ONE SCIENTIST'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING

 
 
 
 

ONE SCIENTIST'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING

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Title: ONE SCIENTIST'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING
Author: Gabel, James M., M.D.
Description: Robert A Kehoe, M.D., founder and director of The Kettering Laboratory from 1930 to 1965, urged in 1933 that "strenuous efforts must be devoted to eliminating lead from their [the children's] environment." The history of lead poisoning in the United States can be termed as tragic. Today, we find lead in old buildings and contaminated soil, have passed laws to minimize this hazard, and work to clean up our cities and our industrial sites. Yet, we still have cases of childhood lead poisoning. In 1953, Dr. Kehoe suggested to the Lead Industries Association to implement "a concerted and well organized program of education and control on the part of the paint manufacturers, and distributors, to eliminate the use of paints (and putty) of more than very minor lead content for all inside decoration in the household and in the environment of young children." (32) It was not until 1955 that the American Academy of Pediatrics sponsored the American Standard Association's guideline (American Standard Z66.1-1955) titled "Minimize Hazards to Children from Residual Surface Coating Materials" that industry adopted voluntary guidelines. Meanwhile, Dr. Kehoe continued to inform the public, serve on committees, assist agencies in preventive efforts, and champion legislation at local and national levels. Cincinnati city ordinances were imposed in 1960 for the prevention of childhood lead poisoning, but it was not until 1971 that the federal government passed the first law to reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning in children. Today, as an outgrowth of Dr. Kehoe's efforts, continuing research and medical activities at the University of Cincinnati contribute to strengthening those efforts in preventing childhood lead poisoning.
Permanent Link: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin992270458
http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/9527
Date: 2001

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