Document zdg43dJXroQdzw6bRDD9GqGXa

COPY LEAD E3OTSTRIES ASSOCIATION 60 East h2nd Street How York 2?, !i*Y* i' G P Y October 3, 1?57 A L. Cbapaan* M. D* Assistant Surgeon General U. S. Public Health Service Federal Security Building S Washington 25* D. C* Dear Dr. Chapmans Herewith in a copy of ny letter to Dr. Mathews referred to in our telephone conversation today. You w i n note that copies went to Mr. Doyle and Mr. ?orhulst, both of wham had telephoned is about this matter. In view of the apparently casmaereialJy motivated and specious nature (what sense does "more than 3$ is dangerous and in fact lethal when swallowed make?) of tiie telegraphic release which started the furor* as well as the complete lack of epi* doaiological evidence of any h a m to children from such toys* it seems hardly fair ix those who have imported t h m in good faith that obstacles should be placed in the wa: of their sale. On the other hand* soras control of the paint of toys which may be toxically hazardous to children seems obviously desirable* and when I was asked what agency night logically set standards for this* I suggested your Division of the Public Health Service* and it was from this that Hr* ifttshel*s call to you steamed. A copy of American Standard 266.1 is also enclosed. Having been the chief instigat or of the establishment of this standard, I am la a position to assure you tJiat it was primarily directed at interior house paints* which have been the principal and almost sole source of childhood lead poisonings* and that the ideation of children*s toys was really an afterthought. As I nos? sissa up the problem, it would seem that a materially higher lead content might be allowable for the paints with which newly manufactured toys are coated. Sincerely yours, H ISanfred Bowdltch tfET 0006293 N7550 co p! October 2, 1957 air m a 2f. * 20thclWS, --I* 0# Commissioner of Health State Department of Health 31*00 Horth Eastern. Oklahoma City 5* Oklahoma User Dr. I-iathsws* . I aa sorry to have had to defer replying to your letter of September 27th, ene to the press of work engendered by the matter to which you refer, Telephone calls fro m health officers locally and in M m Jersey, California and Tmshingtoa have been supplemented by letters such as yours, and attendance at a 'Japanese toy** meeting here yesterday,, at which so bs 60 were present, lias been mother factor, ibis at least enables m to tell you sore than I could have on lionday. Ills Toy Guidance Council is apparently a commercial concern doing business also as Toy Guidance Exhibit. lie may suppose that their interest, in issuing the release towhich you refer, was to forestall competition from these imported toys. I am told that it went to the health authorities of some 60 states and aiaicipaliiies* Today, nearly two weeks later, no one appears to know Just what is the lead content of the paint on these or other toys cow on the market*- one would thick that this should have been ascertained before any such release was issued. As we greatly prefer that no lead paint be used on articles or surfaces that jsay be chewed by children, it had been ay initial thought that American Standard 66.1, setting a limit of 1$ lead in the pigment of paints so used, might be considered toapply here. However, it is obvious that the paint film on structural surfaces may be many times m thick as that on toys, and certain statements made at yesterday*s meeting have led me to revise my thinking. Among these were* . 1. That the Hew York City Health Department, among a groat number of cases of childhood lead poisoning investigated, has failed to find a single one attributable to the pint on toys as pur chased at retail. KE 0006294 N7550.01 COPT G* F. Mathews, IT. D. - 2- COPT October 2, 193? 2* That the Health. Department of California and the City of Detroit have approved the sale of the Japanese toys la fuestdon* 3* That lead paints are used on both domestically raraifactaaresd and imported toys. 1* That vast numbers of imported toys have been sold here for years, on is^porter having sold over a million Japanese toys a year for seven years, and -with no known resultant trouble. 3. That, under date of September 2?th, the Toy Guidance Council lias issued a second release of a rather exculpatory nature. I is&ve secured this m d a phoisstatic copy is herewith, the msheac&ng having been lost in the photography because it printed la rod. As I read this document, the susmtlca sight be `'Uo are no sorry.** Late yesterday, I talked by telephone with Ur. Huntington Lillians, Health Ccmissioser of Baltimore, who, as you. surely know, is more than acutely atore of the problem of childhood lead poisoning. I think I asst / right in saying that ho agrees that the situation has been greatly overplayed, and that, while it should not Ixa lost sight of, there is as yet no proof of haaard calling for prohibitory action* In the light of what I now know and believe, the best advise X can offer is that, since there is no evidence of potential harm therefrom, the calc of these toys be permitted and. that a conservative statement to that effect be issued. A ad, in closing, let aa reiterate that, as a farmer state health official, I am personally opposed, to any use of lead determined to be possibly .Iienafui. to the public health, and that in this I have the full support of this Association. Sincerely your, Manfred Bowcliteh XE 0008295