Proceedings of a conference to determine whether or not there is a public health question in the manufacture, distribution, or use of tetraethyl lead gasoline / Prepared by direction of the surgeon general.

  • United States. Public Health Service.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proceedings of a conference to determine whether or not there is a public health question in the manufacture, distribution, or use of tetraethyl lead gasoline / Prepared by direction of the surgeon general. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    other reports, would be available about the middle of May. I there- fore took the liberty of requesting you to be present at this time. It seems unnecessary to inform you that this is in no sense a legal hearing: in fact, there are no Federal laws which authorize the Pub- lic Health Service to take jurisdiction regarding the interstate ship- ment of substances such as tetraethyl lead, even should it be deter- mined that they are injurious to public health. On the other hand, it is the duty of the Public Health Service to investigate such ques- tions and to inform the public as to the result of its investigations, re- strictive measures being part of the police power of the several States and municipalities. However, I am quite certain, from assurances given both to me and to the public, that no police measures will be necessary in the premises should the use of tetraethyl lead be deter- mined to be detrimental to the public health. It is earnestly desired that we shall confine our conference as nearly as possible to the determination of such facts and to the reporting of such investigations.and experiences as may lead to a definite deter- mination as to the hazards, if any, which follow the manufacture, dis- tribution, and use of tetraethyl lead and similar substances, not only to those who are engaged in the manufacture and distribution of the compound, but, more particularly, perhaps from my standpoint, to the public at large. The Public Health Service asks your cooper- ation in arriving at the proper solution of the problems. J fully realize the responsibility imposed and the confidence that has been given to me, and I am quite sure you are all going to help me and help each other arrive at # solution of this problem. I am sorry that we are not all around a small table. In our first study we had the advantage of the psychology of sitting around a conference table—we have grown a little larger than any available table—but I hope you will feel you are around a common council board. ; ; I have thought it would be interesting, at least to some of us, if we begin this conference by asking someone to give us the history of the development of this tetraethyl] lead in its relations to gas engines, and Mr. Kettering, the president of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, will give us the historical account. Before he does so, may I say that I thought. we would all be inter- ested in seeing the working of one of the engines at a proper time. That will be demonstrated to you later.