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    "localId": "75719232",
    "label": "Memorandum to Mr. Viedt [H.B. Viedt], April 9, 1925",
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    "id": "75719232",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum to Mr. Viedt [H.B. Viedt], April 9, 1925",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75719232",
    "collections": [
        "Safety Light Collection",
        "Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
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    "seq": 2,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
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    "ocrText": "U.S.R.C.INTERIOR MEMORANDUM\nDate\n4/9/25\nSubject\nFor Attention of\nMr. Viedt.\nAnswering Memo. of\nPERSONAL\nDear Harold:\nDr. Gilman Thompson of New York has been retained\nby the Insurance Company in Miss Carlough's case. A report just received\nfrom him contains certain recommendations that should be carried out.\nIt does not matter whether it is finally determined that luminous material\nis injurious or not injurious. I am, therefore, sending you a copy of his\nrecommendations and ask you to immediately carry them out. I think\nyou should go even further and insist on the use of finger cots in pointing\nbrushes and every other precaution:\n# VII. Recommendations.\n1. All applicants for radium paint work should have a\ngeneral physical examination before admission.\n2. A competent dentist with ability to take his own radio-\ngraphs should be regularly employed by the Corporation on constant\nor part-time duty. He should examine every applicant for admission\nand place radiographs of all their teeth on file. This is not\nan expensive or time-consuming process. It can be done in New\nYork City for five dollars for the complete examination of all\nthe teeth, and the radiographs may all be taken in ten or fifteen\nminutes.\n3. These dental examinations should be checked up at\nleast every six months and careful records kept on file.\n4. Tooth brushes and tooth paste or powder or appropriate\nmouth washes should be prescribed by the dentist and furnished\ngratis to the employees. This is much more economical than pay-\ning seventy-five thousand dollar law suits. Facilities for brush-\ning the teeth and cleansing the mouth should be offered at the\nPlant and used before the employees return home.\n5. Printed rules should be given every employee regard-\ning the care, not only of the mouth, but of general health. First-\nclass corporations are now doing this in a great many industries\nand finding it an economic gain.\n6. Any employee found putting the paint brush into her\nmouth or failing to scrub her hands and finger nails thoroughly\nbefore eating, should be given one warning, and on the second\noffense dismissed.'\nThe Life Extension Institute examinations are\ndoubtless all right, but I think it would be better to have a local\ndentist and physician since the work would be greatly facilitated by\neliminating trips to New York. All films and reports should be\ncarefully filed.\nYours truly,\n- ARoeder -\nAR/HM"
}