Evening star., 1924-12-07
BAN ON ETHYL GAS
STRONGLY OPPOSED
Safety Believed Attained in
Manufacture of Product
Called Desirable.

Manufacture of tetra -ethNl lead
should not be abandoned despite the
hazards involved, il is asserted in q
report of an investigation directed by
DR. Harrison L. Howe Of Washington
n. G.. editor of the official journal of
the American Chemical Society, into
he accident which caused the death
of five workers at the Bayway, n. j..
plant of the Standard Oil Company.
We fail TO find evidence" says the
report, ito justify even the occa sion
= demand that no more ethyl gaso-
line he manufactured" Discontinue
Rnce. it is concluded, would be fol
ly," the price for an important eco
romic advance having already been
paid
More than 2O0.OO0.O00 gallons of
ethyl gasoline have been in public
use, it is disclosed, for two years by
10000 filling stations in - states
without apparent injury or loss of
life.
Safe Production Now.
During the developments work
lives have been lost" the report con-
tinues. but with a better under
standing of the effects of tetra-e ethyl
lead illness has been steadily re-
duced among the workmen, until, like
many other toxic materials, it can
Z now be produced in large quantity
with safety.
Ethyl fluid is the form in which
tetraethyl lead has been distributed
This is tetra ethyl lead dissolved in
an organic bromide or chloride such
as ethylene dibromide This solvent
is also toxic, and ethyl fuid has un-
Ill now been dispensed in small CYL
fnders sealed with tin cap and
punctured by a spike when the cyl
iC inv Fo1
he delivery hose at the service sta,
ton
Ethyl gasoline is the material
used by the motorist. The proper
tion of tetra- ethyl lead TO gasoline
is from l to 1000 to l in 1.4oO a di-
luton which makes a perfectly safe
mixture.
Part Thrown Inte Air.
The products of combustion contain
lead compounds, principally the oxide
much of which remains in various
parts of the engine and it's exhaust
system, but a part of which is thrown
into the air
Obviously there are hazards in
volved, these being, first, in manu-
facture; second, in distribution and
handling; third. in the use of the
treated gasoline; and finally. the pos
aible hazard to the public on account
Of the lead compounds thrown into
he atmosphere. What does the evil
dence on these hazards indicate?
'Unquestionably the manufa cture
Of tetra ethyl lead is haza rdous The
men engaged in this work are SO in
formed and receive extra compensa-
tion. Their condition is carefully
watched by physicians. This type OF
poisoning differs from that of other
Lead compounds in that the tetra.
ethyl lead seems TO enter through
fatty tissues and to be deposited as
such in various parts of the body, in
rluding the brain, where it remains
unchanged.
Passes From Body.
1T does not appear 10 be cumula
tive and is thought to disappear by
way OF perspiration and body fluids il
he man affected is promptly removed
from contact with the material. The
men who lost their lives were eX-
amined frequently for. plumbism and
40 others affected at the same time
have been saved.
The hazards. moreover. are not
greater tnan in many manufacturing
processes. By working in completely
closed systems, safety is obtainable,
and perhaps the greatest hazard is
he indifference which not only work
men, but even chemists come to have
for dangerous work with WHICH they
are familiar.
Indeed, the ethyl fluid is colored to
prevent men from using it as any
other gasoline for washing hands. 1t
has been demonstrated. however, that
manufacture under strict control is
possible, and as adequate supervision
is constantly exercised and the dan
gers are known, we must look fur
ther for hazards affecting large num-
bers.
Danger In Carelexsness.
Distribution OF ethyl fluid involves
large number of men who are like
ly to be careless. To date injury to
none of these men operating 10000
filing stations distributing ethyl
gasoline has been reported. Never
theless, the hazard is reduced to SO
near the vanishing point by dilution
that in the future no ethyl fluid will
he sold as such, but ethyl gasoline
ready for use will be received and
dispensed as is any other gasoline.
The motorist meets no hazard in
the use of ethyl gas and clearly he
shares only such hazards as may
threaten the general public. The pub
lie wants to know how liable it is to
lead poisoning due to the discharge
IHIO lHG dlHnOs pHSIS Oi SOIHe TWO OF
three tons of lead compounds per
million gallons OF ethyl gasoline
burned.
But the public is not nearly so con-
oerned as are the manufacturers. who
realize to what extent they would be
the subject of attack should it de-
velop that the public is endangered
by the use of this fuel.
Opposes Ban on Oil.
We fail to find evidence to justify
even the occasional demand that no
more ethyl gasoline be manufactured
We profoundly regret that the devel-
npment of this economically impor-
tant substance has cost the life of
any one, and IT deos not soften the
blow to those bereaved to point out
that all pioneering has been accom-
panied with loss OF life
The price having now been paid
and lessons learned which might not
have been learned without it, would
II not be folly to discontinue the
use of material after such sacrifice?
We see no reason to discontinue the
use of ethyl gasoline, for it has a