Document qa2XQpkp04R1E1nLNKGZN8RyG

1094 E. I. d u ESTABLISHED1802 P o n t d e N e m o u r s 51 C o m pa n y IN C O R PO R A T E D Ea s t Ch ic a g o , In d . GRASSELLI CHEM ICALS DEPARTM ENT O C tO te l* 2 ^ 1 9 ^ 5 Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. Kettering Laboratory of Applied Physiology College of Medicine Eden Ave. University of Cincinnati Cincinnati 19 Ohio Dear Doctor Kehoe: With reference to your letter of October 1, 1945, we wish to advise that we understand perfectly your situation in the matter of handling samples of urine and blood submitted by us from time to time in connection with the investigation of the health of our employees. We agree most readily to supply you the detailed his tories of employees and medical records on the individuals who are represented by the samples. In the future, we will most certainly do this. You ask complete information on the plant and plant activities, and about the plant as a background. We understood that you were familiar with our East Chicago Works as I am positive that you have done an investigation on lead problems at this plant and I had thought that you had personally visited it however, we will attempt to present the picture as it exists today. The plant is a normal heavy chemical and acid manufacturing establishment. Among the several products manufactured, we make insecticides which include lead arsenate, calcium arsenate, Bordeaux mixture, lime and sulfur solutions, various dust mixtures and in the process of making insecticides, we produce litharge from metallic lead. We have discontinued the production of leaded zinc oxide so that litharge and lead arsenate remain the only products which we actively produce containing lead. However, a great deal of our equip ment used in the production of other chemicals is made of lead and we have a large force of lead burners maintaining, replacing, and installing such equipment. We have spent a great deal of money at our Insecticide Dept, in connection with ventilation and other means of eliminating any possibility of active contamination The morale of the Department is excellent and we hav no difficulty in enforc ing rules regarding clothing, respirators, bathing, eating, etc. Extra precautions are also taken to see that our lead burners are not subjected to unhealthful conditions and that they maintain cleanliness of body and habit. - HE 001 3579 N17486 jQTt A. Kehoe, M. D 2 October 23, 19^5 This should give you a pretty fair idea of the extent to which we may become involved in matters pertaining to lead and we, in the future, will see that you have not only the medical records on the individuals under investigation, but a history of employee and our reason for the instant investigation. Yours very truly, HMKG-ik Assistant to the Works Mgr