Document x1QxDQw9rDGryDq44NnB0grV0

ETHYL CORPORATION SEATTLE DIVISION 1411 FOURTH AVENUE SEATTLE .WASHINGTON Zone #1 January 10, 1947 Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. Kettering Laboratory University of Cincinnati Eden Avenue Cincinnati 19, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoes I am attaching a copy of an Associated Press news release to the newspapers appearing in the Seattle Times on Sunday, January 5th. Brief mention of it was also carried on the radio newscast on Sunday. On the radio the call for donors of blood of the rare type required was played up and lead poisoning was merely mentioned, as in the newspaper. This did not come to our attention until Monday, and it was felt before calling you that we should have our Mr. Harry Manning in Portland investigate the matter to deter mine if Idle mention of lead poisoning was an idea of the news paper reporter. I am attaching Mr. Manning's letter stating his findings. As far as can be determined we are in no way impli cated and we shall do nothing further in the matter other than to be naturally interested in future reports of the condition of the boy. An incident of this kind could well be used, for future prevention of such accidents in safety work. With kindest regards Very truly yours* CFN/ak att. cc: O.B.Lewis R.C.Champlin S.M.Wagner Fromj Seattle Daily Times January 5* 1947 RARE BLOOD GIVEN, MAI SAVE BOI'S LIFE VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 4 - A.F. Doctors had hope today for the recovery of Ralph Jette, 9 years old, who was given a transfusion yesterday only after a public appeal for donors to match his rare blood type, 4-0 Rh negative. Sixty volunteers responded within minutes, some of them from as far away as Kelso, and Forest Grove, Oregon. But only four matched the type. One was selected, his name was not disclosed. The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Jette, Box 197, Route 3, Vancouver, was suffering from lead poisoning, the result of swallowing gasoline while siphoning from a barrel Thursday. Kit (M)16182 ETHYL CORPORATION INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE TO FROM Mr. Fred Naylor Mr. Harry Manning ad d r es s ad d r ess Seattle Portland- SUBJECT Investigation of newspaper & radio report on case of lead poisoning from siphoning gasoline. d at e January 7, 1947 Dear Fred: This morning in response to your request for further information on the youngster reported suffering from lead poison ing after syphoning gasoline-from a tank on his father*s farm near Vancouver, Washington, I drove over there and casually called upon the bulk plant managers of Shell, Union, and Standard Oil. During the course of our conversation I mentioned seeing the story in the newspaper regarding the youngster, but they had already checked their customer lists out of curiosity and could not find that name listed. I did learn that the boy was in St. Josephs Hospital on East 12th Street, Vancouver, Washington, and decided to see what information I could gather at that point. Upon arriving at the hospital I noted the ambulance receiving door so walked on in and was greeted with a cheerful "good morning, doctor" from one of the nurses. I casually replied that it was a good morning and asked if she knew how the young Jette boy was getting along. Her reply was that he had shown improvement, but they were still giving him oxygen. I learned also that the boy was in room 404 so stepped on the elevator and upon getting off at the 4th floor moved along in a hurry like I knew just where I was going. Room 404 was open and I found a special nurse on the case. I engaged her in friendly conversation regarding the youngster and learned that the boy, Ralph Jette, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Jette, Route 3, Box 197, Vancouver, Washington, is only nine years old, but tries to be very helpful on the farm. Young Ralph was going to burn some brush so he stuck a hose in the tractor gasoline tank and sucked up mouthfuls of gasoline, then he would run over to the brush pile and spit the gasoline out. Apparently the fumes, or perhaps some of the gasoline, nauseated him, for as near as they could determine, he burped and swallowed about two gulps of gasoline, then became very sick and finally was brought to the hospital. I told the nurse that I was interested in getting some of the details for a Safety Bulletin on things not to do. She told me that Doctor Butler had the case and he was considered a very good AA1 N18678.02 jv. C. F. Naylor page 2 January 7, 1947 doctor. She then, let me see the youngster who was in an oxygen tent and I asked her if he had much gasoline in his lungs. Her reply was that she was not supposed to give out any information, but she felt sure that I would keep her remarks confidential; The youngster has pneumonia from the fumes and some gasoline that entered the lungs, especially the right lungj however, has shown very good improvement during the last eight hours. I then helped her to roll another tank of oxygen over near the tent as the tank in use was nearing zero. She then'told me that she was not allowed to show me the chart, but it was hanging right beside the tent and she would step out of the room for a minute and I could glance at the recordings. The youngster seemed quite bright and waved his hand to me from behind the windows in. the oxygen tent. The nurse felt quite confident her patient would come along very well, although he was not of the robust type. I decided that I had about all the information that she could give me and perhaps it would be well to leave before the doctor or perhaps superintendent came around. The nurse was thanked for her cooperation and I left without mentioning my name or connections. At no time did I detect any inference to lead poisoning from the gasoline during my conversation with the nursfe, and did not mention the subject as she stated that Doctor Butler had diagnosed the case as pneumonia. The newspaper story may have been some quick thinking on the part of the reporter who calculated that leaded gasoline when swallowed caused lead poisoning. I did not contact the news paper on the story feling that it might be well to let them alone. However, I can follow up this case if you feel that it is necessary. Very truly yours, (signed) Harry Harry Manning c O v y KE 0016184