Document oJmM0RKvOyeV32XYQGQr9q6D

Th e D eV i l b i s s C o m p a n y TO LED O 1,OH IO OFFI CE OF THg SECRETA RY March 3, 195^ ----------------- ------ r------- SSCL 1 Paint Job On Her W all Is Sickening H ousewife's I llness Traced To Poisoning From Lead M ixture VIENNA, Feb. 27 (Reuters)-- For more than five years, Berta, a 31-year-old Viennese house wife, has heen complaining about pains in her body, loss of weight, falling hair, qnd other symptoms. Mystified doctors removed her gall bladder, tonsils and ap pendix. I t didn't help. Caused By Paint Recently, the n e w s p a p e r Neues Oesterreich reported today, doctors decided i t could be lead poisoning--caused by paint on the walls of her home. The theory developed af ter Berta, groping in the dark for a light switch, saw a phosphores cent streak appear where her fingers touched the wall. But first tests showed no traces of lead in her blood or other fluids. The doctors then de cided she must have " depots" of lead stored in an unusual man ner in her bones and body cells. House Repainted Tests showed . the w omanidentified only as Mrs. Berta H.--had twice as much lead in her system as is needed to cer tify a person is suffering from this disease. Mrs. H. is to enter a rlfat. shortly. She has had her house repai nted. , Mr. Manfred Bowditch Director of Health and Safety Lead Industries Association k-20 Lexington Avenue New York 17, N.Y, Dear Mr. Bowditch: The enclosed news item is taken from the Toledo Sunday Blade of February 28th. When the appearance of phosphorescent streaks shows evidence of lead poisoning (not phosphorus poisoning), I am convinced modern miracles are happening in Austria! I do not know how you rebut such undesirable and untrustworthy reports. Very sincerely yours THE DeVILBISS COMPANY FRP :ph Enc. 0014795-