Document x1b9ZX56BO0aw8Kg0goMQzxky

INTER OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE E t h y l Ga s o l in e Co r po r a t io n CH RYSLER BU ILD IN G . 405 Le x in g t o n Av e n u e N e w Y o r k A p r i l I S , 19 H Dr. E. A. Kehoe Dear Dr. Kehoei We are attaching letters dated April 3rd and April l*+th from Louis I1. Hall of the Great Lakes Oil Company and from John H. Walsh of the Tide Water Associated Oil Com pany, which were referred to us hy our Hew York Division office. * The Great Lakes Oil Company is a Tide Water jobber located at Niagara Nalls. We are advised hy Mr. Goltz of the Hew York Divi sion office that the law suit in question is now pending and Tide Water would appreciate your taking any action in the immediate future which you may deem helpful. . 7ery truly yours, 0. B. LEWIS IC enclosure B; REOEI VEL ! ETHYL GASOLINE CQRW * KS\VYORK EMVISION I T i d e W a t e r A s s o c i a t e d O il C o m p a n >| a u t o m o t iv e s a l e s d iv is io n gg e n g in e e r in g d e pa r t m e n t TIDE WATER DIVISION 17 Battery Place Ne w Yo r k j M?a;L5 l^T! i J.A.C i< W.M.T* April 14, 19' *n.f M il M'* \ | I Ethyl Gasoline Corporation 135''East 42nd Street hew York, II. Y. Attention: Mr Roy L. Golts J'C i i Llemon: I am. encloa herewith, co>yJ 0 2. & letter from hr. Louis r. all, of the Greau Lakes Oil Company, Niagara Falls, n* !> which is self-explanatory. We would appreciate any help which you may be able to give Mr. Hall covering tais matter. Very truly yours, \JL~ ^ E. Walsh, Manager JEW:JH Enclo sure 0004598 * LOU IS F. H A L Sec'y - Treasure Gentlemen: A gasoline operator in one of our stations reported to ua that he was running short on gasoline in one of his tanks and thought that he had a leaker. We removed the tank about a week later and brought it back to our yard. About a week after this we received a report from the owner of a store located next to tb gasoline station, that in digging a hole in his cellar he dis covered a large quantity of gasoline there. This gasoline was found to be floating on top of a small underground stream of water, the direction pointing towards the gasoline station. Test holes were dug around this area and gasoline and water were found in 4 holes dug on these two premises. In three holes dug off the premises traces of gasoline could be detected in the damp soil':'' while further away only water was discovered. A considerable amount of gasoline was taken from the original hole in the cellar and the three holes on the station. For about 5 weeks this con dition existed during which time the station and store were roped off by the fire department as a fire hazard. During this time the owner of the store got a stick, attached a pail to it, went into his cellar and skimmed off the gasoline on top of the water and used same in his truck and car and stored the rest in drums. He is now suing us for loss of business and a very substantial amount for his health, claiming that he is permanently sick and unable to attend to his business due to the tetra ethly lead in the gasoline that he breathed and handled in obtaining n*om the cellar of his store. Would you kindly write to the Ethyl C-asoline Corporatic requesting them for information as follows: " 1. Whether the breathing of the ftuaes of gasoline that contains lead would give him lead poison. 2. Whether the occasional spillage of gasoline on his hands from attempting to recover same from his cellar would give him lead poison or have a serious effect on hi3 health. 3. Whether they would be willing to give us technical assistance when the case comes up for trial. 4. Any other information that might help us. Yours very truly, April 2 6 , 1941 Mr-, John H* '3aX9h Tideter Associated Oil Company 1 7 Hattery i3l"2 0 Si Xi.rU 7t fey N York D-riijp ;siL*e !"lUt Yo.fc* letter :>;? April l^;b. ad-lrosiuid to* ?/<r* G e l t " o f th e b th y l H : ^ u U s ^ K o ^ a t ; ' on & ft -^noy of is letter frr f l B H H B V H H v of to a Or.??. lwV:ir - i X' :':>.Ksp*rryt h as be?? b ro u g h t to ay fehr*>ugh tiro ns York o f f i c e o f to e e th y l G-sollim Corpuratio.-u 7. assume you will sjsh to trans* m*t .\ny Inf or sta tio n !*htoh is g iv e n to Mr. fchprofor*, I txs* w r i t i n g d i r e c t l y to you iu th e m a tte r* ?ho ex&minat ion of Hr latter ludirufeeu quite dea r l y that the ol^inaat w&s Sofia Italy sxguaed to gasoline, trod presumably thut the ga*.*ilne os?sure which he suffered as the result of loakftge froa one of your tanks Whatever da&ago this ooeuaioued to irta is, of o u r sc, boyuud ny province to fiooldo, The question raised by iir,^B|^fcorjosrned the poaslblllfcy of eigatfleant ospoauro to load in the vapors of the gasoline* The answer to this to quite cl'utr, Under tha eircuostunnes It la not to ha anti** olpfttad that any exposure to load compounds worthy of note occurred* First, the vapors artalas frost liquid gasoline do not contain appreciable quantities of tetraethyl lend since the volatility of the load la 3 0 low 8 cacinarad to the gasoline* Vapors to which he *8 exposed, and to whatever degree ho was opposed, were those of gasoline alone- Mez*eover contact his skin with the gasoline In the cellar would not give rise to appreciable lend absorption, and would not produce lead poisoning. The same reason applies hero ns in the case of the handling of commercial gasoline* It has bean demonstrated quite clearly that contact with commercial gasoline does not result in significant lead absorption under any conditions of exposure* In this Instance It is not to be supposed that tne gasoline was unusual in Its concentration of lead, and It is not to be supposed, therefore, that any opportunity for abnormal lead exposure presented Itself* ' Evidence which we have obtained In other instances of leakage has demonstrated that much of the lead la leaehed out of the gasoil which trickles though the soil ae a ooncequenee of the leak* It la particularly for this reason that I ay that do unusual exposure to lead would he occasioned by Inhalation of or contact with gasoline in this ioan*s cellar* Undoubtedly number of hypo* thetleal and practical questions could bo raised with reference to this situation* It would difficult if not Impossible to anticipate all of these questions In advance# However there is a very large mass of evidence covering the whole question of potential ex posure to lead in commercial leaded gasoline and any end all of such evidence can be put at your disposal in oooneotiou with this case* I should be glad to discuss It ulth any representatives of yours who may be involved la the handling of the matter and I will be glad to give any assistance hioh is possible* the only point; which It oocura to me to add to my discussion at this time Is that generally speaking exposure to gasoline vapors Is not a serious matter* Obviously If one Is exposed to high concentrations, gasoline poisoning or intoxication takes place* Usually this does not result In permanent Injury, and therefore it Is to be expected that the claimant In this case would recover his health completely If the source of his exposure to gasoline Is eliminated* If he does not recover promptly it would probably be because he has some other Illness unrelated to his claimed exposure to gasoline* Very truly yours HAKjls - Bobart" A* 'Keboe*'k .i>*