Document NnvQm1VZyprJbw8dyMOBVeRQ

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1961 Oct 25 DOC CSR224 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to Dr. Rennie from Dr. McNulty RE Addressing Medical Health Hazards of Asbestos at Wittenoom with Specific Cases JMCN FG wa ee ge rub THE DISTRICT HOSPITAL _ KAIGOORLIE Be RE Oct 25tho Ocb tobee r 1r 961 __ Dr. H. duynur Rennie ... ... Lond C.P Mucquarie Chambers 183 Mucquarie Street SIDNEY ... Dear Dr. Hennie Many thanks for your letter and for in the health of workers employed by your interest Australian it a meetinign Perth recently between Blue Asbestos Company and Hines and Public Health Health Depraerptrmeesnetntawteivdeisscuosfsetdhe and is the situation it is to be hoped hoped that there now a better appreciation of the seriousness seriousness of the in the mine and mi l consequences of dust ~ able I was to supply details of 34 men aeriously by a afficted mixture of asbestosis and disease could silicosis whose - them is dead already and at least 3 Hittenoom One of also 22 tren in whom there are dying There are are reusonable grounds for sus- pecting that they are developing disease The man who died was aged 48 and worked about 2 in the mill Post Post mortem showed years And malignant cancer of the gross asbestosis and silicosis pleural directly attributable to his work in isten olisten ol I am seriously concermal that these Canc G ui the pleura which are bein reported reported in nathers ro Nouth large Africa are due to an individual sus- ceptibility and minimal exposure to Trycolite blue unbestos Crocidolite pears to cause lung cancers cancers 15 had less than 5 years mining " S " 11 " 2 7 " " " 8 " ... " 11 10 10 or ore years mining . 11 sturted 4 mining tr in 1950 1951 4 1952 5 1953 5 se 3 1 11 " | 1954 * 1955 * " 1957 6 11 are men age less than 35 years are aged less than 40 23 are less than 50 years of age 14 were ground miners 20 " Suri ace workers It might be arguedthat these are a product of the days bud but I would counter that by saying that these men represent represent the grousest or exp sure to dust and that the real health hazard particularly the will not be reulized for another 10 years ancer remained These majority at men are also the majority of ittonoom ittonoom for more than 5 years workers who A survey last year showed that over 70 of workers in the mployment mployment o the company had been less than 2 years Korul The Company may renent av pressure is being rte and interference it is my wish hat only that the situation be improved and controlled without adverse publicity Yours faithfully J. Mculty Mculty CHRO PHYU LUN