Document zneMrDNd7xJoNv0187yYOpa

August 8* l^Mt- 19 Mr. G. L. tewart Vice President Gil;:'plaited Imperial Oil Building Toronto 1, Canada '. Bet Mr* Glen Wright Bear Mr. Stewart* T o u r latter o f J uly 27th a d dressed to Mr* W. M, Turnley, Ethyl Corporation# h05 Lexington Avenue, Hew York, has been referred to this laboratory for comment. It is obvious f r o m the record that Mr. __ has had significant industrial exposure to gasoline in all probability has developed mild chronic gasoline intoxication with associated peripheral neuritis of the hands. Usually the first symptoms to appear In chronic intoxication of this type are those of a general nature or psychasthenic and neurasthenic manifestation and they are followed by muscular weakness and cramps# listlessness and a feeling of dullness, fatigue and loss of weight. Symptoms on the part of the central nervous system occur in wide variety and degree. They may be listed as follower mental confusion, loss of memory, a sense of impaired mental faculties, depression, irritability and nervousness, listlessnss, dullness, occasional tremor, numbness, paresthesia, muscular pain perhaps lancinating, pains in the limbs, nerve tenderness, neuritis, and paralysis of peripheral or cranial nerves of the chronte type and associated with but little pain and either motor, sensory or mixed. Vertigo f requently occur and- m a y 1be severe and associated w i t h tinnitus and; impairment of hearing. Drowsiness by da y m a y be followed by* insomnia- a t n i g h t . . In the subacute and chronic intoxication; th blood changes are n o t characteristic and there m a y be- no significant alteration in the red and white counts or hemoglobin level. With respect to therapy it is advisable to terminate the gasoline.exposure temporarily-and to establish general hygienic and,tonic measure which will Improve the general state of healthy; ~ ' K 001637.1 Mr. 0. L. Stewart -2- *l Upon rturn to work measures should be take to; preye'h.t,' undue exposure t o .gasoline. I t m a y be dskfirakilai ' rubber gloves o r 'prohibe tire " " skin cream. D T n regard to the sugge s t i o n that lead poiaonia* b&asr at' i;hd:aitd;:-in 'tl5#';'pib*ei ' "particularly the kind containing tetraethyl lead," no experimental or clinical evidence has been developed cm:* a number o f years to substantiate this inference. On tta: contrary, all of the d ata support the conclusion that there is td :^|pi||il|ii':,'froia contact with leaded gasoline in its liquid or vaporised i h i ^ r i - base gasoline & l < | | | b . .5; continuously since 1^26 in concentrations, not exceeding 1 to 1,260 parts b y valurae. During this period of tiara n o single case of lead poisoning has resulted from the use of leaded gasoline as it is usually handled i n commerce. It has been well established that the nydrocarbon content of gasoline is tne portion that causes poisoning; and this may vary widely depending upon the nature and source of the crude oil b ase stock as well as upon the method of refinement. Vapor phase cracked gasoline la highly unsaturated and quite reactive chemically and physioologically If for any reason you feel that a urine sample should be examined to determine the preseno of unusual amouhts of lead, we shall be very glad to send a container and carry out the analysis upon your request. V ery truly yours,# KVK:rms ; K. V. M i a m i Her' M.D. Most o f the foregoing material, was obtained fxaom the following sources: "An Appraisal of the Lead Hazard Associated with the Distribution and Use of Gasoline Containing Tetraethyl Lead." Hobert A. K e h o e , F r e derick Thamann and Jacob Cholak. Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, vol. 1.8,. no. 1, January 1936. "Hazards in the Handling of Ethyl P'luid and Leaded Gasoline." Robert A. Kehoe, M.D. -rteprinted from the Proceedings of the Ninth All-Ohio -Safety Congress, May, 1938. "Gasoline Intoxication." Willard Machle, M.D. Journal of the American Medical Association, Decem b e r 6, I9I4.I, vol. 11? pp. 1965-1971. 0016375 ETHYL CORPORATION INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE t o D . B. A. Kehoe f r om Mr. W. M. Turnley SUBJECT Imperial Oil , Case of a ddr ess Cincinnati a ddr ess New York ina Refinery da t e August 1, 1944 Attached is the original letter, dated July 27th, from Mr. G. L. Stewart, Imperial Oil Limited, Toronto, Canada, and file, covering the case of Mr. of their Regina Refinery, whose f a m i l y f e e l s that he is suffering from neuritis as a result of handling gasoline, particularly the kind containing Tetraethyl lead. Also attached is my reply to Mr. Stewart's letter. I am sure he would appreciate any informa tion you could give him regarding this case. E n d s . (8) KE 0016376 , K. A. Kehoe /. 0. B, Lewis itir. H. Kuha 1? 1,August 1944 Kr, 6* L. Stewart Imperial Oil Limited Imperial Oil Building Toronto 1, Canada Dear Sr, Stewartt We are in receipt of your letter of July 27th, together with correspondence covering the case of Mr, of your Regina Re finery, whose family physician feels that h is suffering fro neuritis as a result of handling gasoline Bparticularly the kind containing Tetra ethyl lead. We are forwarding this complete file to our Sr* Robert A, Kehoe, College of Medicine,. Idea Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, and no doubt you, will hear from M m regarding M s opinion of the case. Very truly yours. WT/h W, M, Turnley HE 0016377 , G,L.S t e w a r t Vic e -Pr es id en t Imp e r ia l Oil Li mit ed '3? Imper ial Oil Buil ding T O R O N T O I, C A N A D A July 27, 1944 Mr. W.M. Turniey, Ethyl Corporation, 405 Lexington Avenue, NEW YORK 17, N.Y. Dear Mr. Turnley: We have had a peculiar case arise at Regina refinery in that of Mr. whose family physician feels he is s u r r e r S ^ r r o m neuritis as a result of handling gasoline "particularly the kind containing Tetra Ethyl lead." That the files of your Medical Department may be complete we are at taching copies of the following correspondence: Dr. M.G. Israels to Mr. C.R. Moore, Mr. C.R. Moore to Dr. R. Maeleod, Dr. Austin Evans to Mr. C.R. Moore, Dr. F.A. Corbett to Mr. C.R. Moore, Mr. C.R. Moore to Dr. R. MacLeod, Dr. Austin Evans to Mr. C.R. Moore, dated " B " " " June 22, June 23, July 3, July 11, July 18, July 21. You may rest assured that we will run this case to the limit, since we are satisfied there is no substantiation of lead poisoning and we will either prove or disprove this point. We thought when your medical man next visits Regina he might wish to go into the matter at that point. Yours very truly, Atts. 0016378 -