Document N3yo01mGw0vBLaNrK79rm3pb

C 0 P Y May i, 1950 Alfred S. Black, Esq. Black-Stevenson Cancer Foundation 714 Pine Street Hattiesburg, Miss. Dear Mr. Black: I wish to acknowledge with many thanks ycur letter of April 11th. I have delayed answering because I have been away from town and so also was Dr. Villiam E. Smith who is in charge of our cancer '-ork. Needless to say, we are gratified that what we are doing here cay engage ycur attention and ve shall be delighted to see you when you cone tc New York and show you what ve have done and what we propose to do. I enclose for ycur attention the abstract cf a talk to be presented at the Fifth International. Cancer Congress in Paris this coming July. This summary I think gives you a very concise picture both of what Dr. Smith intends to sty and of the subject which he is discussing. You will appreciate that while the aims of the Institute of Industrial Medicine are teachir.^ and research to which is coupled direct service to industry, behind all this lies our main interest which is in the field of prevention. Our research is directly concerned with causes and origins, not only of cancer but of any occupational disease, with the purpose in mind of applying approved methods tc prevention as our expanding knowledge will direct us. In addressing ycur Found? tion our purpose was to ascertain if we could interest the Foundation in kelring to put our cancer research program on a stable basis. How that best can be accomplished, I think will have to be determined in a conference. Consequently, I trust that you will 1st me knew when you will come to New York and arrange to pay us a visit. With best regards, I am, Sincerely yours. AJL:lc A.J. Lansa, M.-* Chairman Institute of Industrial Medicine Acta Undo International. centra Caserns (in pr ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER PROGRAM AT THE INSTITUTE OF IIDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, NEV; YORK UNIVERSITY-BELLEVUE JCDICAL CENTER. William E. Smith, II.D. New York, U.S.A. (Paper presented at the Fifth International Cancer Congress) (Paris, July 18, 1950) During the past half century there lias developed a considerable body of knowledge about diseases caused by exposure to materials met with in industrial processes# Some of these materials are nev;, synthetic chemicals to which man has come to be exposed only in our times. Others, such as silica, have long been present on the earth but man has net them intimately and in high concentration only since the industrial revolution. The physician or hygienist who attempts to cope with these problems has often found it necessary to-gain his training at the expense of the workers in his care. The need for special ized training in industrial medicine was a prime consideration that led to the establishment of the Institute of Industrial Medicine at the Nov; York Univcrsity-Bellevuo Medical Center, which was set up in 19*+8 under the direction of Professor A.J. Lanza. The Institute is designed as follows: -S- INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY-BELLEVUE MEDICAL CENTER AIMS: 1. TRAINING OF INDUSTRIAL PHYSICIANS t 2. TRAINING OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ENGINEERS 3. BASIC RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRIES ON SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IN INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE ORGANIZATION: 1. OFFICE OF DIRECTOR 2. DIVISION OF TOXICOLOGY 3. DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL PHYSIOLOGY 1, .DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE The primary concern of the division of Toxicology is the study of hazardous materials to ^Aiich workers or consumers may be exposed. A major program of this division is the study of carcinogenic chemicals. Our work in this field has been carried out in collaboration with units of the petroleum industry. Petroleum, like coal or other biological materials, acquires carcinogenic properties when heated to the high temperatures employed in cracking operations. Our task has been to conduct animal tests for carcinogenicity on samples provided by the refineries and plant laboratories. Information thus obtained has been passed on to the company, which has developed extensive measures to prevent exposure of v/orkers or users to materials found experimentally to possess carcinogenic properties. An account of this work will be presented in another paper at s this Congress. -3- Our experience in tils program has provided us with an example of how a university laboratory can collaborate with an industrial organization to accomplish a result which neither alone could achieve. There is always a gap between laboratory detection of carcinogenic chemicals and engineering or industrial hygiene operations necessary to translate laboratory findings into practical measures for reducing exposure of people to potentially harmful materials. In the present instence, this gap has been happily closed by the intimate collaboration of laboratory and manufacturer in all phases of the study. In the future, we expect to conduct similar collaborative studies with other types of industries that handle carcinogenic materials or are faced with occupational tumor problems* I need not say that many such exist. Their study by the laboratory worker alone is, however, very difficult, for the detection and control of them requires the skill and knowl edge of manufacturers, industrial physicians, engineers, indus trial and governmental hygienists, statisticians and others. In order to bring together individuals with experience in these diverse fields, a committee has been set up. This group, the Cancer Prevention Committee, has its headquarters in the Institute of Industrial Medicine. The name, Cancer Prevention Committee, was chosen in the view that environmental or occupational cancer hazards, once recognized, are often avoidable and therefore afford opportunities for genuine prevention of cancer. -4- CANCER PREVENT ICN COMMITTEE AIM: STUDY AND CONTROL OF ENVIRCNI-LNiTAL FACTORS IN CANCER MEMBERSHIP DRA'/N FRO!:: 1. INDUSTRIAL ORGAN IZAT IONS 2. INSURANCE COMPANIES 3. PU3LIC HEAITH SERVICES 4. RESEARCH INSTITUTES 5. UITr.'ERSITIES AID iCDICAL SCHOOLS The Committee sponsors a program of lectures on environmental or occupational tumor problems. In this way, the representatives of these diverse fields come to know each other, to appreciate each others* problems and temper their points of view. They become accustomed to working together, and pool their special knowledge toward the general problem. I do not wish to single out any one group, but as an example of a particular endeavor I may say that members from insurance companies are studying means to improve the occupa tional data incorporated into insurance records. Such data should assist in the recognition of environmental tumor hazards not presently appreciated. At present, cancers due to factors in the external environment are recognized in the skin, respiratory tract, bladder and bones. Cancers of these sites are said to provide about one fifth of the total number of cancer deaths in men in the ^United States, but only a small proportion of them can now be traced to external carcinogens. It may be remembered,however, that cost of what certain knowledge we have of the causation of human cancers stems from Icnowledge of car cinogens recognized as result of industrial experience. It seems not too much to c-xpcct that industrial medicine in the future will provide still more understanding of environmental cancer 'nazaras, and with this the means for prevention of certain forms of the disease.