Document xjx20xKK9qB2a4Z02kZr7Bv5E

July 22, 1953 Dr. A. i5. MacCallum hetrolia, Ontario, Canada Dear Doctor MacC allure: V.o are enclosing for your information and records, the analytical results for lead on the sambles of blood and urine obtained from hr. The results would Indicate that no lead had been absorbed by Mr. the time he was engaged in work within au^aSoHfra storage tank during the previous few days. Thank you very much for collecting those- samples for us. Sincerely yours. LV.'S :vr Enel. cc - Dr. H. A. Kehoo Lester W. Bander3 , n.D RE 0017300 Random comments on the tank cleaning as it was reported in the letter of Mr. Reni Barki of June 2ltr, 1953 If the man who worked in this tank wore air-hose fciasks (and it Is not specifically stated whether or not!they did, excepting on the last day or two of the tank cleaning as mentioned on page 3)* they should have been safe even in a very high concentration of lead in air. | ' S The mention of the 20 c.c. blend immediately I suggests the question as to how. this blend occurred and win ther or not ;here was any previous knowledge on the part of any one in f-Vh. e Corporation of this blend and its transoortati on. If no knowledge was had of this blend, the reason for thl of knowledge should be investigated. ! i Since definite procedures have been established fc r the routine handling of sludge, the question arises as o vifhy individual judgment was used and a procedure which differed from the accepted usual procedure followed. The b urnin procedure, it seems to me, only complicates the picture i l requiring perhaps more handling and being very questionable In Its effectiveness. If fthe T.E.L. was in ?mter, It would have been at the bottom of the water and nothing effective would have been accomplished by the burning of stove or fuel oil on the top of the water. The oil, rather obviously v/ould simply have burned off, leaving the lead where it was originally and there would have been no effect in all ' ! probability on that lead resting at the bottom of the w^tsr. '.lien the original report of Mr. was made to Mr. Lewis, It seems to me that Mr. Lewis was passing medical \ judgment as to whether or not the symptoms might haye been due KE 0017301 N21034.01 2 to lead absorption* This is a ratter that should have been referred to the Medical Department at once for judgment. If there was reason to believe that high concentrations of load were In the air outside the tank (there w as seme evidence of this as stated in the letter because of the strong odor of lead on the outside), the use of canister masks would be questionable even on the outside. It appears that- both or. Lewis and hr. Dark were using medical judgment and only In retrospect and after the 'act referred the question to the proper department. Although no specific Instructions have, been issued asking for the immediate reporting to the Medical Do t tjeont of tanks which have unusual histories or proved to have ui rusua concentrations of lead, good judgment might have umgssted such an immediate report. The situation suggests that the Medical Department issue instructions for the iiojtedia be reporting of unusual tanks when found. Lester V. Sanders, M.D. July 2, 1953 la/ / KB 0017302