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Dr. Frederick B. Flinn of the Public Health Department of the College of Physicians
and Surgeons, Columbia University, 630 West 168th St.,New York City, became interest-
ed in this subject, and has made tests and a study of it for the past three years.
We are herewith enclosing reprints of some of the work which Dr. Flinn has published
along this line.
While there are on record a few cases which would seem to indicate
that there is a possibility of a hazard existing in this work, the feeling current
among those having knowledge of the situation is that there is no necessity of any
future trouble. Trouble can be avoided by a few simple precautionary measures, some
of which were not enforced in the past, due to the fact that it was not realized that
there
was
any
possibility
of
danger
in
working
with
material
which
contained
such
small
quantities of radio-active materials:
(1) At one time it was quite common for the operators to point the brushes with
their lips, a practice which should be strictly forbidden.
It is generally
conceded that where trouble has resulted and radioactive 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 well vantilated and well lighted rooms.
(3) Applicators should thoroughly cleanse their hands after handling luminous materia
(4) Applicators should refrain from placing hands about the face or mouth when
engaged in the operation of applying this material to instrument dials, etc.
(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 examination of teeth,heart, chest and lungs.
(6) A test has been developed for detecting minute traces (aslow as 2 micrograms)
of radium element, when deposited in the system. Those engaged in the
application of luminous material such as clock companies, are having their
employees subjected to this test at various intervals, 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 United States Public Health Service in Washington,
has been making these examinations for a large number of the clock companies,
and is in a position to do such work for those interested.
Inasmuch as Dr. Flinn has probably made the most thorough study of this
industry from the hygienic standpoint, I would suggest that you communicate directly
with Dr. Flinn, as I am confident that he would be glad to give you his opinions
upon this subject.
Respectfully yours,
HHBarker:RH
Vice President.
enclosures
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"ocrText": "Page -2-\nDr. Frederick B. Flinn of the Public Health Department of the College of Physicians\nand Surgeons, Columbia University, 630 West 168th St.,New York City, became interest-\ned in this subject, and has made tests and a study of it for the past three years.\nWe are herewith enclosing reprints of some of the work which Dr. Flinn has published\nalong this line.\nWhile there are on record a few cases which would seem to indicate\nthat there is a possibility of a hazard existing in this work, the feeling current\namong those having knowledge of the situation is that there is no necessity of any\nfuture trouble. Trouble can be avoided by a few simple precautionary measures, some\nof which were not enforced in the past, due to the fact that it was not realized that\nthere\nwas\nany\npossibility\nof\ndanger\nin\nworking\nwith\nmaterial\nwhich\ncontained\nsuch\nsmall\nquantities of radio-active materials:\n(1) At one time it was quite common for the operators to point the brushes with\ntheir lips, a practice which should be strictly forbidden.\nIt is generally\nconceded that where trouble has resulted and radioactive materials have\nbeen deposited in the system, this practice served as the means of introducing\nthe material into the system. With the discontinuance of such a practice, this\npossibility, of course, is eliminated.\n(2)\nThe work should be conducted in well vantilated and well lighted rooms.\n(3) Applicators should thoroughly cleanse their hands after handling luminous materia\n(4) Applicators should refrain from placing hands about the face or mouth when\nengaged in the operation of applying this material to instrument dials, etc.\n(5) Operators continuously engaged in this type of work should have frequent\n(quarterly) medical examinations. Such examination consisting of a blood\npicture, and a general examination of teeth,heart, chest and lungs.\n(6) A test has been developed for detecting minute traces (aslow as 2 micrograms)\nof radium element, when deposited in the system. Those engaged in the\napplication of luminous material such as clock companies, are having their\nemployees subjected to this test at various intervals, in order to be absolutely\nassured that there is no possibility of danger. Dr. F. B. Flinn, who was at\none time connected with the United States Public Health Service in Washington,\nhas been making these examinations for a large number of the clock companies,\nand is in a position to do such work for those interested.\nInasmuch as Dr. Flinn has probably made the most thorough study of this\nindustry from the hygienic standpoint, I would suggest that you communicate directly\nwith Dr. Flinn, as I am confident that he would be glad to give you his opinions\nupon this subject.\nRespectfully yours,\nHHBarker:RH\nVice President.\nenclosures"
}