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The Boston City Hospital 3486
(BOSTON 18)
JOHN J. DOWLING, M. D.,
Boston, February 3, 1927.
SUPERINTENDENT AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Frederick B. Flinn,
Columbia University,
College of Physicians & Surgeons,
New York, N. Y.
Dear Dr. Flinn:
In the absence of Dr. Drinker who is abroad, I am
answering your letter enclosing your reprint on "Radioactive
Material and Industrial Hazard?". Dr. Drinker will be pleased
to have this reprint on his return.
In this connection may I draw your attention to a
statement on page 2 of your reprint, where you quote us as
concluding that the cause of the necrosis was "the employees'
habit of pointing their brushes between the lips and thus
permitting the ingress of small amounts of radioactive material
to the oral cavity." I think that if you will reread our
summary you will see that the exposure of the workers whom we
examined was of a "peculiar type, since it also permits the
inhalation of particulate material containing a radium salt. #
The exposure to dust may thus permit a widespread and permanent
deposition of radium throughout the body. This factor we regard
as important as well as the fact that the brushes were put into
the mouth. Indeed, in the absence of detailed information as to
the presence of this inhalation risk in other plants, it seems to
me impossible to anticipate the incidence of the necrosis with
certainty. You are doubtless familiar with the work of Martland
published in the J.A.M.A., 1925, Vol. LXXXV, Page 1769, which
demonstrated the presence of detect ble quantities of radio-
active material in the bones and other organs of one of the
girls employed in the orange plant.
I do not know whether there was any phosphorus in the
mixture in 1920-21. I do not believe that phosphorus would
make a very satisfactory luminous material. It is gratifying
to learn from your work that the hazardous nature of this
occupation does not seem to be general, although the occurrence
of two other cases is, in my opinion, more significant than the
apparent immunity of many.
Very truly yours,
Willim B. enstle
William B. Castle.
WBC:BR
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"ocrText": "The Boston City Hospital 3486\n(BOSTON 18)\nJOHN J. DOWLING, M. D.,\nBoston, February 3, 1927.\nSUPERINTENDENT AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR\nDr. Frederick B. Flinn,\nColumbia University,\nCollege of Physicians & Surgeons,\nNew York, N. Y.\nDear Dr. Flinn:\nIn the absence of Dr. Drinker who is abroad, I am\nanswering your letter enclosing your reprint on \"Radioactive\nMaterial and Industrial Hazard?\". Dr. Drinker will be pleased\nto have this reprint on his return.\nIn this connection may I draw your attention to a\nstatement on page 2 of your reprint, where you quote us as\nconcluding that the cause of the necrosis was \"the employees'\nhabit of pointing their brushes between the lips and thus\npermitting the ingress of small amounts of radioactive material\nto the oral cavity.\" I think that if you will reread our\nsummary you will see that the exposure of the workers whom we\nexamined was of a \"peculiar type, since it also permits the\ninhalation of particulate material containing a radium salt. #\nThe exposure to dust may thus permit a widespread and permanent\ndeposition of radium throughout the body. This factor we regard\nas important as well as the fact that the brushes were put into\nthe mouth. Indeed, in the absence of detailed information as to\nthe presence of this inhalation risk in other plants, it seems to\nme impossible to anticipate the incidence of the necrosis with\ncertainty. You are doubtless familiar with the work of Martland\npublished in the J.A.M.A., 1925, Vol. LXXXV, Page 1769, which\ndemonstrated the presence of detect ble quantities of radio-\nactive material in the bones and other organs of one of the\ngirls employed in the orange plant.\nI do not know whether there was any phosphorus in the\nmixture in 1920-21. I do not believe that phosphorus would\nmake a very satisfactory luminous material. It is gratifying\nto learn from your work that the hazardous nature of this\noccupation does not seem to be general, although the occurrence\nof two other cases is, in my opinion, more significant than the\napparent immunity of many.\nVery truly yours,\nWillim B. enstle\nWilliam B. Castle.\nWBC:BR"
}