Document OEnb2Q2JK2JvXqG4Jyzde0Lyp

FILE NAME Owens Corning OC DATE 1941 June 16 DOC OC069 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Memo - Investigation of Health Aspects of Fiberglass tr. . . Lorm OC ' ems L Attention of Subject CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE . \A General Offices Toledo Ohio June 16 1941 Mr. Harold Boeschenstein - Toledo fr Investigation of Health Aspects of Fiberglas by Dr. Walter J. Siebert 2415 North Kingshighway St. Louis Missouri ~ a CC Mr. W P. Zimmerman Mr. E. J. Marshall Mr. R. J. Scott Mr. W. R. Thomas Mr. T. S. Rogersshare with Dr. Campbell En route to St. Louis June 12 I stopped to see Dr. Enos at the OwensIllinois plant in Alton Dr. Enos said that Dr. Siebert is regarded with considerable respect by members of the medical profession in the St. Louis area as indicated by his affiliation with the medical school of Washington University and his position as consulting pathologist in five hospitals Dr. Enos said that although it is well known that Dr. Siebert does not abhor the use of hard liquor he is not regarded as an alcoholic Dr. Enos remarks confirm other evidence such as listings in medical directories that Dr. Siebert is regarded as an authority in his field He performs some seven hundred autopsies yearly and reports his findings to the medical practitioners whose diagnoses are checked with the findings in the autopsy In addition he spends five or six hours daily at a microscope diagnosing tissues sent to him for sectioning From Mr. Bartley I learn that Dr. Siebert is regarded by organized labor and the insurance companies as an incorruptible witness whose professional testimony is not subject to influence by any consideration other than his scientific judgment For us I believe it is extremely fortunate that Dr. Siebert has this kind of temperament and professional attitude His approach to the assignment given him by Mr. Bartley is to do a thorough scientific job that will make him an authority on the health aspects of Fiberglas * + % After registering at the Park Plaza I met Dr. Siebert in his labora tory at DePaul Hospital In an adjoining room where he keeps blood plasms he showed me the Fiberglas samples that he had received from Newark We returned to the Park Plaza where we met Mr. Bartley for lunch Afterward Mr. Bartley Dr. Siebert and I went to Dr. Siebert apartment in the St. Regis where we discussed the proposed report for five hours Result of the discussion is the appended outline of procedure which indicates the scope of the investigation upon which 6 Form OC'AL OC'AL CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio 2 June 16 1941 Subject Frequently during the discussion Dr. Siebert sidetracked himself on minute points that seemed to fascinate him as a scientist For example while describing to Mr. Bartley the investigation that he carried on in Toledo and Newark on June 2 and 3 he told of examining scores of Newark employees He was amazed to find he said that there were no cases of eye irritation in the plant Now he said I would like to know why As a pathologist I would like to determine what happens to particles of Fiberglas that get into the eyes as they certainly must do. When I ask the employees in Newark whether they get any glass in their eyes they tell me Sure now and then but it don't bother me none Undoubtedly it is because the blink reaction takes care of it and washes it out of the eye But I am concerned with what would happen to an employee whose blink reaction might be paralyzed by a scar above the eye Undoubtedly the on arms and wrists by new employees is to there are no mucosa on these parts of the skin irritation experienced be explained by the fact body to wash away the fibers But they all say they get used to it Again and again I heard that phrase It don't bother me none Because it was obvious that Dr. Siebert was outlining for himself a years program of research I offered the suggestion that he might use in his report some such statement as this Our best knowledge at present indicates that the fibers have no deleterious effect whatsoever on the eyes because the fibers are entirely non- toxic and inorganic and because of the fineness of their diameter they lack sufficient strength to penetrate the mucosa I suggested that in this connection he cite the work of Dr. Roy Philip Scholz who is using Fiberglas for surgical sutures and document the reference with a footnote if he chose to do so indicating that the whys and wherefores of this situation might open up a fruitful field of inquiry for a research student doing postgraduate work in some medical school To press home the point I suggested that a person building a home wanted glass panes in his windows because they were transparent and kept the rain out The homebuilder I suggested did not insist that the contractor explain why the glass in the pane resisted water That was a question for the glass technologist and the physicist to explore Thus I tried to get across a pragmatic point of view suggesting that the union members would be satisfied with his finding that Fiberglas causes no eye irritation or severe dermatitis and that if scientists want to know why they can pursue their inquiry elsewhere more appro- priately Mr. Bartley concurred in this point of view Form 0- L CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio 3 June 16 1941 Subject Dr. Siebert said he has received the biopsy from Dr. Campbell and is planning to make a microscopic section for examination He also showed Mr. Bartley a piece of glass fiber that he has in his own thumb He said It don't bother me none but it's there and I know exactly where and when I got it I am going to make a biopsy of it and put it under the microscope Commenting on Dr. Gardner's investigations , Dr. Siebert repeated to Mr. Bartley the statement he made to me in Toledo If these findings had been made by any man other than Gardner I would have asked Why did you not have this investigation made by Dr. Gardner Even so Dr. Siebert added he wanted very much to talk with Dr. Gardner or at least have the opportunity to make microscopic studies of all the slides made by Dr. Gardner Through Mr. Staelin arrangements have been made with Dr. Gardner to send his slides to Dr. Siebert Dr. Siebert agreed that he would return to Dr. Gardner all of the slides and would furnish an affidavit to the effect that he had made no photomicrographs of any of them unless Dr. Gardner gave himspecific permission to do so He suggested that it might be of interest to Dr. Gardner to let him know that he was a colleague at DePaul Hospital of Dr. Edward C. Ernst roentgenologist who at one time was associated with Dr. Gardner in some silicosis studies Dr. Siebert pointed out what he described as an inconsistency in the second paragraph of Dr. Gardner's Interim Report of May 16 1941 Miscroscopic examination of their lung tissues has failed to demonstrate the presence of any fibres of glass Small quantities of very minute particles which are probably glass splintered in the process creating the dust have been observed within the lungs Reaction to these particles is limited to microscopic collections of cells which could not conceivably influence pulmonary function I pointed out that the first sentence has to do with fibers which are not present as differentiated from minute particles which are exonerated from any conceivable influence on pulmonary function Nevertheless Dr. Siebert said this differentiation offered one reason why he wished to examine the slides Further Dr. Siebert said Dr. Gardner's report implies that there is no health hazard because glass fibers are too large to get into the lungs This assumption based on size he indicated is no longer warranted in the light of knowledge that ( asbestos particles much larger than the Fiberglas particles do get Form 'vwN 6-4 OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio -4- June 16 1941 Subject into the lungs We do get in We know because they contain can be injurious and dust need to know he said what size glass fibers there can be no silicosis hazard from glass fibers no free silica but we also know that other dusts it is still necessary to exonerate glass fiber Dr. Siebert repeated that it is fortunate that Dr. Gardner has done this work and he emphasized that he can accept Gardner's procedure and techniques He wishes only the opportunity to examine the slides and check Gardner's interpretations with his own My hunch is that he looks forward to this opportunity to bring himself to the attention of Dr. Gardner It may be necessary to bundle him into a plane later for a day session with Gardner Saranac Dr. Siebert said he wants to talk to Gardner to inquire whether it would be possible to take some of the dusted animals and subject them to tuberculosis We need to know he suggested whether exposure to glass wool which may be entirely benign in and of nevertheless predisposes an organism to tuberculosis He explained that normal healthy guinea pigs injected with tuberculosis germs die in eight weeks It would be very simple for Dr. Gardner Dr. Siebert suggested to take several healthy guinea pigs as a control group inject them with tuberculosis germs do the same with glassdusted guinea pigs and watch results If the dusted animals died no sooner than the unexposed animals he said it would be conclusive evidence that exposure to glass wool dust does not predispose an individual to pulmonary disorders Dr. Siebert also said he is planning to create dusted atmospheres in the room adjoining his laboratory in DePaul Hospital He will do so with a steel tennis racket beating samples of Fiberglas with counted strokes on successive days measuring the particles per cubic foot Using himself as the guinea pig he will breathe the dust and have himself examined by nose throat physicians at the hospital to determine the effect on the mucosa of his throat and nasal passages He will repeat the experiments with the samples of competitive products 85 magnesia rock wook rock work etc. sent to him from Newark I called his attention to the fact that Fiberglas is a practically dustfree product and described the Purdue vibration tests which showed negligible settlement after prolonged severe dropping of a jig and extensive oscillations He requested a copy of the Purdue report which is to be sent by Mr. Rogers and said this would be very significant Form 10 L CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION INTRA.COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices - Toledo Ohio - 5- June 16 1941 Subject Information on which Dr. Siebert will rely falls into these three categories , 1. Data supplied from our records 2 Data from sources other than Corning In this category he includes information available to the general public like Dr. McIllvain's report Bulletin No. 2 of the Pennsylvania Safe Practices Conference 3. Independent research undertaken by himself Although these are detailed further in the following information is significant Dr. Marshall informed him that additional data attached outline , the Siebert says that Mr. are to be sent him within two weeks by the Chio Industrial Commission concerning our assertion that no award has ever been made in Ohio to any individual on the basis of an occupational disease attributable to exposure to Fiberglas products Mr. Bartley added parenthetically that he hoped this information would go back through the period before Corning was formed and include the time when Fiberglas was manufactured by Illinois Mr. Bartley minimizing his interest in the possibility of a dermatitis hazard said he is greatly concerned over length of exposure over a period of years as a factor the in- vestigation Dr. Siebert said that he has a protege W. K. Wilson M.D. who is plant physician for Chevrolet Fisher Body and the new T.N.T. plant in St. Louis Dr. Wilson is now in Toronto having been sent there by these three companies to make a study of occupational diseases Dr. Siebert has asked him to bring back any available information Dr. Siebert requested that he receive letters from the three ophthal- mologists throat specialists in Newark as to whether they notice in their private practice any unusual incidence of nose or throat infections among Fiberglas production employees I have requested Dr. Campbell to get these letters for us and will follow him . Form 0,0,02,0,121 OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices - Toledo Ohio Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein Subject -6- June 16 1941 He asked also for a statement from Aetna regarding experience with the Corning groups I am sending him a copy of John Hill's letter attached Incidently Mr. Hill is following this letter with one from Aetna's chief engineer at Hartford He also asked for letters from the United States Navy Budd Manu- facturing Gustin and American Airways about experience with their employees in the handling of Fiberglas I think we should steer this one off on the ground that we have supplied him with complete data and that although he is free to write himself he will realize we are not anxious to put any negative suggestion in the minds of some of our best customers Moreover he has Fiber- glas Standards sheets setting forth naval specifications on our products which imply that the he has the McIllvain report to with a reprint of the New York material is cover Budd Times story satisfactory to the Navy and we can supply him on American's use of acoustical blankets together with the application photograph from Boeing As to Gustin they are the exclusive purveyor of Fiberglas products to the railroad industry and their statements would reflect our point of view Dr. Siebert went through my collection of glossy prints showing workers handling Fiberglas both in the Newark plant and in appli- plants and requested copies to document his report These are going off to him * * * At.Dr. Siebert's urgent insistence I stayed in St. Louis Thursday night and spent most of Friday with him Thursday evening he gave me his longhand draft of the attached outline which I typed in quadruplicate at the hotel on Friday morning Retaining two copies I left the original and the longhand draft with Dr. Siebert after discussing it further with him and sent the duplicate copy to Mr. Bartley by messenger Mr. Bartley telephoned me Friday morning to say he had received a copy of a letter written to a Mr. George A. Hodgeman of the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York from Dr. Peterson of the Reference Library of the American Medical Association Mr. Hodgeman had made an inquiry of Mr. Bartley's request The letter cited Dr. Gardner's work Dr. Lanza's work and a professor at the Colorado School of U U U * Form -L Attention of Subject CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices Toledo Ohio Mr. Boeschenstein 7 < June 16 1941 Mines who said Fiberglas causes keratosis Mr. Bartley is to send copies to Dr. Siebert and to me Copy attached On Friday afternoon I unpacked the samples at the hospital and examined them with Dr. Siebert Late Friday afternoon Dr. Siebert and I visited the Anheuser brewery where I renewed my acquaintance with Ray Seeker and Agnes Rabbit both of whom were prominent at the A.I.H.A. meeting May 19. Dr. Siebert is patholo gist to the brewery and is proud of his association there He is a good friend of Dr. Ted Hanser who is industrial physician at Anheuser Mr. Bartley proudly displayed memofold when we met him Thursday noon At his request memofolds also have been ordered for his partners at Bartley & Mayfield 208 North Broadway St. Louis Gene Mayfield James P. Kellett Malcolm L. Bartley Waldo C. May- field Kellett once was associated with John L. Lewis and is former Industrial Commissioner of Illinois under Gov. Dunn A memo- fold also has been ordered for Dr. Siebert Note re Dr. Siebert's fee I explained to both Mr. Bartley and Dr. Siebert that we will be glad to take care of Dr. Siebert's charges for the investigation whatever they are because we do not want the Union to be put to any expense All that we ask I said is that Dr. Siebert charge an amount that he can sustain by sound professional opinion as being appropriate and that we would like that to be the test because we don't want him to be in the position of charging any more or less than the report is fairly worth I said that we are looking forward to helping the Union get an honest thorough report that any compe tent professional man could look at and find right and that we are anxious that he make this kind of a report on his account as well as on our own I also explained that we have in mind following this matter through to the point where the report and subsequent inter- pretations of it or testimony question that might be raised on Dr. Siebert in conjunction based on and that with Dr. it will bury completely every we expect to feel free to call Gardner or Dr. Campbell or anybody else to carry through whatever further studies may be necessary Dr. Siebert agreed that he will render the bill to us through Mr. Bartley This procedure is satisfactory to Mr. Bartley and I ex- plained to him that we will pay any charges rendered by Dr. Siebert that he approves  Serm OC 21 Attention of CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio B June 16 1941 Subject Note on Timing of Report It will be impossible for Dr. Siebert to consideration by the Union during June the August 1 date have his report ready for He is still shooting at Dr. Siebert I think realizes the urgency of the situation from our point of view But he dislikes being hurried Remember I am pathologist at five hospitals and sick people depend on my routine work If I had known Bill he said to Mr. Bartley that this investigation would take so much time I never would including have got into it But here I am and chances are that the three of us in this room he said himself Mr. Bartley and me together with Gardner and a few other fellows know just about everything that is known concerning the health hazards of Fiber glas Mr. Bartley read him Mr. Marshall's letter expressing the hope that Dr. Siebert's report would be available in time for action by the Local in June so that a report could go into the July issue of the Asbestos Worker Dr. Siebert suggested that Mr. Bartley go before the Local at its meeting June 17 and say that an ex- tensive report is now being prepared by Dr. Siebert to be based on independent research a study of the world medical literature and information from all other available sources Mr. Bartley < agreed to give this word to Gus Schmitters business agent of Local No. 1 although he appeared to be somewhat loath to be in the position of pressing something into the Local's minutes for publi- cation in the Asbestos Worker The subject of Sickles letter to Schmitters regarding Consolidated Edison did not come up Whether Mr. Bartley knows about it I do not know I suggest however it will be well for Mr. Marshall to send him the attached photostat of the letter of June 12 from Mr. Beardsley just received from Mr. Dias which demolishes the rejoinder that Sickles made to Beardsley's letter of May 2 I feel sure however that my visit hurried him along by nailing down his procedure and formulating the outline I think that by telephoning at intervals of two or three days correspondence and visits at intervals of ten days or two weeks we may step this up by two or three weeks For instance if I were to go to St. Louis again on Monday June 23 and stay until necessary to go to Dallas A A A Form C L Attention of OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices - Toledo Ohio Mr. Boeschenstein g June 16 1941 Subject for the June 28 meeting and stop in St. Louis again on Monday vr June 30 returning from Dallas I can do the following 1. Offer my own services as a guinea pig in the dusting tests 2. Carry through the mechanical details of setting up laboratory procedures at DePaul hospital for the independent research he plans 3. Stand by to get his draft dictated This is the way he works ' ' 4. Step up the clerical work of getting the report in final shape for submission to Mr. Bartley - sea Edward C. Ames ECA