Document G6JYnjeRXwY055ZoZJve26w14

MEMORANDUM July 26, 19U Dr. L. Burnett* Assistant Secretary Canediaa_Head Office You will recoil on your last visit T discussed with you the problem c? tuberculosis In Thetford. Since that tine I have mace further investigation or the proi-Iem and It would see* to be worth while for me to visit Thetford with a view to first-hand observation of the situation there. Several Industrial hygiene surveys have been cade at Johnson* "lot In pnpt years* lbs first was in June 1930 ehen Dr. Lane* was studying the asbestos Industry. Another study was wade In March 1931* it thot tiae very high dust count! were found In Johnson's Mine. Workers were very careless about expectorating on the floors) drinking water was supplied in bucket!) common drinking cups vers used, i number of recom mendations were made to improve general working conditions of this mine* No subsequent study has bees made* Adjacent to Johnson's Mine Is Bell Mines, also a Group policyholder. 7e have made a comparison of their mor tality rates over the last four years, and the following table shows ths difference in mortality. This may not be statistically significant but wojId reec to warrant further Investigation, both of Bell and Johnson's Uif.es. Although Dr. Lanza hod concluded fros. his asbestos study that tu'erculoslc was not as expected complication from this disease, in view of this experience in JohnsonTs Sines I felt warranted in writing to Dr. Gardner in 3eranac to find out what his present opinion is* He has made some recent studio?, both in Quebec and In Jiorth Carolina of this possible relationship and t e postmortem evidence Indicates, In his opinion, that asbestosls docs not predispose--like silicosis--'to tuberculosis* How ever, he thought that Comparative mortality and morbidity studies of tuber culosis and asbestosis lr. Thetford and other communities i~ (usbec and other provinces would be very worth while* following & wId to Quebec last week, he has just written me that, in bis opinion, the outstanding feature in Thetford is not asbestosls but tuberculosis* Since Bill Pehnel is planning a trip to Canada also, I thought I would plan to go et the. some time* This we expect will be the week of September nth. Bill Barrett is arranging, through Mr* Perry, to get Invitations for us t* visit Johnson's and bell Minas* There are sews other indugtriil health contacts that Ur. Perry seems to think it weald be desirable for us to make also. Since this problem in Thetford appears to be largely one of tuberculosis, it would seem to tw a fertile field for the Canadian Tubercu losis Association and public health agencies in Canada* I would be inter ested in meeting the people teat you think would have an interest in this problem, both in the Province and in tee Dominion. If they are Interested in making an attack on tee problem, we might be be position to give them some technical and statistical help and perhaps promote the interest of management In this disease* - of this pending trip, other activities or poin^o Interest in relation to our Welfare work war occur to you as oertlnant for us to look: at. together. George V. Wheatley, K.D. Assistant tSedical Director s's'