NCD980602163_19820607_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Dr Smith's letter to Ernest N. Kraybill MD re Gastroschisis Cases-OCR

Ronald H. Levine, M.D., fv:\.P:H.
STATE HEA LTH _9JR ECTOR
DIVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
P.O. Box 2091
Raleigh, N.C. 27602-2091
Ernest N. Kraybi 11 , M. D.
Chief, Division of Neonatology
Department of Pediatrics
The University of North Carolina
Clinical Sciences Building 229 H
Chapel Hill , NC 27514
Dear Dr . Kraybill:
June 7, 1982 I I '
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Thank you for your letter regarding the gastroschisis cases we discussed in May.
Subsequent to that discussion, we sampled the well water and so i l around the
Hewlin residence for PCBs and other organic chemical residues. Fortunately none
were found . I am enclosing a copy of my letter to Dr. Kirkman summarizing the
investigation results which may be of interest to you.
I, too, have been unable to get in touch with the Hewlin family. I would like to
suggest that if PCBs are still entertained as an etiologic factor in the develop-
ment of gastrochisis and/or other human birth defects, it would be nice to have
a maternal blood sample analyzed for PCBs. Since our section is not involved
with such sampling, in rethin king the matter, I feel, if Mrs. Hewlin returns for
the July 6th appointment, that a maternal blood sample could still be drawn at
that time and still be indicati ve of any elevated body burden of PCB. Perhaps
Jim Thullen could arrange to have it analyzed or at least stored until it can
be run. He also could advise you on any specific collecting technique necessary
for PCB blood analysis.
I don't know if you have spoken to Ray Greenberg recently, but I provided him with
detailed maps of North Carolina county roads where the PCB spills occurred, so
that they may be correlated with the gastroschisis cases he has collected. Let
me know if any interesting associations or clustering occurs.
Thank you again for your help and information.
Sincerely, t1~4rr k=t{,.w:J
Charles Gregory Smith, M.D.
Environmental Epidemiologist/Toxicologist
Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Branch
Environmental Health Section
CGS:ns
Enclosure
cc: R_rymond s·:-Green berg,
vef. W. Strickland
James F. Stamey Ronald H. Levine, M.D.
M.D.
Jome~ B Hunt, Jr/ Sarah T Morrow MD MPH STA TE OF NOR TH CAROLI NA DEPA RTIA ENT OF HU MA N RESO URCES ' ' GOVERNOR SECRETARY