Document jqGGwj7YX6JRaO79bxoNXdVR

December 15 1941 Mr, William M. Springer, Direotor of Research, Bristol-Myers Company, Hillside, New Jersey. Dear Mr, Springer: , The question which you have raised concerning the use of lead foils, sheets of lead covered with tin, or load containing alloys in the fabrication of tubes, is one ,which has been called to our attention previously. It seems probable that these uses of lead, which have previously been discouraged in the United States, will increase acuaewhat under present condi tions. 1 do not anticipate that any very great dangers wild arise from this source. On the other hand, I believe every distributor who makes use of these materials will be running certain risks from both valid and fictitious claims of injury. It will be necoss&ry, therefore, to examine each situation rather .carefully and to determine whether or not one can safely package a given material in this fashion. In the case of ma terials which will not be taken internally, little or no pro blem exists, Howeyer, whenever the material is used in the mouth or is swallowed, the result is open to question. Both designing and misguided persons have been responsible for claims of Injury from lead absorption from a variety of sources, and.ome of the claims that have oome to our attention have been so fantastic as to be palpably unreasonable. Yet, some of these have caused considerable trouble and expense. However, I do not wish to stress the invalid olaims unduly, since there can be no question about the actual hasard of increasing the daily Intake of lead by a series of small amounts from numerous sources. That is what will almost certainly occur during tki period, unless oareiis exercised. The hygienic^problem,in relation to lead absorption in the community as a whole, arises from the fact that lead occurs na turally In most food materials, and is added a a contaminant to a large number of food items. ..She result of .this la. that we now.take in approximately 1/3. milligram* of. lead per day. All of the evidence indicates that this is not hazardous. On the other hand, it seems probable from some rather extensive observations which-are now being brought, to. completion, that the^regular Ingestion of quantities in.excess of 1/2.milligram per day might be potentially dangerous. ' Certainly thia is as high a daily intake as one would be willing to aooept as doubt- 4Un Zo a Z /r <~t Mr. William M. Springer - (2) - December 15 1941 fully safe. Huontities as much as a milligram per day of lead in soluble form would be dangerous. From. a variety of causes, at present, the lead content of the food may be as much as 2 or 3 milligrams per day, occasionally. One would not wish to see the frequency of this occasional occurrence materially increased. It is not a question, therefore, of what quantity of lead is contributed by lead containing tubes, or what contribution is made by this, that, or the other individual item. It is rather a question of the overall opportunities for lead intake, and it is certainly important in relation to the public health to con trol these opportunities by the elimination of unnecessary chances for exposure. There have been a number of new sources of lead contamination, but, in general, it may be said that the methods of handling and processing foods in the United -tates have so improved that the increase in lead intake from new sources has been neutralized largely, or perhaps, entirely by decreases brought about by care ful procedure. For example, the Europeans have spoken rather freely and inaccurately about the contamination of American foods from the extensive use of tin c ana, whereas, the facts in the matter are that while our foods are contaminated with tin from this source, they receive only a negligible contribution of lead. Actually, our evidence indicates that American fooda are not contaminated with lead in handling, processing, and cooking, to quite the extent that European foods are. We have a fair amount of information on the quantities of lead In American foods and on the sources of this lead. I refer you to an article in the Journal of Industrial hygiene, vol. XV, 1933* which gives extensive data on the lead intake of Americans and the sources of tills lead. Unfortunately, my supply of re prints of these articles is exhausted, a nd I cun not send you re prints. I am sending you some more recent articles, the reprints of which are available, and I think these will give you some use ful information. I should also make mention of a British review of this subject by 0. W. Monier-Williams, "Lead in Pood", Reports on Publio health and Jiedlcal Subjects, Jfo. 88, 1938.* The latter refers more to the British aoene than to the American, and espe cially in one item, namely, the lead content of drinking water; it is Incorrect so far as American water supplies are concerned, with the exception of a very few regions in this country (New England towns), in which rather extensive drinking water systems have been constructed of lead pipe in an earlier period. I trust that I have given you at least some of the information desired ana that I have acquainted you with a point of view on * British Ministry of u^alth, obtainable from His Majesty's Stationery House, London. Mr. William H. springer - (3 ) - December 15, I9I4J.. this problem, wnich I believe is based soundly on experience. Very truly yours, Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. RAK ef Enc.