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    "localId": "75720249",
    "label": "Letters Sent to Dr. Frederick B. Flinn, October 16, 1925",
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    "title": "Letters Sent to Dr. Frederick B. Flinn, October 16, 1925",
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        "Safety Light Collection",
        "Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
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    "seq": 2,
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    "type": "document",
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    "ocrText": "COPY\nG.E. Pfahler, M.D.\nB.P. Widmann, M.D.\n1321 Spruce St., Phila.Pa.\nOctober 16,1925.\nDr. Frederick B. Flinn,\nProf. of Industrial Hygiene,\nColumbia University,\n437 West 59th St.,\nN Y.C.\nDear Dr. Flinn:\nI am very much interested in your letter of October 14th, I fear\nthat I can add very little to your information.\nI have not come in contact with the Industrial workers. I believe,\nhowever, that the effect on these girls which you describe and the article concerning\nwhich I had previously read, may possibly be explained from the effect of these\nparticles of radio active matter getting into the bone through open spaces in the\ncancellous structure connected with phorrhea. As you well know, even many years ago\nwhen necrosis of the jaw followed wither extensive administration or workers in\nlead, mercury or phosphorhus, it was found that these patients were not likely to\ndevelop these conditions if their mouths and teeth were kept clean.\nBy x-ray examination, we continually show the open cancellous spaces\nconnected with phorrhea. It does seem possible, therefore, that continued use over\na long period of time might lead to the absorption of these particles just as pus or\ninfections germs are absorbed in these phorrheal open spaces. I know of no bone changes\nin connection with radium administration excepting when the bone is directly over -\nexposed and then the effect is local. I have seen this when I have applied radium in\nconnection with malignant disease by means of needles or even by prolonged contact\napplication with radium capsules.\nDr. Cameron, who is connected with the Radium Chemical Co., Forbes &\nHarris Sts., Pittsburgh, could probably give you a rather striking case along this line,\nshowing resistance of the body and the resistance of the bone even to radiation. As I\nremember the details, of this case, which is not in print the patient received at the\ntime the report was made to me approximately 100,000 radium milligram hours applied to\nthe thigh on account of some malignant disease. This was scattered over a year of\nmore but I believe there was no damage noted to the bone and no serious damage to the\nblood. I am enclosing a reprint of some blood studies, which I made in connection with\nthe radiation effect some years ago..\nWith regard to the present workers, I believe that they should be caution-\ned with regard to an examination of their teeth and gums and instructed as to the\nproper care of them.\nI doubt very much if these precautions are taken that there is any\nappreciable risk in the work.\nVery sincerely yours,\n(signed) G.E.Phahler"
}