Document kDa5V7YKQZ6jOqdy75p2xo35D

v fit MM v t h e in s t it u t e o f c h il d h eal t h I (iCommonwealth Health Department) (The University of Sydney) D.K.G./VD. Paonasot Lo r imbs Do bs Tnmaa: LA ROYAL ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN CAMPERDOWN, N.S.W. 27th December, 1956. Dr, Robert A. Kehoe, Kettering lA.bOrat.ory, College of Medicine, CINCINNATI 19, OHIO. g.S.A, Dear Dr. Kehoe, Thank you very much for your letter of October 26th, 1956, and for the booklet "Methods for Determining load in Air and in Biological Materials" which arrived yesterday. In the State of New South Wales it has been, and still is, the customary practice to rely upon estimations of lead in urine rather than in blood, in the investigation of both children and adults suspected of sufferin' from lead intoxication. However, it is possible to arrange for blood analysis by the State Government Analyst, who also performs the urine analyse; on children attending the Boyal Alexandra Hospital for C hildren, I do not know why this state of affairs obtains - certainly, in my small experience here, the results of the urine analysis in any individual instance may, for a variety of reasons, be extremely difficult of interpretation. From a study of hospital records, blood analysis seems only to have been done on very rare occasions. In fact, lead poisoning does not appear to be a very common condition in this State, but, in the absence of reliable blood lead estimations, it is just not possible, I should think, to make a true assessme of the position, I have traced the records in this Hospital of only twenty children in the paBt ter. years in whom a final diagnosis of lead poie>.:.::g made. The average number of admissions per year is approximately 11,50c. / Apart from the work carried out in the laboratory of the Government Analyst, urine lead estimations are also performed in the Department of Dr. Gordon C. Smith of the School of Public Health in the University of Sydney. A main reason why blood lead levels are not done in Dr, Smith's Department is for want of additional adequately trained staff - the present staff being fully occupied with their current commitments, I wonder. Sir, if I may ask your furtner advice and help, thia time in relation to the use of oral Edathamil Calcium - QLsodium. It has seemed to me that it might be a resonable project to attempt to de-lead completely children symptomatically recovered from lead poisoning if it can be done without risk to the child. This is because of the possible hazard to the child from the mobilization of stored lead in times of pyrexial illness or ot metabolic stress. However, I have not seen any published reports of such an undertaking, and I do not know if it is feasible, 15y main concern is whetne the use of repeated courses - or continuous dosage - of oral edathamil calcium - disodium over a potentially long period will have any undesirable side-effects, I should be most grateful for your advice here. Once again, with many thanks for your letter, and wishing you the Compliments of the season, I remain Sincerely yours, (& . D. Kerr Grant).