Document jyBXeV6pYv77RXd9OZO5RpeG5

August 20, 1951 Mr. Manfred Bovditch Director of Health and Safety Lead Industries Association 420 Lexington Avenue Nev York City 1 7 Dear Manfred: I shall keep you informed on the course of events on the childhood lead poisoning problem. Things are shaping pp. I appreciate your situation on the financial .side. Perhaps the best procedure is to let the work go on until it has made some progress. When your budget year comes around you can consider vhat you wish to do and vhat can reasonably be done, in the light of vhat has been done and vhat the future promises. I von*t heckle you about it, but I strongly suspect that your people vill be concerned. Whether or not it vill be in their interest to participate vill be theirs to decide on the basis of vhat trans pires. Sincerely yours, Robert"A. Hehoe, M. D August 9, 1951 Mr. Manfred Bovditch Director of Health and Safety Lead Industries Association 420 Lexington Avenue New York City 17 Dear Manfred 1 On the subject of lead poisoning in children ve are making some progress in Cincinnati, somewhat as a matter of necessity. The pressure has grown because of the occurrence of about fourteen cases (five deaths, I believe) in two of the Cincinnati hospitals (Children's and Cincinnati General) since the first of the year 1951 Because of the concern aroused by this situation, ve shall be able, I believe, to set up a concerted cooperative program of study and follow-up. At least I hope this will be the outcome. Ve have had a conference with tlie joint 3taff of the pediatrics departments of the two hospitals, the concern of the Health Commissioner has been aroused to such an extent that he has written a brief warning article in the press, and a feature article (which fortunately I saw before it went to press) by one of the local news writers will appear in the Cincinnati Enquirer. I have proposed another meeting with the interested group for the purpose of initiating a concerted program of investigation. This, I trust, will be called soon. I want a nurse from the Health Department of the city to be detailed on a part-time basis, to home investigation and following up of all alleged or suspected cases, after being briefed on the job to be done. I also want, to alert the local pediatricians to the situation and to offer aid and advice to them for diagnosis, following up and prevention. In addition I vant some kind of analytical survey through the medium of the hospitals and practicing physicians, on the basis of an agreed upon plan of procedure. If the L.I.A. would like to make some contribution toward the expense of the analytical work for this purpose, so that the burden of its cost would not be borne by our other sponsors of vork on the general lead problems - I think I may say in all frankness that these sponsors have served the lead industries faithfully and well without expense to them - it would be helpful. I do not urge or even suggest that you should initiate any action in this direction. I merely mention it as a means by which your organisation could have a share Mr. Manfred Bovditch - (2) - August 9, 1951 in the job. Sincerely yours, RAJT ef Robert A. ehoe, M. t). LO B 03 \ KF E. CL .I Xi f Ei OD GWA NR IWt lO, RMS VICC CR M . I nt Si ii. DC oiN NT T CC-CRCTARY-TRCAftURCR MANFRED DOWOITCH DIRECTOR O r HEALTH ANO SAFETY July 10, .19131 Robert A. Xehoe, si. D., Director Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Eden Avenue Cincinnati 19, Ohio Dear Bob: I think you v/ill be interested to note the marked passages on page 5 of the enclosed copy of a recent paper by Dr. Wheatley. Nothing much seems to have transpired since v;e net v/ith you and Dr. Kotte on March 23th. Perhaps you are in a position to needle the latter a bit. Sincerely,