the me an'.urinary lead excretion 4 (expressed in terms of concentration) has been significantly I/O. elevated for the entire period of study (1935-19^1 AA xxx .?& via anoJLyt i c al re suits~ :r0^-11 ~! r gag rf^Oy^rr^ ^n4~fchOS-*--irTrOT^ , It "13.7 be seen that the e.1 '.'un-nit oo'mn-.;? ation wi.-- v"-.7'.,* . rt7**-*-ff} ** '&* a *. ,<*,t h't q **m^~P This is to be expected / in view of the selection involved, since special samples are in the main obtained from cases of suspected intoxication or following known episodes of exposure. It wonla appear, however, gr* /If"' .'O-C.-Vi 7 that -* closer correlation would be , obta4e4 if uniform' practices had been followed regularly throughout the period of study. f/ That is to say, if over the entire seven-year period, samples -^<.<*7 LTD r - OuJUL i/At ?-> obtained routinely from oa.&e.a-.-'tfeiA-presented an undue CD <"D 'j 'h&'i toxic <o number of. abnormalities andVthese findings wep^s" due to lead absorption, one would expect to encounter a very close association between the rates of abnormality and the magnitude "y co ' 'O o CO 10 of the lead exposure as measured by the excretion, failure XV't OJiXX^XmA^ chJL i~ to obtain_ a closer co.rr.ejatl.,on,,i2a^_-b.a..-..b.^.lMned.. by the non- j* * f fla&ireaL, by* the high overall levels of exposure. Since we 1 are^dealing ** ~j 'lumoisni cases of acute, unmistakable t --see****, the oniy/evidenbe lupi4n which complete s-rr&S'c reliance may be placed is that obtained from the h ,, * T~~ r / *#" in a Ivt ical lata In vievr of this' ob-^^^-trr^ \J-JV- /' / f "., V{-'vf *1 ..*- yV/^\Jjv*-tiiSr/4X.X/v'*> -berfe Hrtyd^fce'-^-efftsserrretr" '*Z-jfCcai*.gJ > frf ^',,--O / /" V s-tatusima, it would seem desirable to coribi~e 'f'r* J greater frequency of spot (special) sampling, with the routine recording of several items- in the clinical data. This study can be carried out on a few men in each operation^men being selected who have had the higher rates of abnormality or the treatest uotentiai exposure or both. / On the assumrtion that conditions within the blender had become worse since 1^39* the clinical data W&# analyzed to determine which of the observations best portrayed the trend. jif'MLU* / f !f Because of low frequencies and non-related occurrences, it soon became unnistakabli that -btHr three findings oare.lieled AOk 11 the trend sufficiently well conooiva<55?> to be used as indices. Those are tabulated in Table 3. It is evident that hypotension is the best criterion of- the-..since the overall rates for hemoglobin and erythrocytes were too low to permit ntintion. t o\i.v*t cot \o be assumed that v> tse data would not achieve significance as indices vere the d etc i nati o ns -Sse made more frecuently. It is suggested rations be made routinely on the r. acted >int tae iaea 01 ' Off .t upon triii Discussion From a practical point of view the foregoing results may be reviewed in the light of future demands upon the lead plants and blender. Close year-to-year correlation between amount of drumming and rates of abnormality is not found /~ 1 though observation raid experience have jaieonutsik this procedure t-s-Ifee one of the moot hazardous in the blender. Any relationship that -aacuoics.d would tend to be obscured by KE CU\ 0 Vr, rI. ?***? IOS i 12 the slight annual differences in numbers of drums and the 'pMAiui dlrAAtM OUud U&P t'fuk v; necessity of treating the data on a yearly basis. . iV^hnrdirig'iy'/ J/:, CUUUL * A fluctuation in exposure from r*onth/t6-/nionth would not apt ear from these figures and since any, effects would be noted within / an even briefer tine interval, it would not be anticipated that correlation on a yearly basis would saaeueerri-ly follow. For the same reason neither do the quantities of T.2.L. produced per year relate themselves to the abnormalities in any close fashion. It is significant nonetheless that sudden increases in production of Fluid (such as that which occurred in 1934 and '' t i'-A 1939) are associated with increases in clinical { : .j Fart of the increase in rates of abnormalit testis undoubtedly due to the addition of -men and less well-trained men, in large part, however, it is the .result of increase in exposure t 3.- since all men manifested the effect. In/light/of this fact /___3 J. , / t' u we-jsay view with concern any increase in ie-sd* production, especially that which involves an increase in the amount of drumming. The lead hazard has been well controlled over a 1/ y as f\ "Pv ^ \+ " \ 4 A. .. ..." Nj . / sK H Jf 0 w U < * '0 o oeriod of years, but the - 13 - , w l XittuJa.1? */ ~tfaj blender/ in 19e-l, the anticipated load for 194^/and the age /.=. hi LLILV-'I#*0 of the existing inc.es i^e*S?sfce' substantial improvement in the equipment -of -fehe, -hienche^ as soon as nossible. !<\ 3. Evans, M. D. Willard Kschle, IhQ. K SSA. A * ` ' U vi Vi < 4 /a bit 1 lorrralitles During 12-Year Period 1930-1 Al dor Group (2; lien) .i.PuO do. Pooans Par Abnoruality j Aate/dnarr. i . .L - ?-;z + 0.013 --________Z . 0.97 6 0.012 A ^ __ ^2 v,- A. 0.716- .t *53 .oar oj'ou: 0 1:a -r + 0.028 j-j- J 22______ -.7 ~7 1O 1.9 >l ' + 0.0lo 0.583 0.025 0.625 1.0.06-3 0.526 . Q23 2^ o Ua a : UVu < v3 *04 VO 'car 94-1 94-0 9 33 il3 41 40 39 33 57 yr 3O 1 Table 2 lead Excretion!! of Blender and Fifth Floor Men {Urine - mg./L.; Feces - mg./sample; Blood - ng./lOO ml.) Blender Special Samples Quarterly Samples All 'amples Urine Feces Urine Feces Urine Feces c.i6 o.l<5 0.12 ,,--^^ 0.09 0.12 0.10 . .... 0.35 .. o.5l 0.43 0.14 0.13 0.11 0.35 0.51 0.43 0.13 0.63 0.10 0.30 0.11 . 0.32 : t o ( 1 o.i4 _ 0,25___ 0.16 r 0.33 ~|j 0.2? ! 0.10 0.14 0.10 o.4o 0.64 0.39 ..... 0.13 .. . ...... 0.33 0.15 0.60 0.09 0.36 o 1j Blood 0.050 o.c43 0.042 ______ --------- 1 0.13 0.13 0.10 0.10 o.i4- o.lg 0.07 ^a ^^ 0.22 0.39 o. 6o 0.46 0.91 Fifth Floor o. 07 * 0.07 0.09 0.10 0.06 0.06 0.0$ 0.41 * 0.4l 0.34 0.46 o.4o 0.36 0.36 0.10 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.09 '0.12 0.03 o.4l o.4i 0.32 0.47 0.43 0.33 0.43 IT\ j=t O O 0.033 0.035 i )i j ---- -- -- \ j L t <T:_ KF 00 0 7 i 0 i Table ^ <-( r~ Rates of Occurrence of Specific Abnormalities for the Fast Four Years ^ t j [Blender Tear j Hypc- ; t-:;'aion ti J y*r.!.----1r C . >~A 1 ! * :?40 | 0.175 1 ii ..0 59 ] 0.172 ! i Hb - 7o-l ,, O . OO 0.03 0.07 Eryth. - 1! 0rr i*ut * y- 0.05 I 0.05 1 ! 0.001 r n All Abnorm. 0.555 0.345 0.163 0 Aoo Hypo tension 0.139 . . 0.134 0.175 0.264 Fifth [floor Kb - 76^ Eryth. - 4.5 If. 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.02 0.001 ------- 0.01 0.02 All Abnorm. 0.357 0.305 0.375 0.354 \{ 00G7762 Slender ^iTth Floor Table 4 rt /"S O 7; . 'rt // ". *sZ fy1 tvj- j - Av / , .'ty u.t Lean Age 3o.17 33*33 Sigma + 6.71 +_ 5*oo T...D * -V1-i * 1 0.94 + 0.56 K 000/763 /O *.