Document 1QG8ZpmYa96152DDVyBKk9kOa

The Saiunac Laboratory FOR THE STUDY OF TUBERCULOSIS OF THE EOWARfi L TtUOEAU FOUNDATION Saranac Lake, N.V. July 6, 1944 Dr. George K. Vhestley Assistant MedicaliDLrectcr Metropolitan Life'insurance Ccapany Mew Ycrk, Kev York ssl T- P' Dear Dr. Vheatley: Your letter of the 3rd arrived at a most opportune moment as Z an Just planning to go up to the asbestos mines next week to review again the situation there. 1 as bringing Dr. Vestal of the North Carolina Board with ne because he has had so such experience with the real asbestosis that they see in his vicinity. The files that I have^Vrviewed fros lu-beo generally fall to show characteristic shadow patterns and I have reached the con clusion that the disease which they have is sininal and quite different fros the changes produced by inhaling fibre in the fabricating mills. Host of the Quebec cases show little sore than non-specific, linear exaggeration which I believe is due to pcrtlculate serpentine and other non-fibrous silicates. 2 have had three or four autopsies fros the Thetford region; all of then complicated by advanced tuberculosis. Microscopic exaslnatlon revealed minical amounts of asbestosis but the change was not sufficiently narked to be diagnosable on gross inspection. I have felt however, that the infection was incidental and not a specific result cf occupational dust. This opinion is strengthened by the fact that in North Carolina the incidence of tuberculosis is lower in the asbestos employees than in the population at large. If a predisposition were Involved it should operate with equal effect in every part of the world. I would think that mortality checks such as you pro pose colleoting would be extremely valuable. In fact I have urged the Canadian group to obtain figures for ne'ffin Thetford and in Asbestos as veil as other communities of the Province. We know that the tuberculoel rate is excessive everywhere up there but reliable figures on the com parative mortality in and out of the industries are not available. If you can get any data I an sure it would be sost helpful. Z as in correspondence with Fehnel about the matter of collecting sore dust samples to determine the relative number of fibres and particles in air-bonne dust. The former, 1 believe, are the only ones capable of producing fibrosis and up to now we have based our estimate of the hazard on the total dust count. If we can get a more refined standard it should be of practical significance. With best wishes,