Document 1d90YN4zo7yJ8rDgJdY4MZ6X

FILE NAME: Metropolitan Life (ML) DATE: 1950 DOC#: ML164 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo to Dr. Abrams RE Increasing Reports of Dust Related Pneumoconiosis, X-Rays Show Atypical Results - Dr. Lanza Disputes Dangers MEMORANDUM /br . l > - v C E l ' s t a t e OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HE ALTH C V i t'al ) ^ 'U O F 4 p m | t !il r ,,1; T: Dr. Herbert X. Abrasa through Mr. Fred B, Ingram From: Hr. P a u l E . Caplan Dte: December 19, 1950 Subject: Monthly meeting of the Santa Barbara County Hospital Medical S ta ff On December lb , 1950, Dr. Hardo, new Health O fficer of Santa Barbara County, invited me to the dinner meeting of the above organization. Main sneaker of the meeting was Dr. Walter Anderson, who spoke on Pneumoconiosis produced by dlatomaceous earth. After h is talk he showed chest x-ray slid e s of many of the employees of Johne-Manville, Important points that he brought up were ( l) IQS disabling rases of pneumo coniosis have been recorded at Lonrppc within the past 20 ye*rf- with IB deaths. Many case o f progressive conglomerate leslona have been observed with exposures of 1 to 2 years to the dust. One case was observed after a 7 month exposure'. (2) The conglomerate lesions which are disabling are caused by the processed powders, which change the amorphous s ilic a to cristo b a llte (60^) and trldymite (2$), The relative t o x ic it y o f these two crystals compared to quart* is ! quart* 5i trldymite 8, and cri6tobalite 9. (3) Intravenou s lnnocnlation of animals by Gardner with the untreated dlatomaceous earth caused fib ro sis end death to the animals. (b) The ty p ica l x-ray pictures of th is pneumoconosls are very different from typ ical s ili c o s i s p ictures. There is not the typ ical nodulatlon but sometimes a pseudonodulution is observed. Instead of the a rte r ia l systems being involved, as in the case o f s ilic o s is , pneumoconiosis due to dlatomaceous earth involves the venous vascular system. (5) Lanza says that the incidence of T .B . at Lompoc is no higher than at Santa Marla (supposedly a comparable community) but Anderson thinks that the residents at Lompoc are more susceptible. / I was unable to talk with Dr. Anderson a fte r day, I had made arrangements with Mr. Legge and Mr. a sizeable engineering study there thiB February, the meeting, but on the previous Wilson, of Johns-Munvllle to do FEC/ld 'aul t. Caplan