Document 9JqggR66rZz0MjGgw2Qqd3BG5

Q5/QQ/92 12:48 O 301 462 1039 C Metropolitan Life Insurance Company F*rtuxak H.Eck)'m. r*....*,<*/ A. LlVrOl.V JS .(.* ASTMONN .11 S7fcA+.i*Mu.*J**. New YORK CITY December 13, 1937 Hr. Manfred Bewditcb, Director, Division of Occupational Hygiene, 23 Joy Street, Bolton, Mass. Deir Manfreds 1 recent number of tie Public Health Reports bad a eurvey of in asbestos plan_t noI _de1 byACBloo^aJ f.iieJld anId o*ne^ of hisA L.4 . _Ms. _t#a>ffs ^Th^ ey stcte. AtWha.*t everything considered they think fire million particles is_a rrettr fair threshold lialt for the asbestos industry and I agree rita.tnea. I do not Iciow what to say about Ur* Dewey's opinion and I car. set imagine upon what the opinion is based. Of course, the asbestos people in Canada have advanced that idea for aoao tine as an explanation of why as bestos seess to be sore clinically severe in Eaclad than in this country but I h*ve always had the feeling that their argument vis motivated by eIf-intar< rather than to sake a scientific contribution. I have had the feeling for sot tlte thatt'luibestosis is prettT <->] ^ nest anTTray. I do not doubt that asbestos dust in sufficient quantity will cause a pulmonary fibrosis. I 13 tot sure that asbestosl* alone wHl prod-iea disability or death. I think that in*Tni reported cases of fatal asbestosls they have put the cart before the horfre - t.ut is to say, these individuals have died of heart disease and because tney worked in an asbestos plant and had some pulmonary fibrosis, tne: deaths vere charged to asbestos is* In the eonplicited cse|, death was due tc tuberculosis. Tuberculosis and heart disease are the tvo^Teading causes of death among Industrial worker! and it is to be expeeted that the asbestos worl would have their quota. However, this is Just an opinion of miae. I am encaged now in running down all our death claims from asbestosis. Bone time in January or February, Z want to go up to Boa ton becaue in this series welch ve hsve, the only peet-aorteas vere those done in Boston by Dr. Timothy Leary and, incidentally, I say use your good offices to get an Introduction to Dr. Leary es I want to discuss these cases with his. 5et regards Since.-.ly yours, Ai J. mu.., V .v. IssisVdBt Helical Director