The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-11
Why Is She Back and What Does 1t Mean?

that despite all precautions, rumors
would leak out and get into the pa
pers. The company began a half
hearted, uneasy investigation into the
accidents. 1t approached prominent
experts on physiological chemistry
and then drew back again. If the
thing ever got into the papers it would
be all up, with vengeance.
Suddenly came the Bayway tragedy.
A dozen or so men working in the
Bayway refinery of the Standard Oil
suddenly went into hideous convul-
sions and violent insanity and had to
be removed to the hospital. The
whole affair burst into publicity. The
doctors were forced to admit that the
victims were suffering from acute lead
poisoning due to inhalation Of
tetraethyl lead fumes. The New York
World scented a good thing, took up
the name '1ooney gas" which the
workers had christened it, spread it
all over the front page and announced
that it was beginning campaign
against it. Other papers were forced
to come along. Thomas Midgeley, Jr.,
and his staff made heroic efforts to
stem the tide. Time and again they
announced that the only hazard was
in manufacture, that it was only work
ers who would go insane; but the
great misunderstanding public saw
themselves going into commissions and
dying from using this gasoline in their
cars and grew hysterical with fear.
In vain Thomas Midgeley, Jr., gave
an impressive demonstration to the re-
porters. To show its harmlessness to
the user he called for can of his
beautiful red ethyl gasoline and
washed his hands in it Carefully dry
ing them off at once). All to no avail.
Maybe it was only red ink he had
washed his hands in. Maybe getting
it on your hands didn't matter. The
hysteria mounted. Ethyl gasoline was
barred in New York. Thomas Nudge
ley, Jr., Standard Oil, General Motors,
saw their dreams vanishing. To fore
stall complete prohibition, the Ethyl
Gasoline Corporation announced that
they would voluntarily discontinue the
sale Of their product pending the re-
suit of an investigation. On all sides
the cry of Investigation" was taken
up. The urgeon-general of the United
States was instructed to call pre-
paratory conference. The Ethyl Gas
oline Corporation breathed freely
again. At last they were on safe and
familiar ground.
Before adjournment to the surgeon
generals conference, let us consider
the different varieties of lead poison
ing offered to its makers, distributors
and users by tetraethyl lead.
Until the advent of tetraethyl only
the chronic form Of lead poisoning
had been known. This is the form to
which painters, typesetters and others
who work with ordinary compounds of
lead are exposed. Lead is what is
known as a Cumulative poison"
That is, small amount of lead taken
once does not act as poison; but if
even a tiny amount is taken into the
body day by day, it accumulates in
the tissues and gradually in the course
of months or years, produces lead
Drop" lead collie" paralysis and ster-
ility.
With the tetraethyl, however, one
exposure is plenty. Tetraethyl lead
is a liquid and is readily absorbed by
the skin. Furthermore, tetraethyl
lead presents lead in highly volatile
form, /. e., it easily turns into vapor.
In this form it can be inhaled in large
quantities. Whether absorbed thru
the skin or the lungs, it distributes
itself almost Immediately thruout the
body. The lead reaches the brain,
and commissions, insanity and death
are the result. This is acute lead poi
soning. as ADA ,.a e
The workers in the factory where
the tetraethyl lead is made have a
chance both at the acute poisoning