Document ymDrNe1n10oRjgb2ovVKnE0L6

f Copy to Dr. Reeve Copy to Dr. Edgar O c t o b e r lij.# 1 9 3 & Mr* Robert ? Harland 907 Empire Building Milwaukee# Wisconsin Dear Slrt '; 5T o u r l e t t e r o f S e p t e m b e r 2 feu concerning the effects of gasoline on the skin, addressed to the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation,has been refereed to w& by Dr* Edgar In accordance with his recent T h e e f f e c t s o f g a s o l i n e on the s k i n a r e l a g e n e r a l I l k t hose p r o d u c e d b y a number of fat solvents, There la a tendency for this a ox von c g o remove the oil f r o m the skin a n d to l e a v e I t In a d r y and cracked state* For most people who are engaged la handling gasoline# this la about the only effect seen* However# If gasoline is applied to a clothed surface of tho skin or if It is applied on or bene a t h a cloth or cotton sponge# or any other article which serves to h o l d it in contact with the skin and to prevent ventilation# blistering la very likely to result* Gasoline burns# therefore# are not too uncommon among people tho handle gasoline or ho have it spilled on them or on thoir clothing* Some people are apparently quite sensitive to gasoline and shoe a great deal more reaction to it than do others* However In a y experlenc In connection with considerable numbers of regular refinery workers and filling station attendants# serious injury to the skin is not very frequent* After some years of observations 1 oxa u s a b l e t o d e t e c t a n y d i f f e r e n c e in t h o e f f e c t s on the sklh of gasolines ehich contain lead as compared to those which d o not* The lead compound is p r e s e n t in v e r y low concentration and It is in itself not as irritating to the akin as it an equivalent quantity of gasoline* I do n b t believe# therefore# that the lead compound exerts any Influence on the irritating properties of gasoline* On t h e other h a n d # g a s o l i n e b a s e s to ethlch l e a d is a d d e d arc extremely variable in their chemical composition. Therefore some gasolines seem to be more irritating than others and it ia m y opinion# though it would be a little difficult to prove# that some of the materials which result from m o d e m processes of gasoline manufacture are more irritating than are the natural products of simple petroleum Mr* Bobert p* Harland (coot) 2 * distillation You re f e r In your letter to regulations for the handling of Ethyl Gasoline* X do not believe there is at the present time any need for regulations f o r the h a n dling of gasoline which refer specifically to gasolines containing lead There is no present reason for believing that the small lead content of the gasoline represents a n y potential danger to persons who handle this gasoline* On the other hand there are a variety of reasons why all fuel destined for use In motors should be handled with caution* Spillage should be avoided as m u c h as possible because gasoline of all types is toxic when inhaled, and also because the danger of fire is always present* Moreover all skin eontaot wife gasoline should be avoided so far as possible because, as X have pointed out, gasoline is inevitably somewhat injurious to the skin* Any regulations which are in force in any part of the country wife regard to the handling of gasoline are applied, and as a matter of fact, should apply to all typos of gasoline. So f a r as X know,no instructions h a w been issued which have been directed specifically at the avoidance of contact with gasoline merely because it contains lead* - X trust this will serve to answer your questions, and if X can be of any further assistance to you, X shall be glad to do so* Very truly yours. K M siS rtc*ar" A. kehtoo,'it.ii* He 0012