THE USE OF LEADED PETROL

New Zealand Listener, Volume 8, Issue 194, 12 March 1943, Page 12

THE USE OF LEADED PETROL

| (Written for "The Listener’ by "DR.

H.B.

TURBOTT

Director of ‘the

Division of School Hygiene, Health Department) ©

by a special set of regulations under the Health Act. In these, adequate ventilation, dressing and washing facilities, protection of the workers’ bare hands and arms, the provision of overalls and even respirators sometimes, and the prohibition of , preparing or eating food in lead rooms, all seek to protect the worker from. lead danger. Nevertheless, . lead poisoning still occurs. The pottery and paint industries have substituted a mixture of raw lead and siliceous material for powdered~ red lead, and make their industry much safer. The introduction of ‘oil paint! and the rapid development of — cellulose paints containing no lead helped:-the painting industry. What was. gained ‘here was lost by the growth of new industries. For a while there was a great ‘increase of lead poisoning in workers manufacturing accumulators, and the introduction of lead tetra-ethyl, added to, petrol to avoid "knocking," was followed -by a rise in incidence. The petrol industry had to go in for improved working conditions as indicated above, and introduce rigid medical supervision before safety was assured again. While the. industry has © protected itself, the users of leaded petrol may not be doing so. In some country districts, people are using leaded petrol in petrol irons and lamps. In some _ industries leaded petrol has been used as a solvent, but when evidence of lead, poisoning danger appeared, advice had to be given to discontinue using leaded petrol for the purpose. It is probable that: some of our private homes are dry-cleaning clothes with leaded petrol. There is a probable danger from the use of such spirit for purposes other than as a fuel. Private home users are ‘not going to bother with all the necessary safety -precautions to avoid danger to health, and the only safe course to follow is‘to Use unleaded petrol when, requiring the spirit for household use. Lead poisoning is quite an’ upsetting affair. There is paleness, tiredness, loss of appetite and weight, general: abdominal discomfort — these ‘are the. early symptoms — and there is the’ hidden trouble of interference. with the blood state that is the real and serious ‘danger to health. | EAD poisoning is guarded against Lead poisoning is so serious a trouble if it develops that a warning against any slight risk is warranted. As far back as 1928, the British Ministry of Health published a report:on ethyl petrol, one of the conclusions being: "In particular we wish to emphasise the warning that Ethyl Petrol should be used only as a motor fuel and not for such purposes as cooking and cleaning." It is understood that where it is necessary to use petrol other than as an engine fuel, suitable unleaded spirit can be made available through the Oil Fuel Controller. See that in your household no risks are being run, and ‘that it is unleaded petrol that is being used.