Document wrqx8DVr36473YbjK8v64Q51E

July 15. 1956 Dr, Graham Edgar Ethyl Gasoline Corporation Chrysler Building ITew York City Sen York Boar Dr. Edgar* I have your letter of June 6th enclosing correspondence concerning the case of alleged lead poisoning in Lawrence, Kansas, lo doubt you have Dr* Sanders* reply of June 9^h. Yesterday I called Dr, Jones and after some convorsation with him, found that he was very skeptical of any influence which load may have played, and quite open to conviction that lead was in no sense responsible for this maii|3 illness* I sent him some of the literature on the subject and offered to carry out analyses which would determine the question of lead exposure, if he felt it desirable* I think this will con* elude the case from the point of view of the physician* I am attaching herewith a letter written to Mr. Speea of the City Service Cil Company in regard to the matter, as well as a copy of ay letter to Mr. Berg. Very truly yours, EAK:is Robert A. Kehoe, K.D. ^ 0021884 ruis- 'S* *1 ^*-o yl SCliR Corporation 7 Bue'hr^m bfcreot ftert Kansas City Lioeouri Dear 3Isv Borg* X onoiose herewith. oopy Mr* ope3 ia solatie to the ease or t Lawyonec* Kansas* X boeve the lottos* tsela 3.3 sol^explanafcory .and that no further action cill be roquiro* If any furttier dovelosaont coiae to jour attention^ please forward the infornatila to no* Very truly yours rt iKsis cc Dr. Edgar H oborEa* r-choe lus* K t 0021885 July 15, 1956 Ur* II* P e n n aid Jones Lawrence Yanoao , Dcai Dr* Jones? I as fulfilling the premise made la our telephone conversation of yesterday by sending you a series of articles which have to do with the problem of lead absorption In relation to leaded gasoline* as noil as an article of my associated on gasoline dermatitis which I think will he of considerable interest to you* X call, your attention specifically to the discussion and the citation of all the literatus' on the subject of Ethyl Gasoline in an article entitled An Appraisal of the Lead Hazards Associated tilth the Blstrtbutton and Use of Gasoline Containing Tetraethyl Load ~ Part 1 n which was published in the Journal of Industrial Xiygion March 1934* An article on the some subject Part XX gives rather crucial evidence* I boliovo* of the lack of load exposure associated with the handling of gasoline at filling stations* X think X need say no more than la discussed la these articles other than to repeat to you what I said in our telephone conversation* Load in gasoline has been in continuous distribution In this city and in a few neighboring cities since 1924* '* have had occasion to study a number of men under condition# of exposure during this entire period* end as you can well see from the articles* 0 0 have investigated this subject over a wide iron* Hot only have there been no cases of load poisoning in any of the men whom we have seen* but there have been no evidences of lead absorption as shown by an elevated lead excretion* It Is my honest opinion that the handling of leaded gasoline Is not more dangerous from the point of vie of lead absorption than la the handling of any other type of gasoline. You will perhaps reallso that in this country and In foreign countries there must be at least half a million people engaged In occu pations In which they have more or less continuous exposure to leaded gasoline* The absence of lead poisoning ovor a period of now more than ton years can not be regarded as fortuitous therefore* K F 0021886 Dr* ?onfield Jonoa 2 In looking error the recoil of your physical examination X can not see any evidence Indicative of lead absorption* I am therefor * con-* strained to fool that your ease ties one of more or leas characterlatic gasoline denaatitis with recurrence on recurrent exposure* As to the x-ray findings in the hones, I think you are quite 3afe In disregarding these as evidence of lead absorption since even in the hands of experimental workers on subjects with known lead ex posure it has not been found possible to demonstrate radiographic evidence of lead absorption in the skeletons of adults* X-ray findings among children are vary useful and very significant* but this Is not the case in adults* Despite what I have said above if you arc o t 11 convinced that there were some evidences of load absorption in the case of this man I should bo glad if you v?ould cay so* In which case we can investigate the facts further by a study of your patient*s load ex cretion# If you should wish to have certain analyses mad lot me know at one and X will send you the necessary containors for obtaining samples# Very truly yours RAX *is Ifobert' "nT r:cK'oo' D* K 0021887 i COPY July 15, 1 956 Mr. Warren T. Spies City Service Oil Company Chicago, Illinois Dear Mr. Spies: Your letter of June 30th addressed to the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, 310 South M ^ h U j a r ^ ^ Avenue, concerning the illness of one of Lawrence, Kansas, has been referred to me for reply. You are doubtless aware of the fact that contact with gasoline on the part of persons with susceptible skin may result in the production of a dermatitis. After examining the report of Dr. Jones on ^^^patient, it seemed rather apparent to me that M r . ^ m ^ ^ w a s suffering from such a gasoline dermatitis. There was nothing in the picture to indicate lead absorption, and moreover, skin irritations are in no sense of the word characteristic of injury due to lead. In view of the essentially negative clinical findings, I called Dr. Jones on the telephone and discussed the case with him, pointing out the lack of evidence of lead absorption and expressing my own opinion that the x-ray findings in adults are entirely without meaning from the point of view of lead absorption. I found Dr. Jones rather skeptical of the significance of lead In this case, and I believe my conversation left him convinced that lead was in no sense to be blamed. I have taken the trouble to send him some of the literature on the subject which discusses the points of interest in connection with cases of this type, and I expect to hear from him as to his final conclusions in the matter. I feel quite certain that Dr. Jones will conclude that lead poisoning is not a factor In this man's illness and I trust that this action will bring this case to a conclusion. If there are any further questions which I can answer in the matter, I shall be glad to do so. Very truly yours, RAK:is Robert A. Kehoe, M.D. k'E' 0 0 2 1 8 8 8 N22800.03