The Washington times., 1924-11-14
IS
DANGEROUS
POISON
Caused by Lead Mixture in
Gasoline, Brings Insanity
and Death
BY LES CONKLIN.

NEW YORK, Nov. 14.-Pictdre
yourself being slowly poisoned by
g gas 30 deadly that physicians
cannot combat it--and faced with
the fact that you will be gradually
driven insane, untif at last seized
with q raving madness from which
the only relief is suicide!
Then you will realize the awful
fate which waits for victims here
Of tetra-ethyl lead gas poisoning,
contracted by workers who handle
the dread chemical compound in
the manufacture of type Of gaso-
line that prevents Knocking" Of
engines.
Scientists and manufacturers
have known for some time of the
danger in handling the compound,
but public attention was first at.
tracted to the subject when thirty
five workers were stricken last
month in the development plant OF
the Standard Oil Company at Bay
way, N. J.. Five were driven in
sane and died within a short time.
The others are under observation
at the reconstruction hospital, here.
They have seen the victims die one
by one, and, with terror clutching
at their hearts, they lie on their
cots waiting, waiting, waiting never
knowing wheE they win become mad.
men-placed in straijackets until
death ends their sufferings.
New Treatment Brings Hope.
The victims only hope Of recovery
lies in DOtcor Maximum Touaft, VINO
has discovered form OF treatment
which he believes will save them,
Ply giving them sodium bromide as
a laxative, with injections of hypo.
suIphite of soda to dissolve the lead
in their systems, he hopes to pre-
vent further deaths.
| Tetra-ethyl lead was invented to
take the knock" out Of gasoline
Normally gasoline tends to explode
too violently in a cylinder. Mixing
the chemical compound with the
gasoline makes the explosion less
violent and applies the force against
the piston more evenly. 1t Is uset
where gasoline is manufactured AND
wherever gasoline is exploded in an
engine.
For time it was feared that
garage mechanics and motorists who
handled gasoline might be polsontd
but scientists disproved the lea
The compound was dangerous only
when handled in concentrated form
they said.
Gets Into Nervous System
When tetra-ethyl lead is alb.
sorbed into the nervous system Il
passes rapidly into the nervous It's
sues and Is taken up by the cells
of the nerve centers. Insanity is a
form of disorder Of the nervous
system in which the cells involved
are those used in thought and rea-
soning. Thus a victim is driven
slowly insane as the lead poisoning
gains Roadway.
The poisoning is hard to combat.
because it, cannot be discovered
until the danger point has been
reached. A workman who has ap.
peared to be in perfect health may
be stricken suddenly and die be-
fore a remedy can be given him.
Thomas Midgely, jr., the in.
ventor Of ethyl gas, said the com.
pound has caused two deaths in
the plant Of the General Motor
Chemical Company at Dayto,,
OHIO, within the last year. He
said forty others had been stricken
there. and. that worknen in the
Du Pont plants had been poisoned
to lesser degree from handling
the compound.
Scientists believe. however. that
no fatalities will result il the gas
is handled carefully They urge
that the greatest precautions be
taken whenever it Is used.