Document VKaJgRdpmvnyz9GGJk2ago9b8

HOW TO USE THESE SEPARATORS Use one page fo r each sep aratio n . Select appropriate tab , add fu rth e r Id en tification i f d e sire d , and cover it with scotch tape. Cut o f f and d isc a rd al 1 tab s except the one covered by tap e. TABBED SEPARATOR SHEET Fora NEH-69B <a-ee> vi.in orui VvcI'nfH Cjnatia ,l xaiih r " < t-vmon Biorx.h S a ' i ' t ; tj ( S i r t n - e t f i ? a o c a i i?.da U rec!;on q; .leraia do ia proisei'Ct!'eiasanie Ottawa, Ontario K1A OL2 17 M a y . 1974 W x y OrhjC'Xit .. -, Mr. Barry Castieman '' ; 1 '- . Center for Science in the - -- -..... Public Interest ' 1779 Church St. N.W. ' , ............ . Washington, D . C . ............. .._ . , 0<X ii.*e toV * r*lct*m .9 ......... t . Dear-Mr-. Cabtiemhn,' ~ ;__ ......... _______ ' ' Thank you for y o u r 1letter, i Because of .the small number of animals used in the ratT feeding'experiment that I described in Durham, my peers feel that the results of the experiments should not be published. We are carrying out further experiments with a much, larger number of animals but we will not obtain any results for some time because of the nature of the experiment. V7hile we cannot publish the results of the small test, I can tell you that six out of seven test _ animals developed malignant tumors, while one out of eight control rats developed a tumor. However, none of the tumors in the test animals were in the gastro-intestinal _ tract. There were two nephroblastomas, a kidney tumor widen occurs very rarely in rats, an astrocytoma (brain) , a iyiKphoma and. two other intraperitoneai canc e r s . Dr. Cunningham and I have a paper in press at Lie moment in Nature on the penetration of asbestos xiores through the placenta, an interesting finding since if is believed that the placental membrane is a barrier for axi particulate matter. Apparently,; these small asbestos fibres can get ^through. ' _, . J ,,'..-'pt; .\ - 4 I hope this- information''is' of .some-help l b you. I will try.'to keep' you up to date with, our; experimental results. ` POP /mcLm Hay 29, 1974 fi-.', Roderic D. Pontrefact Bureau of Microbial Hazards Health Protaction Branch Health and Welfare Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2 Canada . Boar D?. Pontrefact: Thank you for letting me know the gross results of the rat asbestos feeding experiments which you conducted, I am very upset that you and your associates find the work unworthy of publication in the literature. You may remember mo- as tho fellow who suggested to the assembled scientists in Durham that it i3 incumbent upon them to do more than just study the asbestos problem to death. Just this January tho Environmental Protection Agency refused our request to take action on asbestos cement pipe -- E?A admitted that these pipes contaminate drinking water'with asbestos, but cited the dearth of data on ingested asbestos as a reason for taking no action, A year ago we petitioned the Pood and Drug Administration to ban th filtration of foods and drug-3 with asbestos. Partial restrictions were proposed, but no final regulations have been issued. Can you justify with holding your new findings from those charged with protecting the public ho-:.Ith? You people have done some awfully important work on the asbestos problem. But I hardly noed remind you that unless others are able to learn about your work and take action accordingly, it does little good. Thera are several things about the feeding study that X would like to know: were the rats all fed 1% chrysctila in c o m oil on their food or what? What reasons a m there for not publishing the study as a qualified, preliminary report? Whet are tho names and titles of your peers who oppose the publication of the report? 1 am naturally interested in any related work, and would like to receive a reprint of the new paper on placental penetration as soon as possible. If yon have a staff report on the feeding study, I would like to receive a copy of that, as well as any written comments on it that you have received from the asbestos industry, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet you in Durham and again offer my compliments on the work you people have done. / J Sincerely yours, Barry 2. Castlemon