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{
    "localId": "75724148",
    "label": "Letters Sent to Lt. Commander Z.W. Wicks, April 23, 1929",
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    "id": "75724148",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letters Sent to Lt. Commander Z.W. Wicks, April 23, 1929",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75724148",
    "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": "April 23rd,1929.\nZ. W. Wicks, Lt. Commander,\nU. S. Naval Air Station,\nLakehurst,\nN.J.\nDear Sir:\nIn response to your inquiry of April 20th, we must advise that we do not\nprepare a manual of instructions for the handling of radium and luminous paints, but\nare glad to herewith give you a list of such instructions which we have recently\nsubmitted to Surgeon General E.R. Stitt of the U. S. Navy.\n\"1. At one time it was quite common for operators to point the brushes\nwith their lips, a practice which should be strictly forbidden. It\nis generally conceded that where trouble has resulted and radio-\nactive materials have been deposited in the system, this practice\nserved as the means of introducing the material into the system.\nWith the discontinuance of such a practice, this possibility, of\ncourse, is eliminated.\n2. The work should be conducted in well ventilated and well lighted rooms.\n3. Applicators should thoroughly cleanse their hands after handling\nluminous material.\n4. Applicators should refrain from placing hands about the face or mouth\nwhen engaged in the operation of applying this material to instrument\ndials, etc.\n5. Operators continuously engaged in this type of work should have\nfrequent (quarterly) medical examinations. Such examination consist-\ning of a blood picture, and a general examination of teeth, heart,\nchest and lungs.\n6. A test has been developed for detecting minute traces (as low as 2\nmicrograms) of radium element, when deposited in the system. Those\nengaged in the application of luminous material such as clock com-\npanies, are having their employees subjected to this test at various\nintervals, in order to be absolutely assured that there is no\npossibility of danger. Dr. F. B. Flinn, who was at one time connect-\ned with the U. S. Public Health Service in Wash., has been making\nthese examinations for a large number of the clock companies, and is\nin a position to do such work for those interested.\nThe above referred to recommendations apply to all grades of Undark\nsupplied by us. The only variation in these various grades consists\nin differences in the amount of radio-active constituents contained.\"\nHe trust that the above recommendations will be satisfactory for the\npurposes you have in mind.\nVery truly yours,\nHHBarker:RH\nVice President."
}