Document 3NEmwDVDRKnNekYoN43M3BDJy

August 20# 1963 Henry F. iiowc, M* D.# focrctery Council on Occupational Health American Medic el Association 535 H. Dearborn Street C-iicsiio 10, Illinois Dear Lr. Howo: . I have just read the August 1963 issue of the A* H. A* Archives of Lnvironmental Health, end I very concerned about the implications in the document on, nifae Pneumoconioses". Cn page 131 there is the following statement:- "roe crystalline silica is potentially the nos6 harmful dust, 'ihis seemingly ubiquitous substance is present in the form of quarts in rock mined with coal, in metal -ining. in goncrel, in the clay used In potteries. In stono quarries, and in abrasives uredfer r;anu('act:;re cf a yarit , of industrial products, especially in the rrlndlnr, of me*U;1 rta.** Heny forms of artificial afcrasivos mado with silicon carbide and aluminum oxide contain no free crystalline silica and only a few contain as much as one to two percent of free silica, noth the abrasive grains and the bonding material are considered to bo inert ncn-toxic dusts by the Government Industrial Hy*lcni3ts and they have set up u maximum Acceptable Concentration of 0 million particles per cubic foot* Obviously a dust concentration of this magnitude could net bo attained if a reasonably, adequate exhaust system were used. It should be obvious that any workers who use the artificial abrasives silicon carbide and aluminum oxide - and develop pneumoconiosis could get It only from tho material being ground, such as from the send -round off costings. undoubtedly you are acquainted with Dr. Gardner*o experiments at narnnac X.axv, **# i-t cne lCwO 19dQ*s, with CA t - O i i u ; * .!.icon carbide). In the 1950*3 it was suggested by a number of doctors, including fr. Oscar Sender# th. t more experiments be done to prove whether or r.ot silicon carbide one aluminum oxide could produce pneumoconiosis At that time I w as r.toical co-advisor to tho'(.rinding '.vheol Ins ti tut and tho Abrasive Grain Association with lx*, .lari Soncdict of tho Horton Company, bxperirnunts were mode by Hr. Haul Gross# at the Industrial Hygiene Foundation In Pittsburgh and tho results were published by the A. A. Archives of Industrial Health In March 1959* . 0005393 (Cont*d) In the document on Pnou.mccoaicsoo the statcmtnt that freo crystalline silica is present In cho artlfieicsl abrasives is incorrect. VJr.cn various companies,* us In,'; aluminum oxide or silicon carbide, are sued Ter pneumoconiosis'I answer their questions by -ivinp them tho proceeding information and send them a corjy of the results of tho experiments that'wore done by br* Gross* Reprints of these experiments have been sent to looters Arthur Voruald, C-ccrj* Trinht and Oscar bander and from personal communication vfith them I art sure they arc noil acquainted with tho. fact that silicon carbide and aluminum cxico contain very little, if any, freo silica and therefore cannot produce silicosis or pneumo coniosis* I believe there should be a corrected statement printed in the A* M* b. Archives of Lnviror-montcl Health* Surely If this opinion is not corrected it will stimulate many invalid claims for compensation for aliocd silicosis duo to working with artificial abrasives* I have been in contact with Hr* John Talbott, by telephone, and ho has sug^-ested that I write you dii*ectly, end send a copy to Dr* Katherine lioueot* . Very truly yours, 'xcurt* vrAi.. * -ur ar*.-*.**>. .<.rbXv CPE :esjf; Ai'- -, nodical flrector CC to ir. rruoot, 3300 He nr?,/ Ave. Philadelphia 29, ?a* Ir. John V.albott Ssj fearborn St*, Chicago, 111# if*. Artnur Voruald l.01 Hivard at. Totrait 7, Hich. Er. Cacar A* bander 710 k* r-lsnkinton Ave*,1Milwaukee, b'is# fr. K arl T e n c c ic t The Corfcon Co- pany, Worcester, Hass# * g * v/# vjrir.hfc Er. C. c . S h aver 11311 Hacker JIvd*, Cleveland ip, Ohio Niagara Peninsula banatcrium St* Catherines, Cnt* ::r A lla n P . Viherry Thomas Associates, Cleveland 15, Ohio * *. J . u n lo r s The Carborundum Company Vr>. * L* Cuneo The Carborundum Company K 0005394