Document nN1k9Kabw8Gkx8JdxeXgLyYJX

Monsanto iFROM IN AMI location! Dept, of Medicine & Environmental Health St. Louis - General Offices DATE SUIIJCCT: 4/18/78 ' Health Effects of PCB's REFERENCE. TO Monte C. Throdahl DID PCB's are oily liquids which are poorly absorbed from the gut. Therefore, a single dose ingested would be largely excreted and mininal acute toxic effects would be expected. About all we would expect to see would be nausea, possible vomiting and diarrhea. The effects would be similar to Ingesting a large dose of mineral oil. No other acute toxic effects resulting from PCB ingestion are known. Repeated ingestion of small quantities of PCB's is an entirely different matter. This was the case in the Yusho incident. Here, small quantities of the material would be absorbed and stored in the body and chronic toxic effects have been identified In this situation. In Yusho there was repeated ingestion and the symptoms and signs resulting from this began to occur in 1968. The objective findings resulting from this Include the following: acne-like skin eruptions on the face, the buttocks and in areas where two skin surfaces are In contact. skin pigmentation ------- swelling of the eyelids inhibition of growth and abnormal teeth in children smaller than average Infants at birth total body pigmentation at birth bronchitis bursitis a decrease in triglyceride levels in females anemia increased lymphocytes In the white blood cell count IN IOM 12/70 decreased blood levels of albumen slowed electrical conduction In sensory nerves HONS 003327 M. C. Throdahl 4/18/78 Page 2 In addition, the persons exposed complained of the following symptoms: fatigue headache abdominal pain numbness and pain in the extremities cough and sputum menstrual dlstmrbances As analytical methods Improved, after the onset of this problem In Yusho, It was found that the cooking oil In addition to containing PCB's also contained polychlorinated dlbenzofurans. With a second contaminant Identified, a question as to which material actually caused the symptoms and signs exist. We do not know the answer to this question and I doubt that it would be possible to ever make a distinct determination. BT/mJb Efnest Tillman M. 0. HONS 003328