Document KRLYyDp7K8bObDmJGq3L5ZMxx

The Saranac Laboratory For the Study of Tubereuloei*. Oeeuoatianal Oiaaaaa, and Induatria, Hygi#n# Pounded by Edward Livingston Trudeau m IS8J 7 Church St.. Saranac Lari, nrw York p.o. Box 561 R##*r#nc#: February 6, 1956 TtJ*phon: Laboratory 5*3 O/ractor 530 hr. h.D. Burch Director of Personnel and Industrial Relations Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation r.O. Box 901 Toledo, Ohio Dear hr. Burch: On the occasion of their recent visit here to inspect our progress with the study on the pathogenicity of fibergl&s, Dr. Bishop and hr. Black mentioned to me that this research project falls under your general supervision. To facilitate your task of explaining to lay personnel, idle might be interested in the results of our experiments, jtjaI-]du&~a-pEOduct like fiberglas may be capable of doing to panf herewith a few prelimin ary comments.' Please do not hesitate to call for further elucidation as need arises. I will do my best to inform you fully about what we already know and will not hesitate to tell you directly where the limits of our own and also other researches' limitations lie. You may have dif ficulty with published statements too. Please feel free to consult me at ahy time about such matters ifyou believe I can be of help to you. Firstly, the following is the status of our current experimentation on fiberglas: Product Studied Method Type and Number of Animals Used Stage Reached 1 Fiberglas with Intratraeheal Guinea pigs 10 Completed at Calcium Sulphate filler 12 months Chemical and Hist logical Studies : Progress 2 it n m ^ it ii n nM Rate 10 IS if N n If ii ii if " Rabbits 5 tl ti it it N it n k Fiberglas with Calcium Carbonate filler ^ n ti it it n It It It It It " n Guinea pigs 10 n n n n Rats n n ti it it Rabbits 7 n n it n ft n n tt It it *i ti n n ii it (continued on page 2) 01 501 1573 T7u objective* of The Saranac Laboratory, a non-profit orianuaaon incorporated under the Education Law of Haw Tor^ State, are: Ruawxh, Cantmitauon, mid Education rage 2 ir. >..2. 3urch Gwens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation February 6, 1956 Product Studied Method Type and Number of Animals Used Stage Reached 7 Resin only Intratracheal Guinea pigs 9 Completed at 12 months Chemical and Hi logical Studies Progress $ " y ii n 10 11 " 11 Glass fibers only " Rata 11 " Rabbits 5 Intravenous Rabbits 5 Intratracheal Guinea piga 10 ii ii it n ii ii ii ii n ii n it ii ii ii n II It tt It II ti n it n <t it it ii >i tt vt n n ft 12 n ' * Rata 10 ii n n n It 19 It II M " " Rabbitf 5 n it it ii tt ii tt n it 14 :l " 11 15 Fiberglas with Calcium Sulphate filler Subcutaneous Rata 5 Inhalation Guinea piga 60 n it e it it Modified and it Terminated at 15 months tt tt tt it n it it n 16 It It II II II II Rata 16 Terminated and it tt it if 11 Modified at 15 months 17 ii n ii n ii - ti Rabbita Terminated at n it ii n ii 9 months 18 Fiberglaa with Calcium Sul- " phate - Beryllium Phosphor 19 Fiberglas with Calcium Sul- " phate * Ri Tuberculosis 20 Reactivation of Tuberculosis " by Fiberglas 21 Control Tuberculosis only 22 Fiberglas with Calcium Inhalation Carbonate filler Rats 10 In progress tt it tt it ii Guinea piga 26 Terminated at n tt u it it 9 months Guinea piga 27 H n it n tt it ii it it n n 13 n n * n it n it h it II I. 60 In progress tt ti tt it it 15 months 28 * autopeied (continued on page 3) 01 501 1574 Page 3 Mr. X.2. Burch Owens-Coming Fiberglas Corporation February 6, 6 Product Studied Method Type and Number of Animals Used Stage Reached 23 Fiberglas with Calcium Inhalation Carbonate filler Rate 21 tl It II II It II 11 Rabbits 21 In progress 15 months 16 animals autopaied 9 In progress 15 months 7 animals autopsied Chemical and hi logical Studies Progress II II 11 !| 25 Fi'oerglas (excessive con centrations) 26 Fiberglas with Calcium Carbonate filler * Beryl lium Phosphor 27 Fiberglas Ri Tubercle 28 Reactivation of Tubercu losis by Fiberglas 29 Rl Tubercle Control It tl tl II II Guinea pigs Rats 7 In progress 15 months 6 In progress 15 months tl H ft :i tl if n ii Guinea pigs 21 17 autopeisd 11 ti ii I it 26 18 " If it n m n n 31 16 " If If rt it 30 Flakeglas 31 II Ocular Instillation Cutaneous contact infriction Rabbits Rabbits 2 Completed 2 II 32 tl 33 IV 31 11 35 II Intratracheal Guinea pigs 10 In progress N Rabbits 5n n N Rats 8 n if Intravenous Rabbits 5 ii it I believe the foregoing list will show you what a comprehensive range of tests we are making to ascertain in what way and to what degree fiber- glaa or any of its components is harmful, if indeed it causes any damage to animal tissues. Sven so, we believe several addlt-inr^l would be_regjiice*> As thers has been appreciable discrepancy between the resuits obtained on guinea pigs, ra*- rabbits it Ii that we stuoy the sff4dti"dl EflA WMuci' on monkeys as wall so that we may kllOV Wieliier the human species will react adversely or favorably to iuliaLallO& fll the"'dual. " 01 501 1575 > / rage * Mr. M.D. Burch Cwer.s-Coming Fiberglas Corporation February 6, 1956 it is imperative also that we determine how rapidly and completely fiberglas dust is eliminated from animal tissues and whether, if it is expelled after dust exposure has stopped, this is accompanied by reversal ' of those tissue reactions we have already observed. No doubt you will ! readily perceive the medico-legal importance of such information. We . should also prolong the exposures for at least another year. . of our earnwtshowed t,hat un favorable results sometimes ensued during the third year, of exposure while tH5y remained in abeyance previously-- ' A fourth avenue yet to be explored more satisfactorily would be a study on the capacity of the fiberglas to induce lung, cancer. There is so much propaganda over the issue' of lung cancer today that one cannot omit this study, either to clear the product of all potential blame or to dis cover in time whether it holds such a danger. I suppose you already know that asbestos is fairly well incriminated as a carcinogen and the asbeftos causes lung damage by virtue of the lengsfc of its fibers,, a gpoperty^it shares with the Various polyester resins have already been f itmeimiearcinogens so that one must remain cautious,.about, the fiberglas resin until it has been-cleared. Finally, in view of the evidence we already have that the fiberglas ___ dust facilitates the development of tuberculosis, this study should be ~ expanded to IncHide the third superimposition phase of the tubercle study, i.e., to determine whether prior exposure to the dust will stimulate tuber culosis. Reference to the foregoing tabulation reveals that we have already instituted the investigation on the simultaneous phase and the reactivation phase. Such a large proportion of our rabbits died in the dust room that we believe the studies on them should be repeated. Death* may have been due to an intercurrent epizootic and r.ot due to the fiberglas dust. If a new set of animals could be studied, the suspicion that the dust may have caused the deaths of the rabbits would either be verified or rebutted. None of the guinea pigs died spontaneously and we are inclined to believe the rabbits died of causes other than the dust, but unless we can repeat this phase of the study, the record will remain unfavorable. I look forward to meeting you at some time in the not too distant future and hope the foregoing information will be of some value to you meanwhile. Yours sincerely. CrWHS:mem G.tf.H. Schepers, M.D., D.Se. Director 01 501 1577