Document reXrZ4V6qQ9Lgdv6MK8pM3qMV

LABORATORY OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 4 HILLHOUSK AVENUE YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT February 10; 1925# Dr* H. S* C u m i n g , Surgeon General, IT* S. Public Health Service, Washington, D. C* Dear Doctor Gumming! Eay I call your attention to the fact that on February 2nd, the Hew York Public Health Council took action which virtually approves the distribution of tetra ethyl lead to refineries and filling stations, and virtually authorizes the sale of ethyl gas to the public. All present conditions seem to me to render it imperative that the c o m i s s i o n to investigate this matter should be appointed at the earliest possible date* I enclose a copy of a letter which I am writing to Krs. Grace 1'. Burnham of the Workers Health Bureau, on the subject of the Bureau of KJLnes Report. Sincerely yours, jiuom Lnc * Yandell Henderson February 14, 1925* Dr* Alice Hamilton, School of Fablie Health, Harvard University, 56 Tea Dyke street. Boaton, neat* Bear Doctor Hamilton* X B m very glad to receive your letter of February 12th with reference to the subject of tetraethyl lead and In reply to attempt to explain to you briefly the sequence of events to date with refer** enoe to this matter* Several years ago 1 was informed that a corporation intended to use something of this sort and began to initiate an Investigation as to Its possible harmfulness X was informed, however, that the Bureau of Mines was about to undertake a similar investigation and, of course, took no further steps Some months ago I reoeived a letter from Dr* Tsndell Henderson calling m y attention to the use of the substance and suggesting a conference 1 addressed a letter to each of the persons whom 1 could ascertain were interested in this matter asking for advice as to whether they considered a conference advledl? whether the present was an opportune time* The majority of the answers were to the effect that It would be better to postpone the conference until further investigation had been made by men working along this line* Several days ago X reoeived a letter from Dr# Henderson enclosing a copy of a letter which he had written criticising the technique used by the Bureau of Mines in their observations and a somewhat similar letter from Dr Haven Bmerson with reference to the matter* 1 at once took the matter up with our scientific division and appointed the first vacant date, which is next Monday, for us to further consider the subject of calling a conference and X shall be glad to oomssxnloate with you with reference to our decision* X personally can see no possible objection to a round table discussion of the whole matter and shall again take up the question of a conference with those Interested* X am extremely gratified that the Garage Workers Union feels that this Service would conduct an Impartial investigation and more that you feel the same way about it* X hope that you had a pleasant and profitable trip to Moscow and X would like very much to have an opportunity of discussing your trip with you* Sincerely yours. Surgeon General February 10y 1926* Lrs* Grace L* Burnham, Y/orkers * Health Bureau, Broadway and Eleventh Street, Hew York City* Ly dear Lrs. Burnham: I received your letters of February 4th and 5th, and the copy of your, analysis of the Bureau of Lines Report. It seems to me to be very good* The main point in which the report from the Bureau of Lines on the subject of ethyl gas is defective is that the esqperimertts which that report describen do not apply to real conditions. The animals under test were kept in an atmosphere containing exhaust gas and dust only up to four parts of carbon monoxide In ten thousand. The point is made that this amount of carbon monoxide is the standard, which I and toy associ ates determined as the highest proper amount for the Hew York, Hew Jersey Vehicular Tunnel* It is indeed also the highest amount that should, on grounds of healthfulness, exist at any time in a garage; but, in fact, there is ample evidence in our observations, and particularly also the (recent report by Dr. Bittoro Ciampolini of the Hew York Department of Labor in his study of public garages, shpviing that the atmosphere in such places is often contaminated to a far greater extent than the four to ten thousand standard. At present, with the form of exhaust used on most automobiles, it is quite impossible to ventilate garages to a healthful standard in regard to carbon monoxide* For the same reason garage workers, even on the basis of the Bureau of Linos report, will bo opposed to several times S3 much load dust as were the animals reported in those experiments* In the report much stress is laid upon the fact that a great part of the lead from the gasoline cakes in the engine and In the exhaust lino and muffler* Of course if all of the lead adhered in the car, there would be no danger of dust from the exhaust; in fact at first, when tetra ethyl load was being developed, this did occur and it blocked the engines to such on extent that other substances, particularly a volatile bromide, has been added so as to cause the lead, after explosion in the engine, to pass out, at least in part. Now I learn on good authority, and the matter has the highest inherent probability, that active investigation is under way to find some additional substance which may be added to ethyl Jira* Orace 1L*. Burnham Z~ 'ebruary 10 , 1925* gas so as to enable all of the lead to be blown out of the exhaust Instead of caking in the muffler as happens at present* Shore Is no reason to doubt that this development will be offeotod by the commercial interests concerned, as they have ample funds to carry on the investigation and there is no technical reason why a substance cannot be found sfoich will effect the purpose in view* This will be a great improvement in the use of ethyl gas and will correspondingly increase the health hazard* It is not necessary to question the accuracy of the chemical analyses carried cut by the experimenters at the Bureau of Kines Station* Kven if these analyses are absolutely correct, the experiments are so poorly planned that they do not apply to the actual problem* In a garage dust accumulates from week to week and month to month* In the experimental chamber at Pittsburgh, on the contrary, the volume of air blown through was so much that no accumulation of dust could occur* In the experiments as carried out the animals v*ere placed in a roam through which fe'iS&ioust gas diluted with a large volume o f air was passed* I t w o u ld have been a 'nearer approach to real c o n d i t i o n s i f the e x h a u s t g a s had been blown through the chamber for several weeks without putting i n animals i n t o th e ch a m b e r. Then when an amount o f d u s t h ad collected corresponding to that which o c c u r s i n a g a ra g e the exhaust could have been shut off* The animals could th e n have boon made t o live in this dusty room for a few weeks* An experiment o f that sort vjould have approximated reel conditions in a garage* It is admitted in the report that the has&rd from lead to workers in repair shops and garages will in future be comparable to that to which painters are exposed* To anyone who knows how injurious are the effects of lead poisoning upon painters, this admission is sufficient t o counteract nil the claims in the report regarding the harmlessnesa of leaded gasoline* You ore free to use these statements either publicly or for transmission to the New York Health Council, i f you think they will be of use 3incercly yours, Yandell Henderson WUXI MBUMI mt tcjek Bwm m&mmm m mam February 2, 1925 omcui ADBmOK 50 OT SHOT SA3Snm cons m*B Hie following addition to Hhc Hew York State Sanitary Code was adopted by the Public Health Council at Albany, January SO, 1925 Chapter VXI of the Sanitary Code 1 hereby amended by adding thereto a new regulation to be known ae regulation 1$, to take effect Hard 1, 1925, and to read ae followei Beaalatlof 15. PlsmBTTTlOK 0? l$TBATHYIi I$AB IH COflOTmTSL K m TO PUBLIC FHOHIBXTSC. The ale or distribution of tetraethyl lead In concentrated form, except to refineriee, bulk etatione or filling etatione, 1 hereby prohibited Such sale or distribution shall be made in safe, sealed container nothing heroin contained shall be construed to prevent the sale or distribution of tetraethyl in concentrated form for experimental and research purposes or for use under special circumstances to persons whose applications therefor have been approved by the commissioner of health of the State of Hew York* ibbraaiy 13* i m * Br* Yaadell Ketsdereon* laboratory of Applied hyelelegyf Yale Cnireroity# 4 BUlhouoe Arena** Bew Barro* Centi# i$y de&r hoetor Headeroom Yfcente yen for your le tte r o f February 10th eallln g ny attention to th action o f th Kew York JPablic Health Council approvine th dietrlbutlon of tetra ethyl lead and enologia# a copy e f a le tte r ahich you were irritine to Siro# Oraoe M Bomba* o f th Workre Health Bureau* 1 aia rery deeply interneted in thio oubject ehieh J am not quite ente ha been defin tely eettled by expOHabintation known to me and destre to tolte appropriate oOtlon in th metter ae eoa ae practicable. Xt woul* % thiafc* he eommhat dia* oourteoua for me to aot before th esperimento o f th Bureau of Mine bave been complotcd at which timo I t aeema to me that a ll lutereste concemed efcould freely dieouse th metter Sincerdy yoars, INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY HARVARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ' 65 VAN DYKE STF*EeT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Feb. 12th 1925 Surgeon General Ojunising United States Public Health Service Washington, D.C. Pear Dr. Cumming: For the last fortnight I have been receiving letters, from a health organization connected, X understand, v;ith a newly formed union of garage workers, on the subjedt of tetra-ethyl lead, and I am unable to give them any satisfactory answer. At present the situation seems to he as follows: The States of Hew York and Hew Jersey forbad the sale of tetra-ethyl lead , until, recently, the appearance of the report of the bureau of Hines led the former State to sanction the sale of concentrated tetra-ethyl lead to distributors. The decision way based on advice given by the Public ^ealth Council of New York State, of which Pr, Simon Flexner is Chairman. The report in question, issued by the Bureauof Mines, seems to my correspondents unsatisfactory and the criticisms made by an industrial toxicologist to whom they sulmitted it, Pr. Paul Peznikofi formerly engaged in lead research work here, strike me as well taken. Dr. Bnsall and Dr. Cecil Drinker have also attacked the methods and conclusions of the Bureau in an article which will come out in the February number of the 11Journal of Industrial Hygiene'*. The suggestion made by the garage workers* union is that j an impartial investigation of this pui-lic health hazard be made /VV) f > ~ (S'l&c'i 7 ^imi "t " 'y r HARVARD UNIVERSITY *\ * SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH .U/.tT INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY 65 VAN D YKE S T R E E T BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS | by the United States Public Health Service. They point out the / fact, which does seem to me open to criticism, that the study of >- ' the Bureau of Mines has been financed by the General Motors C o m pany and the work which is still going on is a l s o vfinanced by it. This will, in the eyes of Labor,alweysserve to cast doubt on any negative results obtained by the investigators, and I am sure you will agree with me that that is good psychology, especially as they are aware of the damaging fact that the General Motors did not wait for the results of the inquiry before putting tetra-ethyl 1 lead on the market, I have undertaken to write to you in their rehalf because i find myself in entire agreement with them both as to the import ance to garage workers and perhaps to motor car users, of this new and little understood poison, and as to the desirability of > having an investigation made by a pul lie body which will le beyond suspicion and whose findings will be accepted as impartial and trustworthy. Very sincerely yours