Document RpYb5gEgkwNqYELJepYX2R3KE

FILE NAME: Saranac (SAR) DATE: 1946 Apr 18 DOC#: SAR054 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Vandiver Brown from Asbestos Textile Co. RE Dr, Gardner Interest in Proposed Asbestos Textile Financial Support aA JC I L1N ;N ftKSTO* C LU T C H F A C IN G * A U II Asbestos Textile Company, Inc. ICS W*t W sck#r Drive CHICAGO I. IUIW OIS AASCVTOS PACKING* NOWTHF ACTOOOA tVfF tE l_ D M A 99A G H U 9CTT* C*h. *r*TZM Ttl-crrp H. BROOK iu April 18, 1946 C nGiCC NAtuR OA L. oiLmu icntisw iS c t* aoat KLL. *Y*TCM TC LC T YP I CQ IS t .Mr. Vanclver Brown, Jcfans-Manville Sales Corporation, 22 2. fortieth Street, New York 16, New York. Dear L r . Erown: La at week I had a lengthy visit with br. Bowditch here, at which time I had the opportunity to discuss with him the matter of the test conducted by Dr, Gnrlner in the interest of asbestoais and the menufecturers of asbestos textiles w.uc provided tnc necessary funds. I mentioned that we had not had a final report from Dr. Gardner although it had been promised quite some time so0 . I spoke of an appropriation for the Building Fund ^fDr. Gardner is interested in and au^eated treat the Asbestos Textile I people would likely be more interested and generous if the report I from Dr. Gardner mi^ht be forthcoming. Mr. Bowditch indicsted we might be disappointed In Dr. Gardner's report and suggested that be might be reluctant, as a scientist, to go so far as to say what his preliminary report indicated, that the invisible duat was not injurious even thou^n his test and hfs" p relfmmtry fSport wa'lTTmTfi concluaTve*, at least to the extent that the test progressed. I sugoested to Mr. Bowditch that Dr. Gardner could conscientiously scate, and without fear of contradiction, that the test conducted over a period of five or six years, or longer, gave no evidence of permanent injury, or words to that effect, hr. Bowditch was reluctant to speak for Dr. oardner but he seemed to agree that such a statemsnt from Dr. Gardner would not be out of order. f It Is my understand ing, from what Mr. Bowditch stated, / that you were quite perturbed, or snould I say displeased, because / Dr. Gardner would not go on record to that end, and I feel you were / justified. It seems to me useless to go to the expense of conducting t-euch extended and costly test expe riments if when we get through no one is going to be able to account for the results achieved, and I think we should urge Dr. Gardner, in making his final report, to state definitely what his experiments we re and what result# were achieved, It Is ay understanding that no one has gone so fsr aa wa did, through Dr. Gardner's Laboratory, to prove the effects of asbestos dust, and - ,-r. Vandiver Brown April IE, 1*45 2 - since nary doctors without the ejcpsrisr.es to prove the'r statements definitely hsve made the claim that it is the invisible dust that causes aabestosla that Dr. Gardner's report would do much to offset the damaging effects these unsupported statements have made. It would do much good at the p-esert time if Industry rnnid publicize these experiences. In our case, at North Brookfield, it would help to overcome the advantage our neighboring, manufacturers have in procuring certain clasaea of labor. While our record at North rrockfield is definitely good, and while all of our old help is unafraid, new help we would like to obtain is sometimes influenced oy fear of dust promoted by our neighboring manufacturers. i i I have not seen Dr. Gardner's preliminary report since ^you first sent it to ue some time ago, but I recall an objectlonal statement wherein Dr. Gardner referred to tne possibility bf^Stfrlfer. jgy'TggreeeT'Air'gRAt that'statement was fafndP igr-retchg*1and hed no place in Dr. Gardner's final report. I imagine you would find tne same objection that I make, and since our group's Contact with Dr. Gardner has been through you I have said nothing to Dr. Gardner about it knowing you will take proper action. I sTM sending you a copy of Dr. Gardner's letter of April 15th. while it is not encouraging it offers some nope. :'y feeling is that if Dr. Gardner ia the only one who can write up hla report we would be in pretty bad shape if anything should happen to Dr. Gardner. Nothing in this letter le intended to suggest that you \ ! should take any action in our behalf that you do not approve of for ycur os:, company's Interest, but rather to p;lV9 you all of the informsticn tnst I have through my viaix wifcn Ur. Sowditch for whateT?$Tr''fT" may-ire" worth to you. With kind personal regards. Very truly ypurs, i TLG :FP &ncl , ASBESTOS TEXTILEyCohPAKY, INC . / C k e>v President