Document 93n8m9nZyq07624kgbj298me5

Anthony J. Lanza, M.D. Assistant Medical Director Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Frederick H. Ecker, President New YOR.V City March 20, 1931 Mr. Allan Hardwall 15 Broad Street New York City Dear Mr. Hardwall: Herewith is the report of the asbestos study. This is the summary report of the American plants studied. The Canadian summary report will be forthcoming shortly. In this report the plant of the Johns-Manville Company at Manville, N.J. is designated as Plant A. I am also sending a copy to Mr. Sayer and if you wish additional copies, please let me know. Needless to say, I will be very glad to discuss this report or amplify any portions of it if you so desire. It is, of course, understood that this report is confidential and it will be given no publicity by us except with the consent of the firms concerned. After you have had a chance to go over it, I should like the opportunity of discussing with you and your associates the question of publication. With best regards and assuring you of my sincere appreciation of your unfailing assistance which made this report possible, 1 am, Sincerely yours, A.J. Lanza, M.D. Enc. Assistant Medical Director. j. r< 1. i INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE F. G. Ptotcv, BA., M.B., D.P.K.: J. G. Cvkkikcam, B.A., M.B., D.P.H. ASBESTOSIS Fmck G Pidliv. M.D.. D.P.H. ^IFJTHJX the past five or si* ;-tri ' industrial hygienists have be come interested in th effects of asbestos on the health of workers. In the Province of Quebec s very tonaiderabit part of the world's supply that the population of Thelford Mines, P.Q., it quite stable. Since this town is given over entirrly to the mining and milling of asbestos the following death rales per 100,000 from tuberculosis in Thetlord Minea of asbestos is mined, and the industry has been in existence for forty yean or more. To our knowledge, how* ever, no case of pneumoconiosis hat and the Province of Quebec during the years 1926, 1922 and 1928 will be of interest. (Quebec -did not enter the registration area until 1926.) been reported from asbestos in Can* ada, and the general impression among miners b that the dust is not hanrd* -ous. It n from England that the first easts of pulmonary atbestotis have been reported. Dr. W. E. Cooke, rn 1924. published the history of a case of pulmomry fibrosis m an asbestos worker. Since then a small literature has developed, which promises to grow eery much larger at time goes on. The cates of asbealotis so Jar re* ported--with the exception of four Rhodesian miners--have occurred in V. an___ tmij miimu tnasn.r a evoit Uia mi.i In view of the fact that the popula tion ol Thetlord Mines is only about 12,000 it b to be expected that the death rates mould fluctuate consider* ably from year to year. These fig ures. therefore, do not indicate an undue mortality from tuberculosis m Thetford Minn. Canadian asbestos occurs as a silky, fibrous form of serpentine in seams of varying width. Its analysis shows it to consist largely of magnesium the manufacture of asbestos: but it it quite possible that the condition in mines mar have* gone unrecognised, for mines are usually situated in the country, whereas factories are apt to be in tbc city where facilities for autopsies are better. 11, however, miners were seriously elected by asbestos the effects should be reflected in a high tuberculosis death rate, pro vided the mining population sms fairly stationary'and did not go to sanatoria nr clscwlicrr In die. It b brliemt silicate, but there is usustly some iron present. Mining is carried on in open quarries, and b not osually a very dusty yob, but in the milling a great deal of fine dust it created, and men who work there are heavily exposed to whatever haxard may exist. As mentioned above, however, h is the general impression, both tmeng min ers and physicians, that asbestos dust' b not particularly harmful. There can be little doubt, however, that the' disea**, avhrsimiv, is a clinical entity. !? 3' * * end it ha.* ' lith euthoinclusion a (Set: Jour 28. 19M. f Patholof dividual a5 a diffuse fi in the gre evtr, the a; one thing' roorpholofi dust can be lo silicosis very difficu! amaller. Ir tides of d show yellow - 20 to 100 i dumb-bell mented. * bodies" *n everywhere pontd. Tl but it b the gallons of centra! spies Unquestie bodies' have in the dis< logists, who ease might the sighs e From the j however, it msbestosis w -elther from bidity or mo The folio* list of article L 1fe. . rrs' Ha Factories' Labour ysr.4 BA.', M B, D.P.H. r stion of Thetford quilt mbit. Since is over entirely to the '-ins f asbestos the * rates per 100.000 in Thetford XJine* -t of Quebec during .1927 and 1922 will be .hiebee did not enter ora until 1926.) ___ ttrteue intuo lnun.r -Wi__)> U14 lll.l feet thet the populad Miner it only tbout be expected that the Id fluetoate consider to year. These Rj. do not indicate an - iron) tuberculosis in .4 e ` oeetm at a ailky, pentine m teams .tt analysis shows ,,.gtly of magnesium ere is usually some iron *ig is tarried on in open is net usually a very in the milling a great nit it erteted. and men -re arc heavily exposed haurd may exist. As -e, however, it is the tion, both among min-tins, that asbestos dust otarly harmful There laiht, however, that the i<ii, is a clinical entity, INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE O'l it' and it hat been reeogniitd by the Eng J. "Fibrosis of Ibr Le|t in ts thr lish authorities to the extent of its inclusion as a compentatablc disease. InbiUtion of Aibritei Dsn*. W. . Ceebr. Em. Bltd jut. JuV 3 1974. let. (See: Jour. Amer. Med. Assn.. June 22. 1970. p 2078 ) 2. *P1monar; AsWrlesis bi hi Clinicil Atfntli*. That. Oliver. Jour. Ini H|. 9. S4J. Pathologically the lungs oi an in dividual afflicted with aibettosit show No*. tJ. 4. "Pulmonsrj Aibnlotii*. W. E Coobe. Brit. Uit Jour. a diffuse fibrosis, not unlike silicosis in the grots. Microscopically, how- (Dtt. j. it;?). me. 5. "Hisialoei el Pulmentry Asbcsieiii*. \V. L Coobe, But UiC Jour. .ever, the appearance it different. For ione thing large panicles of dust morphologically similar to asbestos dust can be found in the fibrotic areas. (Dec. J. IM7J. 1021. i. "Asbrrtatii". BlcDensId Stuart, Brit. Bird. Jeer, it;;, h toil. 7. "Pvlaiensry Aibritoi'n hi Saoth Airies*. In silicosis the siliceous panicles art F. W. Smuan. Brit Bird. Jeer. very difficult to see and are very much Btsr X. IMS. tb BU4S7. B *Atbertois". smaller. In addition to the large par ticles, of dust sections of the lung it. J. Sieasn, Brk. Bird. Jeer. irn, h toe. t. "Asbettasis*. show yellowish, elongated bodies from 20 to 100 microns in length, usually dumb-bell shaped and often seg H. E Seiler, Brit. Bttd. Jeer. is. 193 DM. 10. "Thr Pretend at Atbrile Fibre ia thi Lciiem ot Asbetist tVerbrri*. mented. These are the "curious bodies" and have been described S. X doynt, Tubercle, Jane, 193, p. 401. tt. "A Cs*t ot Pulmonary AtWllftlit*. everywhere aabettosis has been re ported. Their origin it not known, tV. B. Wood A D. 5 P*t*. 7ubrrtle. JsVj. 193. p. 417. 12. "Aibntes Dust and the `Curiout but it is thought that they are aggre gations of protein material about a central spicule of asbestos. Bodies' Faund in Pulowner; AsbrsSatis*. tV. . Cesbr. Brit. Bled. Jour, Stpt. 21 193, in Unquestionably these "curious 1). "Oinrol Aspects at Palaanary Asheliosis*. bodies" have stimulated much intereat in the disuse, asbestosis. Patho logists, whose interest in eueh a dis A. C Htddew. Brit. Bird. Jew. Sept. 3. 193. jU. 14. "Further Obtcrrsnora an Pulmonary Aibcitosia eith Special Rtfttrnee ta ease might languish, become alive at Atbettet Out and the `Curious Bodies' Found in She Lur.fl*. the tight of the "curious bodies". W. E Coekt, Jour. Rsisl Micro* From the public hulth atandpoim, however, it items hardly likely that seopic Sue, 1U0, val SO, p. II. 15. "Putmanir; Atbeilosis. A Socio urdirsl Siud>*. atbertotit will become of importance either from the cundpoint of mor Archrv lur Georrpopstbeiofic smd Gtaberhyjitnc. Sondenbdruek aus I. Bind and 2. Hutu 1930. bidity or mortality. The following is a fairly complete IS. *Asbetiet*. Occupation B Kahk, Bsnrrnsi'iansl Labour OAcc. Brodiarc Ne. 27. list of articles on the subject to date: 17. "Tbe Ocrarrtnet at Pulmensry g. "Effects (`Asbestos Dust a Work ers' Hrsltb in Asbestos Biinet and Factories*. Ubw Csctste, Fch, INI, 7*1. Fibrosis and other Pulmooti; Afitttou hi Alberto* Woebm*. EBB Blercvetbcr, Jotm. Indue! Hrfwm. 12, I9I-Z22 and 2J9-2i7, Bis; and Jam. 19JC. :,c 'r i