Document LJVQR54ge8jqQ86aZaoRp4veX

lilt 4 o Ambler Research Hov. 3, C. R. Hutchcroft Ambler R&D Conference on Biologic. Effects-of Asbestos - New Y M. C. Shaw/adp CONFERENCE ON BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ASBESTOS New York Academy of Sciences Section of Biological and Medical Sciences New York City - October 19-21, 12&* The Conference on the Biological Effects of Asbestos was held from Monday, October 19 through Yfednesday, October 21 and was attended by, sene 200 medical authorities, and. . ... p'SEiBlcgistir/"asbestos `fiber authorities and air hygienists, from nary countries throughout the world. Mr. Horowitz ar.d . I arrived in New York on Sunday afternoon, October 15, and immediately contacted certain of those cambers of Turner Bro thers Asbestos Company who were in attendance repreoenting the Ascentosis Research Council of England. Consideration was directed to the work of the Council and its intended partici pation in the work of thi3 conference. Included in this group were: Dr. S. Koines, Dr. J. F. Knox, Dr. Beatty and Hr. D. W. Hills*. The seriousness of the problems involved are fully ap preciated by everyonej however, tho technological advancements that have teen achieved through the efforts of this English . association and the application of proper controls in the manu facturing areas have served to provide markedly improved con-. . ditions throughout the asbestos industry in that country. The Aabestosis Research Council was established in England in 1957 ar.d the members have accomplished a great deal of good during the period since that tine. It waB felt by many that this meet ing would serve as a medium for proclaiming and demonstrating some of these accomplishments. We contacted and talked with most of the members of this group as well a3 members of the Council representing Cape Asbestos and British Eelting and As bestos Ltd. who were present on several occasions-throughout the week and are greatly impressed with their abilities and work. The meeting, however, turned out to be different than had been expected as the original intent. In fact, a newspaper article that was carried a couple of weeks prior to thto con ference by several hundred newspapers in America and abroad, served to arouse our suspicions as to the true intent of this meeting and these suspicions were confirmed as the various dis cussions unfolded. -2-r _ ,\'Tl;a. conference was-'organized under the direction of Dr:>;` *<*'ffn>V i.>--']-b-Iervslti0x3-J'V.'oSricealirksa.loTf, Mount Sinai Hospital/ Assrica, a- trade union who serves the As-. which covers princi- 'iT-c* '; u paH7.-thoao.Kho worts-as insulators and lasers using asbestos ` :.l.n...a...u...l.a...t.l.o...n.. Bateriala.' -- - B-.e'prograa was -- nearly - two years-in - ^^ the covered. properties of '..ttere-covered; from Quabee to South Africa and from Kllan, Italy. Jlcjan.T------- ------ -------------------------- ----------- r-~r~* ** ,,4 v'* v-* #3** .*'> v O * . *.***.. <<V .* ^ .. . . v . * .**., v_*.. 1 -* " TT' '* `V >',< .vV'.'Jhare-wsre'nrvajfn*ry? npAa^thhooll/ovgMical-diaoussiownjai complete wit*hs' . - 'Sfcotogrtphic. atudisa ahawing.-the asbestos fibers and-asbestos '-dust tcdlsa "at tha cite of- ah. r.tncmallty in the.lung and other .-^organs of'hu=a and- aninal bodies. Turorous growths were shewn notvcnly in enl.na.la but in men and osan who had been auto?alec -r and the-, evidence apparently served to prove that asbestos was y"ff- .;-Jthe cgnsa;of^ths malady.- The identifications ware apparently.. .j'.'.V.trua-arsd.-iiBre-Repeated and oftan duplicated by Pathiogiata free Is `v- . 'TSev'York; London; Glamorgan, Vales; Johannesburg/ South Africa; SelfaatV etc.; % S- ' . /A. * V -/h'* *.:'4.To.cite.but ar- forr of rthe cases and observations that wars *.presented; which are new In -print and a natter of record and wil ' '*' reguirs/a: refutation In-kind, re offer. the following; V-^(l) 'One- Author atatcd 'that not only, did the can who worked in s?r v' ' rv the asbestos nines hava asbestos bodies In various parta 4 v;. * ;.A`of their system but that the donkeys, the dogs and even -th ...............*.x. ra.to! in the. neighborhood sere so afflicted. . ,,- - V* . .->5*:'Biop. up. to'the ege of 5j .resided near an asbestos factory ` V- but; at -that-ng9 raoved away from that area. Twenty* years. .: - - later this girl developed a assothelial tvaor, ir.ducod by : .'J ' `f *:''* an identified asbestos body* Further, & playmate of this ,' v. ' -' gir2-rhfta{been located in another part of the country end- 'v'! , ^Jxaa'ieen found to be aufferins a dollar fate.. s - .. .v '1 - ' fttgfi-thbv-cachah.*,-ga:""fdrthe developsent of a malady, cad- that * -V &S.&X* .tobeaitas^body- .bay loy^^ dsrnaht^^ in -a. huaan body cany ycai .Vi . ;..beforebeccsiing active. ` ^ *"?vv * *#; ( ^,rJv * *:v 4^. . 1.1 3- (b) Dp. J. 0. Thomson reported that the inhalation of asbeatco fibers by urban dwellers is very similar in Captetovn, 5. Arrica ar.d In Miami, Plorida. Ks less than 30 of the sales and 20?4 of the females in 300 autopsies studied in . - both cities showed asbestos bodies. It was this gentleman who "speculated1* that the asbestos contamination in the ' ' Miami air was induced by automobile brake lining disinte gration. We have submitted a collection of all of the abstracts of . the papers delivered at this conference and a study of these alone serve to provide the underlying tone of the Beatings. .It . ia-quite-apparnb-that the sholer affair was B0tivafe>tTar.cr'fejf30~ ' * cuted in tho interest of the Asbestos Workers of America. The New York Academy of Science and many of the apea.':era, I feel, did not realize how they were being used until the session was underway. While it la an. indictment of the dusty conditions of the asbestos insulator, and perhaps Justifiably so, it also in dicts Che entire asbestos industry from the nine to the ultimate end product which contains asbestos. It occurred to me as the conference developed that the role of asbestos as It affects tho lung end pulmonary functions of that area of the husaan body was being given less attention and a greater emphasis placed on the carcinogenic effect of asbestos fibers. Cancer of the lung, stomach and various other locations throughout the human body were cited and the relationship of asbestos exposure and actual asbestos fiber inclusions were Identified in those areas. In this connection the entrance of ascestcs fibers into the body not only through breathing and the nose, but by ingestion through the mouth as well was given attention. Discussions with Dr. Gaze and Robert Cryor of Cape*. Asbestos; Mr. Wucdrooffe, Canadian Sureau of Mines; Mr. Hough and Dr. Ken neth Smith of Johns-Manville Corp; the several members of the Turner Erothers Asbestos Company delegation and with many others concerned with the serious implications here' Involved would in dicate that the asbestos industry should take some positive ec- ' tlons to clarify the truths ar.d to correct any untruths that nay have been presented. A dispassionate appraisal of the concents of each paper here preoentad crust be made and on evaluation and - a differentiation bo cade between the fact and fictlcn. The-.,; Asbeetools Rosearch Council has boon engaged in this work for . cany years and has made good progress both in the medical as well as the dust control areas of concern. Tula experience could well serve as a basis for and perhaps the initiation of considerations related to the problems at hand. -4- 2 personally Tael that In this country the asbestos tex- tile industry- has such rare- at stake in this problem than do those in the A/C business and. vould imagine that sons organ ised effort in this resa="<i by that segment of the industry will be forthcoming. Certain-teed must, of course, sake every ef- / fort to provide maximum safety and minimum dust count ccndi- \> tlans in the manufactaring operations; however, it seems to me that the effects'of any. adverse publicity in this regard will be felt aore potently in our ealoa effort. Ihe implication that asbestos fibers may be placed in the air and serve as a polutant as a result of acbeatos-bcarlng brake linings disin tegrating, or. asbestos-bearing floor _tlle_b^^ng disinnogranad------ - might-'just- e~ easily"be`'^rtehclidta 'irraly'that A/C pipe may re- . lease a few fibers that could be vator' bomc and ingested by a ... hunan ...being ............. ......... ... .............................. , ..................... ......................... " . To combat this eort of publicity, the overall- industry will, have to ccsbine forces and establish a case history record file that will disprove such, claims. It seems to no that it is `be- , yond the financial and personnel capabilities of any one company.' to tackle such a problem alone. We should re'ly oh the work that . has been established ar.d proven thus far and cooperate with al- - lied industrial interests along these lines that are legally, - logically, and morally open to us. .;