Document pm75wR7DZKbem10Y5aRV3Qd9d

Mar ch 13, 1938 N13955 Kg Dr , A* I * La n za Assist a n t Medical Metropolitan Life Na'S Yo r k C i t y New Yo r k d ir e ct o r In su r a n ce Co* Dear Doctor Lan zas* I ara a f r a i d t h a t t h e r e i s v e r y l i t t l e I ca n g i v e you in t h e way o f n ee i n f o r m a t ion aa t c t h e i n f l u e n c e o f l e a d p o i s o n i n g on m o r t a l i t y . N o t h in g t h a t I h a ve on t h e s u b j e c t I s n or th an ythin g in a s t a t i s t i c a l sen se sin ce I have o n l y ray own e x p e r i e n c e s In t h e m a t t e r o f c l i n i c a l c a s e s t o 30 on , aud t h e s e , I b e l i e v e , would h e o f ve r y l i t t l e a s s i s t a n c e t o you* In t h e cou r se of the p a st s e ve r a l yea r s I hove seen s e ve r a l f a t a l ca ses of lead poison in g in ch ild r en as the r e s u lt of i n g e s t i n g le a d fr om t o y s , p l a y p e a s , and in one in st a n ce contaminated food* I have a lso seen s e ve r a l cases of fa t a l en cep h alop ath y In con n ection with the m an ufacture o f wh it e le a d . I have a ls o had d ir e c t knowledge of s ix or seven deaths from acu te or gan ic lead poison in g in con n ection with the clea n in g of stor age tanks h e a vily contaminated with t e t r a e t h yl le a d or i t s d ecom p osit ion p r o d u ct s . I can n ot con c e i v e o f t h e s e as h a vin g much s i g n i f i c a n c e in r e l a t i o n t o t h e g e n e r a l q u e s t io n o f m o r t a l i t y * My e x p e r i e n c e l e a d s me t o. b e l i e v e t h a t f a t a l - lea d p o i s o n i n g I s q u i t e uncommon and a s i d e fr o m t h e i n s t a n c e s wh ich I h a ve men tion ed , I b elieve th at fa t a l cases occur r a r ely; except in con n ection with ship breaking' or cu t t in g operation s in wh ich an o xya o e fce le n e b l o w t o r c h i s u sed on a h e a v i l y p a in t ed su r fa ce under con d ition s in which ve n t ila t io n is la ckin g, or very inadequate. The o n ly man I know who h a s s y s t e m a t i c a l l y c o l l e c t e d d a t a on t h i s s u b j e c t I s one o f my c o l l e a g u e s on t h e Com m it t ee on Lead P o is o n in g in t h e S e c t i o n o f I n d u s t r i a l H ygie n e o f t h e Am er ica n P u b li c H ea lt h As s o c i a t i o n , I h a ve n o d ou b t you a r e f a m i l i a r wit h some of Dr , H offm an *s p u b li c a t i o n s and I b e l i e v e h e h a s t h e d a t a on t h i s q u e s t i o n in b e t t e r sh a p e than a lm ost anyone e l s e in so f a r as a v a i l a b l e s t a t is t ic s are concerned. I p er son ally doubt the 0012224