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March 2, 1926.
Mr. R. H. Whitehead,
Vice President and General Manager,
The New Haven Clock Company,
New Haven,
Conn.
Dear Mr. Whitehead:
This will acknowledge receipt of your two
letters of March 1st. The article appearing in the Sunday
American was sensational indeed, but revealed nothing more than
what has been published from time to time since the instigation of
the two suits against us some time ago.
Based on the most
authentic information which we have been able to acquire, we do not
believe that there is any such disease as "Radium poisoning," but
of course this fact does not relieve the uncertainty among employees
caused by the publication of such erticles as occurred in the Sunday
American.
We shall be very glad indeed to co-operate with
you to the fullest extent on any independent investigation which you
may care to undertake. The writer, who is familiar with the formilae
for luminous material, will be in New Haven the early part of next week,
and we can go into this subject fully. However, we have a suggestion
to make which we believe will expedite your efforts and be far more
satisfactory from a scientific standpoint than should we furnish you with
what information we can. Dr. Frederick B. Flinn of the Institute of
Public Health, College of /Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University,
437 West 59th Street, New York City, has for many months been making an
exhaustive study of this subject. He has examined the Radium painting
operators in practically all of the Eastern application plants and has
had reports from similar examinations made abroad. His findings are
almost ready for publication and should be out shortly. This is by
far the most exhaustive and authentic study which has ever been under-
taken on the question of the ill effects from radioactive luminous
material. Should one of the physicians from Yale or the New Haven
Hospital come to Dr. Flinn's laboratories, he could secure knowledge
that would take many months to find out through study and experimentation,
and we certainly would be very glad to have Dr. I'linn reveal all he
knows on this question. He knows our luminous material formulae.
As we understand it, the examinations in the
various application plants have not revealed any conditions that are
(Contimued)
Mr. R. H. Whitehead.
- 2 -
abnormal. As to the reports on the examination of your particular
employees, we will see that you have copies either through the
physician whom you have selected, or we will send them direct to you
if you prefer.
We assure you that we are just as anxious
to find out the truth of the charges of "Radium poisoning" as you are,
and you can count on us to do our part towards cleaning up the
uncertainty that now exists.
We have made no arrangement to have periodic
examinations of operators other than those employed in our own plant.
Very truly yours,
Treasurer.
CBLee-HM
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"ocrText": "March 2, 1926.\nMr. R. H. Whitehead,\nVice President and General Manager,\nThe New Haven Clock Company,\nNew Haven,\nConn.\nDear Mr. Whitehead:\nThis will acknowledge receipt of your two\nletters of March 1st. The article appearing in the Sunday\nAmerican was sensational indeed, but revealed nothing more than\nwhat has been published from time to time since the instigation of\nthe two suits against us some time ago.\nBased on the most\nauthentic information which we have been able to acquire, we do not\nbelieve that there is any such disease as \"Radium poisoning,\" but\nof course this fact does not relieve the uncertainty among employees\ncaused by the publication of such erticles as occurred in the Sunday\nAmerican.\nWe shall be very glad indeed to co-operate with\nyou to the fullest extent on any independent investigation which you\nmay care to undertake. The writer, who is familiar with the formilae\nfor luminous material, will be in New Haven the early part of next week,\nand we can go into this subject fully. However, we have a suggestion\nto make which we believe will expedite your efforts and be far more\nsatisfactory from a scientific standpoint than should we furnish you with\nwhat information we can. Dr. Frederick B. Flinn of the Institute of\nPublic Health, College of /Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University,\n437 West 59th Street, New York City, has for many months been making an\nexhaustive study of this subject. He has examined the Radium painting\noperators in practically all of the Eastern application plants and has\nhad reports from similar examinations made abroad. His findings are\nalmost ready for publication and should be out shortly. This is by\nfar the most exhaustive and authentic study which has ever been under-\ntaken on the question of the ill effects from radioactive luminous\nmaterial. Should one of the physicians from Yale or the New Haven\nHospital come to Dr. Flinn's laboratories, he could secure knowledge\nthat would take many months to find out through study and experimentation,\nand we certainly would be very glad to have Dr. I'linn reveal all he\nknows on this question. He knows our luminous material formulae.\nAs we understand it, the examinations in the\nvarious application plants have not revealed any conditions that are\n(Contimued)\nMr. R. H. Whitehead.\n- 2 -\nabnormal. As to the reports on the examination of your particular\nemployees, we will see that you have copies either through the\nphysician whom you have selected, or we will send them direct to you\nif you prefer.\nWe assure you that we are just as anxious\nto find out the truth of the charges of \"Radium poisoning\" as you are,\nand you can count on us to do our part towards cleaning up the\nuncertainty that now exists.\nWe have made no arrangement to have periodic\nexaminations of operators other than those employed in our own plant.\nVery truly yours,\nTreasurer.\nCBLee-HM"
}