Document 43kdpo2myxYB5genv1x3jOkN

PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT The Saranac Laboratory FOR THE STUDY OF TUBERCULOSIS Of THE EDWARD L TRUDEAU EOUNDATION Saranac Lake, N.Y. July 6, 1944 Dr. George K. Vheetley Assistant HelicallDLrectcr Metropolitan Life 'insurance Company Kew York, Kev York JTC17- P*. Dear Dr. Wheatleys Your letter of the 3rd arrived at a most opportune moment as I an Just planning to go up to the asbestos mines next week to review again the situation there. I an bringing Dr. Vestal of. the Mqrth Carolina Board vith me because he has had so much "experience with the renX~aeWetosl6 that they see in hi6 vicinity. The films that 1 have^reviewed from Quebec generally' fail to show characteristic shadow patterns and I have reached the con clusion that the disease which they have is minimal and quite different from the changes produced by Inhaling fibre in the fabricating mlll6. Most of the Quebec cases show little more than non-specific, linear exaggeration which 1 believe is due to pirtieulste serpentine and other non-fibrous silicates. I have had three or four autopsies from the Thetford region; ell of them complicated by advanced tuberculosis. Microscopic examination revealed minimal amounts of asbestosis but the change was not sufficiently narked to be dlagnosable on gross inspection. I have felt however, that the Infection was incidental and not a specific result cf ocrupetional dust. This opinion is-strengthened by the fact that in IJorth Carolina the incidence of tuberculosis is lower in the asbeatoe 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 collecting would be extremely valuable. In fact I have urged the Canadian group to obtain figures for merTTn Thetford and in Asbestos as veil a6 other communities of the Province. We know that the tuberouloeiE rate is excessive everywhere up there but reliable figures on the com parative mortality in anu out of the industries are not available. If you can get euiy data I an sure it would be most helpful. / v rtr.VI oAt.Tnp rii-vre I am in correspondence with Fehnel about the, natter of + "unber of fibres ana particles -in alrt-bnrre -dust. The former, I believe, are the only ones capable of producing.fibrosis ano~ub to now we nave'based our c estimate oi'~ tne~~haaar& on the total dust count. If we can get a more refined standard it should be of practical significance'."------------- Vith best wishes, Sincerely y^urs, Leroy 0. D. N