Document rV8akKbB5eY3XwjgYVjKmQk7

// / ' ;'' ;v;:. ; -i - .. October 28, 19^8 . 1 it.;-. ; . . ' r ; " * . - :i u ;; ' j c o r." v-v. ; Dr. Lloyd. M . ; F a r n e r y ' ./:tr /' " _ \ Division of Industrial I^ygiene, * '/ ` ' University of Visablagton, - 903 Smith Tower, ' ;,///,; Seattle, Washington . : Dear Doctor Parnerr;;i; `5 In. further reply to-your letter of September 13, I shall undertake to give you. the benefit of our experience. f When this Laboratory'was founded In 1930, funds were made available by three industrial'organizations in an outright gift of building and minimum facilities made-to the University of Cincinnati'. It came about In this m a n n e r . W e had been working on the problem of tetraethyl lead for some y e a r s a n d we had made some progress toward the understanding of ;this problem. During that period the chemical industries of the United States had begun to find out that their expanded activities were leading them into trouble. Accordingly, certain organizations came to us with the request that we Investigate certain of their'problems. We were willing to do this, but we had neither space nor facilities. We pointed out that if they would supply the necessary, tools, we would be happy to undertake the work under appropriate safeguards for the University. Funds were made available without strings to supply our minimum needs. After the Laboratory,had been built and was In operation other industries came, to'us with their problems, and there has been a continuing expansion of. our work since. We have never had any funds except those'provided by the sponsors of th' investigative program. Out of such" funds we hve purchased new equipment. ~We have also expanded our personnel, and we are new enabled to do a rather large amount of work largely on our own choice. Our policies have developed with time,and our-guiding principle through ;the years has been that we dix not undertake - job which is not a ^straightforward medical problem, 'Hrhich w e "rselves^ consider to be wor-tby of our efforts. Our work Is; donetwithout anypeonflict:with;the policies o f the University, and we;`iae*;^sf s t e d / u ^ ^ maintenance o f :; complete independence with respeet to thebnanner of 'the c o n d u c t o r work and the manner and / time df the^publlcatlon of resultsw -p f; ;- : O u r /st'ff/is1a'fir'-tinte.staff , engaged'by' th University just as would be the* members of;any *other"department. As the work has expanded we have;added personnel ^undertaking always t o 'make appoint ments that'would'be" regarded as permanent .s We have-had!some ;,; i' disappointments,; o f course','but; In gnral-we have had more work than we' co^ld'do ,/and ;we; have-expanded our' staff only within the limits of /the reasonable^ certainty- of continuing work. -This'has been possible, largely, because there is more work to;be' done -than we have- been- able 0015592 Dr. Lloyd M. Farner - (2) - October 28, 1948 to do. In general, we have preferred to associate ourselves with Industrial organizations who have understood our policies and have been sympathetic with the position and responsibilities of a Unlverslty group. We have preferred to do work in which' we' maintain"a relationship with a given industrial organization,, undertaking to solve its toxicologic problems as they develop from the research stage into the production stage. In a number of Instances, during the war and since, we have undertaken jobs for the Federal Government at their request. We have also obtained certain, grants from time to time of Federal funds for the prosecution of a problem that extended beyond the limits of Industrial responsibility. For example, we are carrying out the systematic"study of certain contaminants of the atmosphere in the City of Cincinnati partly'through industrial sponsor ship and partly with the support of the Government. These funds are provided in every instance, for the disposition of the Laboratory . staff.. We.do not have our work done in the.Laboratory by independent fellows or by graduate,students, but by full-time staff members who are answerable entirely to ourselves. Ve do not believe it Is feasible to do work,of this kind in any other way, since we feel that ve have to put a stamp of complete approval on every bit of work that comes out of this Laboratory. We have not had a project sponsored by a labor organization. We. would have no objection in principle, for we will accept a bonafide problem from any reasonably satisfactory source, so long as we can maintain our complete independence in the prosecution of.the work. Indeed ve would be very glad to include representative'labor'(organizations among our sponsor's, if for no other reason than that.such a relationship would clearly Indicate that we are net representing any special or privileged group in the community. In the matter of our being'able to refer work to other laboratories, we should be glad to'do s o I n the first place, certain types of problems can be handled better in one place than in another. If we could,be,assisedof the competence of a given group, ve should be glad to direct work In their direction when the opportunity afforded itself. In my o p i n i o n , `you will be able to obtain financial support for such a laboratory as, y o u ha Ve in mind . 7 1 believe* such a laboratory can be self-supporting. On the other hand, it will be advantageous if certain funds are available which enable you bo.prosecute certain problems beyond,the pointi-wlsere.;'6er.t'in'i|>rabtleiai',' considerations,terminate. In ;other..iWO|*da>7iyb^lwill^want)ik>;3dIcei*tain7.1tems""of work on account of your own interests, and It is highly, advantageous, to he able to do this at least to a limited degree. Therefore, if you can find some continuing source of, funds which will enable you. to do such work on even a limited scale,/you will be a t ua'n/advantage. If you plan to do teaching, you will', either ,have /to do/it/bn a/small basis or you will have to find 'independent budgetary'suppbrt/for I t . /Thus far we have supported oun teaching program largely as an overhead charge on our general research program. This can be made to'w o r k , because we have had long-term relationships, with a number of" industries that understand our problem as well as their own. Jievertheless, in any time of economic stress Dr. Lloyd M. Farner - ( - October 28, 19^8 this additional burden of cost might be too much, despite the fact . that it is a small proportion of our total budget. Industry cannot afford to indulge in-philanthropic enterprises, and if a teaching program is to be secure > it should be supported by funds intended primarily for that purpose. I sincerely hope that within the next few years we shall be able,to find sources of funds which will provide for our teaching program, and which will give us some financial support for experimental work for which at present we have no specific sponsor. Funds in the latter category, in my opinion, should not represent a very large proportion of the total budget. It is my considered opinion that a laboratory of this type should survive or perish on its ability to serve and at the same' time to educate industrial management, in the solution of its hygienic problems. One can neither do research work nor teaching in this field without actually working in industry. It is necessary that one understands the problems of industry and that one approach them in a realistic manner with the full recognition that industrial organizations engage * In production and marketing for profit, and not for philanthropy. This philosophy, of course, can result in a very narrow point- of view, or it can develop into a broad policy which recognizes that industry must serv* the basic needs of the community and at the same time not inflict upon it a series of difficult problems in the field of Industrial and public health. Our community has become an increasingly complicated one, and it becomes ; ` necessary that the expansion of industry should not result In damage to the health of Industrial workers and injury to*-the overall,.health of the community. Industrial populations are a part of the community, and their health must be guarded carefully as a national and indivi dual asset. Also the streams which carry our water and the atmosphere which we breathe must be maintained in such a manner as not to inflict upon.us all,serious and unknown injury. In order th accomplish this goaltS-rapidly expanding industrial-economy we shall need extensive and continuing investigation on a broad b a s e . The present facilities available in this country are barely able to touch these problems. Ve shall have to do much more. In my feeling this is both an opportunity and responsibility for American industry. ' ' , 1- ./ . . Sincerely yours,. , BAK ef Sobert A. Kehoe, M. D. K F 0015594