Document RJ02mQY31pXzExgEN4KLz4vQk

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1961 July 25 DOC CSR040 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Physician Letter with Very Serious Concerns about RE Conditions at Wittenoom & Case Note of Worker Who Died of Mesothelioma After Only Two Years Exposure 25th July 1981 Dr. II Maynard Rennie 183 Macquarie Street SYDNEY NSV F.R.C.P. F.R.A.C.P. F.R.A.C.P. My dear Ted The plot thickens a little concerning the asbestos mine at Wittenoom By arrangement Dr. McNulty the Mines had never had the pleasure of meeting previously Medical and Dr. Officer whom I Don Letham the industrial disease expert in the Public Health Department here whom I know well and regard very highly came to see me yesterday and we traversed the whole field Before I go any further I must ask you to be very careful about the way in which you utilise the story which I am about to tell you because Dr. McNulty and Dr. Letham both make it very clear that the optimistic stement which Mr. Allan made to me regarding the incidence of dusting at we enoom which I quoted to you in my letter does not convey an accurate picture Letham and McNulty both regard the working conditions at Wittenoom as very poor and state indeed that they constitute a public menace They shoved me a number of films taken during the routine survey of mine workers and had the clinical history of these men with them apparently it is quite possible to be so badly dusted as to be totally and permanently incapacitated within four or five years Both doctors are of opinion that the Company has not got a developed conscience on the matter and feel very strongly that very urgent action is required It would obviously be much better from every point of view if the si itiationbetter ventilating measures came from vithin the Company than as Departments As you know the result of external pressure by Mines in Western Australia at the present time and Health we are endeavouring to boost our production in every possible way and a public outcry is not going to help to attract Western Australian mining capital to the State It would also I am sure bring about very considerable difficulties for the Company in securing and maintaining an adequate labour force On the other hand from what McNulty and Letham tell me action must definitely be taken My suggestion would be that if you can spare the time the C.S.R. authorities nld send you and a consultant ventilation engineer on a tour of inspection ke uld make arrangements here so that on the day following your arrival McNulty and Letham with their films and their case records could be at your disposal for the day You could fly to Wittenoom on the following morning spend two or three days there fly back to Perth and have another day with the two doctors and be back in Sydney inside a working week I do ask you to regard this McNulty and Letham are competent men of which they shoved me yesterday and the horrifying request very seriously because both good faith and the records and films figures which they quoted are quite With best regards . Dr. H. Dr. Maynard 25th July 1961 was demonstrated to a2 yeatarday P.S. Perhaps the worst which was case which demonstrated demonstrated demonstrated to me yesterday at yesterday yesterday of of man who worst for two years years the dusty Witteno some some years ago worked day had been atmosphere Witteno died died the other asbestosis asbestosis silicosis copies of relevant reports I enclose enclose some relevant relevant like like to have these and and would, if possible,