Document 101YY8VonkzZjZvq3XDzre4YZ

ASBESTOS15 RESEARCH COUNCIL SECOND ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS BEGINNING LST OCTOBER, 1958 i. INTRODUCTION The Asbestosis Research Council was established on the 1st October, 1957* This report details the activities sponsored by the Council during the second year of its operation. 2. APPLICATION! r Jn. j-LLMo^jumjr There have been no applications. 3. COttlITTZSS The work of the Council has continued under the guidance of the Manage ment Committee and the Research Committee. The membership of these Camittees during the year was - (a) Management Cocmittee Chainaant Sir William Fenton Mr. R. Barber Mr. T. C. Hale Mr. A. A, Cross Mr. N. A, Horling Mr. J. Waddell Secretary: Mr. D. W. Hills Followed by Dr. S. Holmes .British Belting & Asbestos Ltd* s ess e Cape Asbestos Co., Ltd. h Turner Brothers Asbestos Co. Ltd* ea a a a aa a- a a aa The Management Committee met in London on 29th October, 1958* (b) Research Committee Chairman: Secretary: Followed by Dr. J. F. Knox Dr. C, G. Addingley Dr. W. H. A. Bvrly Dr. R. Gaze Dr. W. J. Smither Mr. E. L. Dawson Mr. D. W. Rills Dr. S. Holmes Turner Brothers Asbestos Co. Ltd* British Belting ft Asbestos Ltd* a a aa a Cape Asbestos Co* Ltd. aa aa Turner Brothers Asbestos Co. Ltd* aa a aa aa a aa Executive Member: Dr. J. F. Knox - The Research Committee met four times j at Cambridge on 15th December, 1958 and 26th September, 195?, at Reading on 13th April, 1959, and in London on 2?th June, 19r9. Continued ; lu FINANCE (a) Banking Arrangements The finances of the Council have continued tc be administered through an miXirviA operated by the Ro<*hdale branch of the District Sank* Cb) Research Cccnittee Budget ana Expenditure Research Budget $5000* -a, -<1* Research ExpenditureUl5U. 19s* 2d* It should be noted that tho sum of 350. -a. -d. was set aside for a microscope for the Council's work at Cambridge. This has been ordered and delivery is expected shortly. Further, the sum of 500. -a. -d. voted for work os "The Physics of Asbestos Dust Clouds" has not been drawn upon* Full details of the Council's Income and Expenditure are given is Appendix 1* 5. LIAISON WITS THE FACTCRT DEPARTMENT AND THE AIR HTOIENE COMMITTEE Is accordanco with Management Ccrcittcs Misste Me. l(d), edited versions of the First Annual Report were forwarded to the factory Department and to tho Air Hygiene Committee (U.S.A.). Che of the member Companies of the latter committee has since shown interest in the Ottway Dust Sampler and details have been forwarded* 6. RESEARCH PROGRESS The research work of the Council has continued under the direction of Dr. P* ? Holt at Reading and Dr. J. Beattie at Cambridge* Brief summarise of this work are given below* Full reports appear in Appendices 2 fc 3* (a) Work at Reading During the year the work has been transferred to a new laboratory end animal house. This has inevitably resulted in same dislocation, but the new facilities are far superior tho old. The apparatus for maintaining an asbestos dust eloud has been developed to the stage when it will maintain a dust cloud of a fairly steady concentration automatically. Conditions can be varied to produce a completely fibrous or completely non-fibrous dust eloud as required* The Animal experiments have been delayed pending the development of the dust machine to a satisfactory stage* These experiments are now in progress. In order to.neasure tba total dust exposure during animal experiments, w.*orik4.haw* 4 ,io.a>^_a filv^suvra.raisatrr.asneasptealawcoipslti*n.*g,6ta iphsoattoiseflaeccttorircy emoanssltosramnpalees** b-en >bt*i*.i, and affects are being made to increase its sensitivity* Continued <b) Work at Cambridge Data on the mineral content and particle else distribution in loaf Material iron 50 cases of exposure to ai&eatos dust at has bean col lected together in the form of a report. Work is also proceeding to ascertain whether non-fibrous dust plays any part in the genesis of asbestosis, Chromatogr-nhic examination of asbestosis body material has siggastad strongly that the protein envelope consists of collagen. The pattern of laying down of the protein is now to be considered as this will give information of the mechanism of rupture of the envelope prior to the fracture of the fibre* 2xpcri:-wiiu> c.. ' J '- -f --bestenis bodies into the brsine of animals have continued. It has been shown that sterile ehrysotile fibres can result in the formation of asbestosis bodies within six months end that mature but unsegmented bodies do not product any marked effects. The results on the Injection of fra&r.ented oodles are so far inconclusive. The work continues and has been extended to anoEite and crccidolite fibres. 7. DUST SAMPLING ACT ANALYSIS Continued experience of the Ottway instrument has shown that the dust count obtained in a steady concentration is dependant upon the sampling time* Evidence of this has been obtained by all three Member Companies but users of the instrument who are interested in non-flbrous dusts bare not experienced this difficulty. No simple reason for the phenomenon has been discovered and it is likely that the matter will not be resolved until mere is known on the physics of asbestos dust clouds* Work on mass sampling by membrane filters has ccroaaced* 8* RESEARCH CCffllTTEE'S CPU ENTS Die Research Cccsrlttea feels that good progress has been made during the year, but the rate of progress has been hampered by limitations of manpower. Approval has already been given for the provision of extra assistance for Dr. Bolt at Reading and the new arrangements will come into force on 1st October, 195?. It is felt that in addition to expediting Dr. Bolt's programme of work, this appointment will enable a start to be made on investigating the physics of asbestos dust clouds. Further proposals for expansion of the Council's Research Programs are under consideration*