Document ppQGaa2015mBRo9ZBJmM9xVv7

April 25, 1935 Mr* Georges Thenault Boon 5^7 25 Avenue VIctor-Emmanuel III Paris Prance , Dear Mr* Thenault: I have not heard from you for eorae time and I toko it that no news from you is probably good news in that it indicates that you are not having any very serious difficulties which concern me* The chief purpose of this letter is to call your attention to an ' article which was recently published "On Intoxication by Tetraethyl Lead" by M* Duvolr and F* Cost, the latter as you probably know being our associate and colleague. This article of which I have a reprint appeared in Semaine d* Iiop* d. Paris 10: ij23* 193U* It is not up to me to criticize Cost in any way in relation to this article, but I should like to point out to you for your own information that if Dr* Coste expects this article to serve a useful purposefulting any anxiety which may exist in Prance, ho is probably making a rather serious mistake* There Is a paragraph in the article vihich translated into English reads as follows: "Diagnosis* Positive diagnosis of intoxication by tebraethyl lead depends upon determining in an individual handling this product or a tetraethyl!zed gasoline, the presence of the fundamental syndrome; falUng of the arterial tension, lowering of the temperature, slow ing of the pulse, and finally insomnia with agitation," In the absence of any cases of poisoning In association with gasoline containing lead, and in the absence of any reasonable suspicion that lead poisoning of the acute type could arise from such exposure, it Is unfortunate that this paragraph was written to Include exposure to gasoline con taining lead* At other points in the article mention is made of the precautions which are necessary to avoid danger in the handling of the gasoline. These remarks mainly of a harmless nature are not calculated to convince any physician that lead absorption does not occur as a consequence of careless exposure* I do not know to what extent Dr* Coate had any responsibility in the phraseology of the article* Mr* Georges Thenault However, I should be Interested In knowing, and If the opportunity presents Itself to you tactfully to discuss the point, you might let me know just what Coste*s reaction to the matter is* In general the article Is not unreasonable or unfair, and In general It represents a proper fetateraent of the known facts* However, it Is my opinion that it does not serve any useful purpose at the present time, and if Coste is responsible for the medical Interpretation of the thing. It is not done as well as one might have reason to expect In that he has not made use of the full information which is available to him. You will understand, I trust, that I do not either wish or expect you to transmit any criticism of mine to Coste. However, it would be somewhat difficult for me to convey my query to him in proper French, and I fear the consequences of his mis-underatending my point of view If I were to write in English, With kindest personal regards. Sincerely yours. RAK:is Robert A* Kehoe, M*D. HZ 0010029