Document qd6B0783RJEX2d7ngGx4402ER

$T> January 29, 1945 Mr . J . H . S c h a e f e r , E th yl C orp oration , C h rysler B u ild in g , Lew Y ork C it y 1 7 . Bear John: I am r e t u r n i n g to y o u h e r e w i t h y o u r f i l e o f c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w ith F e lix Vorm ser o f Lead In d u strie s A s s o c ia tio n , to g eth er w it h v a r i o u s o t h e r m a t e r i a l s w h ic h h e s u p p l ie d t o y o u . I am n o t su re th a t you wanted a l l o f th is b a ck , bu t s in c e I had I t a l l p in n e d t o g e t h e r , I am r e t u r n i n g i t . I f y o u do n o t want to keep th e l e t t e r to members and th e p r e lim in a r y r e p o r t on t h e "T im e" a r t i c l e , I s h o u ld b e g l a d t o h a v e them i n my f i l e , b u t t h i s i s n o t o f v e ry much c o n se q u e n c e , s in c e I have d i s c u s s e d t h i s w h o le s u b j e c t w i t h Mr*. V o r m s e r . As y o u know fro m o u r l i t t l e t a l k a b o u t t h i s p r e v i o u s l y I am in com plete sym pathy w ith your l e t t e r o f June 2 7 . In a d d itio n I can n o t f a i l to b e somewhat c r i t i c a l o f th e comments o f M r. Wormser on v a rio u s p h ases o f th e s u b je c t o f le a d p o iso n in g in c h i l d r e n . W h atever h e may w is h to th in k a b o u t t h i s m a t t e r , le a d p o is o n in g in c h il d r e n i s a l l to o f r e q u e n t . When i t o c c u r s , i t i s u s u a lly a very s e r io u s d is e a s e , and f o r th is reason the w arnings g iv en to the p u b lic through va rio u s avenues a re l i k e l y to be u s e f u l, and th e r e fo r e should n o t be unduly c r i t i c i z e d , e v e n i f t h e y do c o n t a i n 30me m i s i n f o r m a t i o n . M r. Woxmser ta k a s th e p o s it io n th a t s in c e r e l i a b l e m a n u fa ctu re rs do n o t su p p ly p la y pens and th e lik e th a t have been p a in ted w ith lea d p a in t, th a t a l l th is is a tem pest in a tea p o t. In t h i s , he i s m is ta k e n , f o r I can show him th e r e c o r d s o f a number o f c a se s th a t a re f u l l y a u th e n tic a te d even to h is s a t is f a c t io n . Some, but not a l l o f th ese have been the r e s u lt of eatin g p a in t. / He i s a l s o much to o much c o n v in c e d t h a t he h a s p ro v e d th e c a s e a g a in s t th e X -R ay d ia g n o s is in c h i l d r e n . He h a s fou n d some bad exam ples o f m ed ical th in k in g and o f m ed ical p u b lic a tio n s on t h is s u b je c t . There seems l i t t l e doubt th a t le a d in and o f i t s e l f i n t h e b o n e s w i l l n o t p r o d u c e a sh a d o w . On t h e o t h e r h an d , a shadow 13 produced in s e v e r a l abnorm al s t a t e s in the grow th o f the bones in c h ild r e n , and the evid en ce i s n e v e rth e le ss 3tro n g ly su g g estiv e th at the absorp tion o f lead b rin gs about c e r ta in m etab o lic changes in the bones o f ch ild re n th a t produce a lin e o r shadow th a t i s dem on strable by X -R ay. W hether th is is a c tu a lly the r e s u lt o f lead in the tis s u e s or w hether i t is change in d ir e c tly due to the presence o f lead in the tis s u e s , is a m atter o f no consequence. A d d itio n a l exp erim en tal work w ill Mr. J . H. Schaefer - (2) - January 29, 1945 have to he done to prove or d isp rove the p o sitio n nov taken by a number o f p h y s ic ia n s and r a d i o l o g i s t s . H ow ever, th e re i s no reason in g e ttin g e x ite d about th is and a tta c k in g th e d o cto rs f o r th e b e n e f i t o f th e le a d i n d u s t r y . I am q u i t e s u r e t h a t a num ber o f m is t a k e n d i a g n o s e s h a v e b e e n m ad e. I am a l s o q u i t e su re th a t th e e f f e c t s o f the a b so rp tio n o f lea d a re g iv en undue w e ig h t in th e c o n s id e r a tio n o f a r a th e r la r g e number o f m ino r and m ajor i l l n e s s e s . However, i t w i l l n o t be p o s s ib le f o r any s p e c ia l p le a d e r to o f f s e t th e presum able d isa d v a n ta g es o f th ese v ie w p o in ts . T h is can o n ly be done by lab o rio u s and w e ll planned e x p e r im e n ta l w o rk . A c t u a l l y we a r e p la n n in g some w ork a lo n g t h i s l i n e i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h 3ome o f o u r c o l l e a g u e s i n t h e C h ild r e n 's H o s p ita l h e r e . I t would be q u ite im p o ssib le f o r us to do an yth in g s ig n ific a n t u n t il the war and i t s s p e c ia l p ressu re h a v e come to an e n d . the As to the d isc u ssio n o f th is su b je c t w ith ir/B o ard o f the Lead I n d u s t r i e s A s s o c i a t i o n , I a g a in r e a f f i r m my w i l l i n g n e s s t o b e o f any a ssis ta n c e th at I can i f the op p ortu n ity a ffo rd s i t s e l f . I c h in k , h o w ever, I sh ould warn you and th e Board th a t i t would be a m istak e fo r M r. Vorm ser to p u b lish m a te ria l and in fo rm ation o f the type th at is o u tlin ed in h is p relim in ary re p o rt. I t Is p o s s ib le to p ic k numerous fla w s b o th In h is f a c t s and in h is r e a s o n in g . He i s n o t aw are o f i t , b u t h e d oes n o t know enough about th e b a s ic in fo rm a tio n on t h is s u b je c t to d is c u s s I t c r i t i c a lly and a d e q u a te ly . I say th is w ith ou t b e in g unduly c r i t i c a l , f o r I lik e him , and he is a p r e tty com petent fe llo w . H owever, th e r e i s much more in t h is m a tte r than he h as an y kn ow ledge o f . F or exam ple, he tends to r e fe r c r i t i c a l l y to th e o b serv a tio n s made by th e men i n th e H e a lth D ep artm en t o f th e C i t y o f B a lt im o r e . I h ap p en t o know t h e s e men and t h e i r m ethods o f w o r k in g . The m ethods a re good and th e r e s u lt s o b tain ed have been sound. They h ave dem on strated c le a r ly th a t a r a th e r s u r p r is in g number o f y o u n g ste rs in th e c i t y o f B a ltim o re have had s ig n if ic a n t and dangerous exposure to lea d in th e ir environm ent. U n fo rtu n a tely f o r W orm ser's t h e s i s , com parable r e s u lt s h ave been o b ta in e d in alm ost ev ery o th er a rea o f the U nited S ta te s where th ere have been f a c i l i t i e s th a t en able a ccu ra te in v e s tig a tio n o f th is type to be made. S in cerely you rs, KAK e f E n c. R o b e rt!'A . K eh o e, M. D . ETH Y L C O R P O R A T IO N M AN UFAC TU RIN G A N D T R A F FIC D E P A R T M E N T 7 PLEA SE A D D R ESS REPLY TO C H R Y S L E R SUILDIN G 4 0 S L E X I H 0 T 0 N A V E . , N E W Y O R K 17, N Y. December 21, Dr. R. A. Kehoe College o f Medicine U niversity of Cincinnati Eden & Betheeda Avenues C in cin n a ti, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoe: In the e a rly part o f th is year I mentioned to you a d iscu ssio n th a t had. taken place in the Lead In d u stries A ssociation concerning lead poisoning p u b lic ity . This vas m ainly in referen ce to a c o n fid e n tia l memorandum dated June l 6, 19Mf th a t I had re c e iv e d from Mr. Wonnser, S ecreta ry o f the A sso c ia tio n . . I r e p lie d to h is memorandum under date o f June 27, 1 9 ^ and sent you a copy o f my r e p ly . Meanwhile, I am now in re c e ip t o f a fu rth e r in q u iry on t h is su b ject dated December 8, 194U. Enclosed herew ith i s my complete f i l e on t h is su b ject, fo r your ready referen ce and convenience. Sin ce, as you probably know, I am on the Board o f D irectors o f Lead In du stries A ssociation , I f e e l i t i s a m atter on which I must take some r e s p o n s ib ility to make sure th at the A ssociation is doing the proper thing and, accord in g ly , would ap p reciate any advice and fu rth e r comments th a t you would care to give me. P lease retu rn the attached f i l e when i t has served your purpose. Very tru ly yours, 3-2 ETH Y L C O R P O R A T IO N Ma n u f a c t u r i n g a n d T r a f f i c D e p a r t m e n t P LEA SE A D D R ESS REPLY TO C H R Y S L E R BU ILDING 4 0 6 L E X IN G T O N AVE.,NEW Y O R K 17, N Y. February 16, 19^5 Dr. R. A . Kiehoe College o f Medicine U niversity o f Cincinnati Eden & Bethesda ATenues C in cin n a ti, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoe: Regarding our recent exchange of correspondence concerning the lea d s itu a tio n and Mr. Wormser's view s, I spoke to him today and he is most anxious to get to g eth er w ith you and me. We might, th e re fo re , plan to d iscu ss t h is su b ject on your next t r i p to New York and i f you w i l l l e t me know when t h is i s to be, perhaps we can arrange a luncheon d a te . Very tru ly yours, 3-2