Document DadDn3yr6wam625Xx9qxpraM

A~4s Vt.tf'gvruuyAy' VL//?M ' J u&catts&rv S^. 'j/usordt wjuyjfci/ $&eAa.*</. A\ AyroeA*# 2&/m*S//*/4 Qftensey St/Z/fn, ... /AtrA- nznA/in. /vn <&r**t- <%(n s*M\*,m, yftccAitt^A %jA~AAvu/vr y&roUYf&JLy Aft/Anm/ AsArtrA* 'Y/tAAutfn,' A.\*-/c4J $Aa u* O^&./LirO ft. AAhjfC* ^wrw' ^AdAy, x^/A. AActf/wtb/ac/ci; f/icAert/iiict?n/ /<& fAA//'\A^ree JlAurtyorA-5 '-/f&/>Aen&', ($.ector2-5/00 ijudhyac/ckt&i, --i5eSu,m< PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT v I -3:ms 7 'VfsO^Airty /sn* ms svy/^ ~//jLruf&rv S, ^).S. 3Zt/Jl*n* (202) 206-5087 October 21, 1964 . Mr. J. T. Griffis ; H. K. Porter Company, Inc. Porter Building Pittsburgh 19, Pennsylvania Dear Mr. Griffis: I am enclosing a copy of a draft letter to Dr. Selikoff which I have also sent to the other Members of the Board of Governors. If you have any negative com ments, I would appreciate your telephoning my office by Friday, October 23> and in my absence convey your sugges tions to Mr. P. Jay Flocken. Best regards. GDR/mrc Enclosure DRAFT 10/19/54 Dr. Irvins J* Sclihcff Nx IV.-,->-,1 Dear Dr. Solikoff: Our client* the Asbestos Tent lie Institute., has requested us to coiaaunieatc to you the grave con cern which all nenber companies sha're over the pos sibly misleading implications of recent articles carried in many local and national newspapers on your report and nows conference .concerning mesothelioma. The linking together of asbestos and meso thelioma in a cause and effect relationship is clearly ciado in the article vuvick appeared in The her fori: tit-, But in *7iMUrUT ni. w.vrv1-*A. uf* W,*7. N** AJrw*pi/tv**i-*-M* ^ W* W w -- ^ V V V ^ 1 W hV M l*%w*WW'.U V. ^ rites to you and to Dr. Ilaiur.cnd beyond the confines*s '.--'ww r~t*\ U**<--O IfffW pee actually .*1 p. -2 WkV W'wV* * JTcduUi'C:^.v.c `p.v* ' *v> ;*5 **-. fT is the cv:,C} ; .`1 *S--S -l ^ lUvJ;ivJ * > -* 0..w,c asbestos3 once tahen into the body, stays there. Thus even a single heavy exposure 2 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT K-/VD 9 could conceivably produce a cancer after a latent period of 20 years or more, they said* ''Tills idea, for which they said there is sons experimental as veil as epidemiological evidence could, expand tiic rid: from simply those occupationally exposed to virtually any one who night only occasionally encounter asbestos dust*" Again, that article stated: "The specialists who gave the report ex pressed worry that the danger might not bh entirely restricted to a limited ommamcr group, but that it might be more general --id possibly of considerable importance. There is no direct evidence to substantiate this, they said, but come of the available findings hint that this nay be the case." It is common laioxleige that developments in me field of cancer and possible causative factors or possible preventative and curative measures are subicees of very great and vital public concern. It must be tu. cognised, however, that only the most oar_iul an... issue e.-ionatc efforts in presenting the results of limited research . :r~T v in. this field to the public can avoid misinterpreta tion, oversimplification, and cuaggorntten,, this is particularly true in discussing with members of the press such limited and. tentative conclusions at these suggested by your studies. Unfounded inferences and hints of danger, though sure of receiving vride distribution, contribute nothing to public understanding. kor do they aid intel ligent action by anyone, whether at the individual or* group level or in privato or public agencies, fhc health and 'welfare of workers in the asbestos and related incustries, no less than the general public, in part of course rests upon wise, careful, and practical utilisation of scientific knowledge. Innocent but unwise treatment of research data in public discussions or leaving it to lay men to appreciate the carefully phrased "imitations end qualifications, can cause reactions that are act justi fied by the state of scientific knowledge. Tiie efforts by members of this association in their own scientific work and medical pro jru.es and in cooperation with studies by suca groups as the labile bdl ti ^ * mL*** w L-v. b i. 'd , -. y- AL.' .r Ob. V* A +J ^ Vi Vlaw V* bJ V\' J Jm j. si * * v ^ I/O v* >-/ _ O d and intelligently in natters involving the health and safety of its employees and the general entile as well, those companies uolcono all responsible efforts along these lines. The Asbestos Textile Institute urges no restraint upon independent reedleal inquiry or re sea: Indeed it earnestly desires expansion of eristang laicxledge in this field, nor does this association scch any v/ay to discourage the right to discuss the resu of such efforts. But it docs urge caution in the c Bion of these activities to avoid providing the has for possibly damaging and rsislcading nous scor_os. right to study and to discuss these subjects as sic of course. But the gravity cf the subject -natter a ;d the conscquenccc implicitodly involved impose upon who exercise those rights a very high degree of reap on; bility for their actions. o -I ^ .... -. -------------------- W ---- J j C P P-TTJTQVV'-Q""'\. rr - -.n ,,ii-