Letters Sent to E.R. Stitt, June 26, 1928

June 26th,1928. United States Navy, Bureau of Medicine & Surgery, Washington, D.C. Att'n E. R. Stitt, Surgoon General. Gentlemen: In reply to your communication of June 20th, we are glad to rive you herevith, a list of recommendations which we believe will eliminate any possibility of trouble or hazard connected with the handling and application of luminous radio-active materials to instrument dials, etc. (This list of recommendations we gave to J. T. Siler. Lt. Colonel, Medical Corps, in a letter written June 25th, in reply to a commication from him. 1. At one time it was quite common for the operators to point the brushos with their lips, a practice which should be strictly forbidden. It is generally conceded that where trouble has resulted and radio-active materials have been deposited in the system, this practice served as the means of introducing the material into the system. with the discontinuance of such a practice, this possibility, of course, is eliminated. 2. The work should be conducted in woll ventilated and vell lighted rooms. 3. Applicators should thoroughly cleanse their hands after handling luminous material. 4. Applicators should refrain from placing hands about the faceicr th to instruzient when engose due dials, Merglam etc. of applying this material 5. Operators continuously engaged in this type of work should have frequent (quarterly) medical examinations. Such examination consisting of a blood picture, and a general emmination of teath, heart, chest and lungs. 6. A test has been developed for detecting minute traces (as low as 2 micrograms) of radium element, when deposited in the system. Those engated in the application of luminous material such as clock companies, are having their employ- ess subjected to this test at various intervis, in order to be absolutely assured that there is no possibility of danger. Dr. F. B. Flinn, who was at one time connected with the U. S. Public Health Service in Washington, has boen making these examinations for a large number of the clock companies, and is in a position to do such work for those interested. While we have general information as to the symptoms and pati