Document XRxyYZqpyqXRRd0KekzB94VKx
FILE NAME: Talc (TALC) DATE: 1989 July DOC#: TALC001 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Legal - Deposition of Barry Castleman
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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA
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VS.
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NO. M-l417
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ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES,
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INC., VERMONT TALC COMPANY,
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et al.,
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Defendants.)
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VOLUME I
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OF THE DEPOSITION OF BARRY CASTLEMAN
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Taken on Behalf of the
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Defendants
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on July 5th, 6th and 7th 1989
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in Baltimore, Maryland
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APPEARANCES;
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For the Plaintiff;
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JAMES HAYS, Attorney
127 N.W. 10th
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
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For the Defendant Milwhite C o . :
MICHAEL W. HINKLE, Attorney
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One Leadership Square, 5th Floor
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
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For the Defendant Eagle-Picher:
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CURTIS P. CHEYNEY, II, Attorney
COURTNEY S. GRAY, Attorney
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1700 Land Title Building
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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For the Defendant Owens-Corning:
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SCOTT RHODES, Attorney
1215 Classen Drive
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103
-and-
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JAMES H. CROSBY, Attorney
2970 Cottage Hill Road, Suite 210
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Mobile, Alabama 36606
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For the Defendant Harwick Chemical:
JAMES R. SCRIVNER, Attorney
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P.O. Box 1373
Ada, Oklahoma 74820
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For the Defendant A.w. Chesterton:
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JACQUELINE O'NEIL HAGLUND, Attorney
525 South Main
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Suite 1400 Park Centre
Tulsa, Oklahoma 7 4103 11
For the Defendant Southern Talc:
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JOHN DUNNERY, Attorney
2421 East Skelly Drive
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Tulsa, Oklahoma 7 4105
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For the Defendant CCR:
ROBERT H. HOOD, Attorney
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CARL E. PIERCE, Attorney
ROBIN S. LEE, Paralegal
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172 Meeting Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
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For the Defendant Southern Clay:
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NANCY SIEGEL, Attorney
Nine East 4th Street
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Suite 400
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 20
For the Defendant Vermont Talc:
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TOM GOSS, Attorney
25 South Charles Street, Suite 1900
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Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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For the Defendant Georgia Talc:
MICHAEL D. CARTER, Attorney
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20th Floor, First National Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
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C.S.R, ASSOCIATES
4
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For the Defendant C.P. Hall Company:
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DAN CRAWFORD, Attorney
P.O. Box 2619
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Tulsa, Oklahoma 74101-2619
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For the Defendant International Talc:
DAN WAGNER, Attorney
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P.O. Box 1560
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74101-1560 6
For the Defendant Pittsburgh-Corning & Owen-Illinois:
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WM. GREGORY JAMES, Attorney
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900 ONEOK PLAZA
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Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
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For the Defendant Anchor Packing:
WILLIAM F. MAHONEY, Attorney
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20 S. Clank Street, Suite 700
Chicago, Illinois
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-and-
WILLIAM D. PERRINE, Attorney
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2800 Fourth National Bank Building
Tulsa, Oklahoma 7 4119 13
For the Defendant McNeil Corporation:
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JEFFREY J. CASTO, Attorney
75 East Market Street
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Akron, Ohio 44308
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C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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CERTIFICATE
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APPEARANCES .............................
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STIPULATION .............................
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DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. CROSBY . . . .
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. HINKLE . . . .
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CONFERENCE WITH THE MAGISTRATE .........
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FURTHER CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. HINKLE
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. WAGNER . . . .
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VOLUME II ...............................
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. GOSS .........
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. HOOD .........
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FURTHER DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. CROSBY
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. PERRINE . . . .
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CROSS EXAMINATION BY MS. HAGLUND . . . .
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FURTHER CROSS EXAMINATION BY MR. HOOD .
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JURAT ...................................
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CERTIFICATE .............................
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. 1-3 . 5
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. 125 .176
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. 336 . 339 . 340 . 351
.438 .536 .537 . 539 . 565 . 566
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STIPULATIONS
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It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between the
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parties hereto, through their respective attorneys, that the
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deposition of BARRY I. CASTLEMAN may be taken on behalf of the
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Defendants, on this, the 5th, 6th 7th day of July, 1989, in the
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City of Baltimore, Maryland, by Marjorie Parker Miller,
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Certified Shorthand Reporter and Notary Public within and for
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the State of Oklahoma; taken by notice and subpoena.
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It is further stipulated and agreed by and between the
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parties hereto, through their respective attorneys, that all
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objections to questions propounded and answers thereto made,
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except as to the form of the question or the responsiveness of
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the witness' answer, may be made at the time of the trial when
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said deposition is offered in evidence, with the same force and
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effect as if said objections were made at the time of the
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taking of this deposition.
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It is further stipulated and agreed by and between the
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parties hereto, through their respective attorneys, that the
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time of filing is waived.
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C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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Thereupon, the witness was produced by the defendants:
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BARRY I. CASTLEHAN
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the witness hereinbefore named, being first duly cautioned and
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sworn to testify the truth, testified as follows:
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CROSS EXAMINATION
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BY MR. CROSBY:
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Q.
Would you give us your full name, please?
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A.
Barry Ira Castleman.
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BY fIR. CHEYNEY: Usual stipulations?
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MR. HAYS: Yes.
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MR. CROSBY: Can we also agree that if there
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is an objection by one defendant, that that objection
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is adopted by all defendants, unless a defendant
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opts out?
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MR. HAYS: No. I won't agree to that. I want
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them to stay awake for this deposition and not read
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papers, like they did at the last one.
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MR. PIERCE: That's going to make a horrible
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transcript.
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MR. HAYS: We will see how it goes. If it gets
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too garbled, we'll discuss it later.
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MR. CROSBY: Let me caution everybody, in case
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you all didn't hear it, the plaintiffs are refusing to
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allow the objection by one defendant to be deemed
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adopted by all defendants. Therefore, if anyone has
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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an objection, you should state your objection in full,
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and each defendant that wishes to join that objection
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should adopted that objection, and maybe state it in
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full, and restate any additional objections. And then
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if anyone wishes to adopt any additional objections,
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you should state that on the record also.
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MR. HAYS: Let the record reflect that we have
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agreed to reserve all objections except as to form.
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MR. RHODES: I might also state at this time,
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Jim, that the Northern District of Oklahoma has set
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forth a certain asbestos trial protocol which has been
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adopted in the in re; Asbestos Cases, insofar as they
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pertain to Mark I d a 's plumbers and pipe fitters.
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That protocol I anticipate will in large be adopted
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in the tire worker litigation with a specific provision
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being in that protocol that an objection by one
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defendant is deemed to be an objection by all.
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I think that it is something that is sensible
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here, and will take up a lot less time if we go ahead
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and adopt it.
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MR. HAYS: Because of the lack of attention
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during past depositions and repetitive question asking,
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not to a great degree, but some, I think it will help
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the defendants pay a little more attention to the
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deposition. If it gets to be a little out of control.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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then we will discuss it at a later time.
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MR. CROSBY: I do not agree with the comments
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nor observations of counsel, and move that they be
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stricken.
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MR. PIERCE: I join in that, and move that they be
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stricken.
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MR. JAMES: I also join in that.
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MS. HAGLUND: I also join in that.
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MR. PERRINE: I also join in that.
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MR. SCRIVNER: I also join in that.
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MR. CHEYNEY: I'll join.
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MR. GOSS: I join in that too.
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MR. CROSBY: Mr. Hays, do you and your witness
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need to step outside to finish your conference, or can
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we continue?
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MR. HAYS: Which conference?
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MR. CROSBY: Well, I just saw you whispering to
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him something, and I didn't know if needed to --
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MR. HAYS: You hadn't started asking him
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questions.
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MR. CROSBY: Yes, sir, I had asked him, we had
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proceeded with the deposition.
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MR. HAYS: Has the deposition started?
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MR. CROSBY: Yes.
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MR. HAYS: All right.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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HR. CROSBY: He has been sworn, and I had
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asked him to state his name, and he had stated it
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on the record.
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MR. HAYS: I didn't realize we were that
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far into it.
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MR. JAMES: Pay attention.
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Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Could you tell me what counsel
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just whispered in your ear?
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A.
He made some kind of a wisecrack about you all. I
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don't even remember what he said.
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Q.
Do you have a preference as to how you are
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addressed, as to whether it's Mister, or Barry, or Doctor, or
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what?
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MR. HAYS: Counsel, you've deposed the man
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several times, you ought to know what he prefers.
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MR. CROSBY: No, sir, I don't.
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MR. HAYS: You don't remember?
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MR. CROSBY: No, sir, I don't.
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THE WITNESS: Mr. Crosby, you can call me
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whatever you feel comfortable calling me. It doesn't
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matter to me one bit.
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MR. CROSBY: All right.
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THE WITNESS: At least not in the deposition.
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Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Sir, I have taken your deposition
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previously, and I understand you have been deposed on other
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occasions. Could you tell me approximately how many times you
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have been deposed?
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A.
I have been deposed over 60 times since March of
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1979 in asbestos litigation.
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Q.
And how many times have you been deposed in other
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litigation?
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A.
_I don't think I have been deposed in any other
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litigation but asbestos. There was an asbestos case in
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Delaware that also involved DuPont and chemical hazards, and I
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think I talked a little bit about chemical hazards as well.
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Q.
And approximately how many times have you
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testified in a court of law?
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A.
About 85 times.
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Q.
Approximately what percentage of those is asbestos
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related?
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A.
All of it.
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Q.Even though you're apparently
familiar with the
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procedure, if I askyou a question and you do notunderstand a
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portion of the question or the entire question, please let me
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know, because if you answer the question it will be assumed by
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me that you have understood the question, all portions of the
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question, and have given your best complete answer under oath.
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Is that all right with you?
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A.
Yes.
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Q.
Were you served with a subpoena with respect to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
41
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this deposition?
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A.
Yes.
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Q.
Did you bring that with you?
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A.
I think so. I think it's in here.
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MR. CROSBY: We will mark as Exhibit 1 the
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deposition subpoena with the attached Exhibit "A". And
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as Exhibit 2 the notice to take deposition stamp
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filed June 23, 1989, Jack C. Silver, U.S. District
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Court.
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MR. HAYS: For the record, we filed an
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objection to the subpoena served on Dr. Castleman,
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provided him with a copy, and I forwarded a copy to
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Mr. Hinkle as lead counsel. And soon as I get copies
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I will give the rest of the counsel copies.
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MR. CROSBY: Exhibit 3 is apparently the
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coversheet that apparently accompanied the subpoena.
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And Exhibit 4 is a copy of plaintiff's objection on
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behalf of Barry I. Castleman.
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Q*
(By Hr. Crosby) Sir, have you filed personally or
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has any attorney on your behalf filed any objection to the
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subpoena and the request for documents to be produced?
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A.
I haven't been represented by counsel on this
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matter, nor have I filed any documents on ny own.
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Q.
Did you bring any documents with you to this
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deposition?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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A. Yes.
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Q.
Could I have the materials that you brought with
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you, please?
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A. (Witness produces documents.)
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Q.
When were you first contacted by the attorneys
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involved in these cases in connection to consulting with them
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or testifying?
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A.
Sometime within the past year. I don't know
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exactly when.
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Q.
Do you recall who first contacted you?
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A.
Yes. I am pretty sure it was Hr. Hays, although I
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spoke with Mr. Norman as well within a short time after the
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initial contact.
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Q.
What was your understanding of your role in
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connection with these cases?
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A.
My understanding was that in addition to -- well,
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that these attorneys represented rubber workers, and that the
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rubber workers they represented had allegedly developed
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asbestos-related diseases, as well as pulmonary problems
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attributable to talc. That I was to basically testify as I
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have done many times before about the history of knowledge
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about the hazards of asbestos and the foreseeability of harm to
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people using asbestos products. And also to similarly
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investigate the history of literature relating to the hazards
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of talc so that, so as to develop a basis for opinions about
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
13.
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the availability of knowledge to sellers of talc used
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industrially as in rubber plants.
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HR. CROSBY: For the record, and on behalf
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of my client, let me state that we are proceeding
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with this deposition in the nature of a discovery
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deposition to determine this witnesses' opinions or
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purported opinions relating to the matters that he
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has just revealed to us. By going forward in this
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manner, we do not in any way wish to waive any
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objections that we have to this witness offering any
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quote, "expert opinions", close quote, in areas
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relating to health aspects of any substance,
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particularly asbestos with respect to my clients.
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Nor do we wish to in any way waive any objections
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that we may have with respect to this witness testifying
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in any respect as an expert, including as an expert with
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respect to the development of the scientific and medical
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literature relating to the alleged health aspects or
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hazards of asbestos, talc, soapstone and clay.
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MR. CHEYNEY: Join in that objection.
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MR. HOOD: I am Bobby Hood, on behalf of
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CCR we join in that.
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MR. JAMES: Greg James, on behalf of
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Owens-Illinois and Pittsburgh-Corning, we also join in
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that.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
14.
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MS. HAGLUND: I'm Jacqui Haglund, on behalf of
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A.w. Chesterton we would also join in that objection
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in statement of non-waiver position.
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MR. PERRINE: Anchor Packing also joins.
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MR. SCRIVNER: We join also on that statement.
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MR. GOSS: Tom Goss, on behalf of Vermont Talc,
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we join.
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MR. DUNNERY: John Dunnery, on behalf of Southern
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Talc, we also join.
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MR. CROSBY: And I guess as a precaution, I will
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make that objection on behalf of those defendants that
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are not present, it was my understanding, and I think
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it may have been some other's understanding that this
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witness was going to be deposed in another matter first
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thing this morning, and that these proceedings would not
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begin first thing. So some individuals may not be here
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at this time since the matter was rescheduled when the
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other deposition became moot. If they don't want to
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adopt it, they can certainly unadopt my statement, but
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I think in light of Counsel not allowing all defendants
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to adopt automatically, I will do that on their behalf
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for whatever good that may do them.
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Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) sir, let me begin with Exhibit 5,
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which is a letter, appears to be a letter of May 19, 1979 to
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Mr. Hinkle from Mr. Norman with the copy to you relating to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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this deposition. Do you recall receiving that document?
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A. Yes.
3
Q. Let me show a document that I will mark as Exhibit
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No. 6 which is a letter to you or to Mr. Barry Castleman, and
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its salutation is: "Dear Dr. Castleman". But it encloses or
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purports to enclose a check in the amount of $1,000 as payment
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to you as a retainer of your services as an expert in all tire
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worker cases, an additional payment of $300 made payable to
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Paul Edholm, E-d-h-o-l-m for his services in researching and
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providing us with articles dealing with the substance of "State
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of the Art" in talc. Do you recall receiving that letter, and
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did you in fact receive those funds?
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A. Right, yes.
14
Q.
Have you provided us with the copy of the articles
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of Mr. Elholm's research with respect to "State of the Art" of
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talc?
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A. You have materials fromEdholmthere.
You have
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additional materials as well.
19
Q.
All right, sir. I will show you what I have
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marked as Exhibit 7 which purports to be a letter from Mr. Flays
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to you. By the way, in one document your name is spelled
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B-e-r-r-y, and some others it's B-a-r-r-y. Which is the
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correct?
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A. B-a-r-r-y.
25
Q.
All right, sir.Advising
you of this case or some
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cases being scheduled for trial and requesting that you block
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some time out on your calendar. Did you receive that document?
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A. Yes.
4
Q.
Have you blocked the time out?
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A. No.
6
Q. Do you anticipate presentingtestimony
in the
7
trial of this case live?
3
A.
If the case goes to trial I do, yes.
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Q. Next which is number -- Defendant's 3 is a letter
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or purports to be a letter to you from Ms. Conn, C-o-n-n,
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forwarding two articles, one entitled "Respiratory Morbidity in
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Rubber Workers", and another one, "Mortality P-a-t-t-e-r-s-n
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Among miners and Millers of Non-abestiform Talc", d o you
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recall receiving Exhibit No. 8 and the articles referred to?
15
A. Yes.
16
Q.
A letter dated June 29th, I think of this year?
17
A. Yes.
18
Q.
It was FederalExpressed, so youshould have
19
received it on or about June 30th.
20
A. Yes.
21
Q. Are those articlesincluded
in this stack of
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documents that you have sent me, given to me?
23
A.
I don't know if they are or not.
24
Q. Did yourequest those articles?
25
A.
no.
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Q. Had you --
2
A. I didn't request any articles from Mr. Norman or
3
his associates, although some articles were sent to me partly
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because Mr. Edholm had misunderstood some of my instructions,
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and not made me copies of some of the articles which he also
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sent to the law firm. And so when the law firm realized this
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they did send me some copies of some articles just to make sure
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that I got them.
9
Q.
Who is Mr. Edholm?
10
A.
Mr. Edholm is a researcher I use in Washington DC.
11
Q. Does he work for you exclusively?
12
A. No.
13
Q. How long have you used Mr.
Edholm?
14
A. About a year or two.
15
Q.
Do you have a CV of Mr. Edholm, or do you know
16
anything about his background?
17
A.
I don't have a CV from Mr. Edholm. His
18
background -- I used to use another researcher in Washington,
19
and when she left Washington DC she found Mr. Edholm for me.
20
Mr. Edholm does research. There are occupations in
21
Washington DC that do not exist in most parts of the country,
22
and there are apparently people who make a living just digging
23
things up for people.
24
Q.
I agree with that.
25
A.
And in Washington this isprobably a thriving
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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industry. In any event, Mr. Elholm does this. He has done, in
2
fact, checking I think for News Week and Times, or other kinds
3
of national publications, I forget exactly what they were, but
4
he's told me a little bit about other work that he's done. And
5
so he is basically an individual who is familiar with how to
6
use a library, whether it be a medical library, library of
7
congress or more typical common type of library, or a library
8
in a government agency. He's familiar with how to walk into
9
government offices and ask for access to government files. So
10
I have used him for those kinds of purposes for research in
11
Washington.
12
Q.
Do you know what his educational background is?
13
A.
No.
14
Q. Do you know if he graduated from high school?
15
A. I don't know. I have never asked him about his
16
educational background. He does very competent work, that's
17
all I can tell you, based on -- he does competent work. Some
18
of it has been very competent, some of it has been competent.
19
Q.
Is just competent the same as mediocre?
20
A.
No. But, you know, in some cases he's -- Well,
21
there is a certain -- there are certain kinds of individuals
22
who are sharp enough so that once they understand what it is
23
you want they are capable of interpreting that in a way that
24
sometimes goes beyond the letter of the instruction that you
25
may have actually given them in order to be more inclusive in
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the material that they bring back.
2
Q. What did Mr. Edholm --
3
A. I am finished.
4
Q. I am sorry, what did Mr. Edholm charge for
5
performing whatever it is he does?
6
A.
Well, this type of work I pay him $25 an hour,
7
plus expenses.
8
Q.
What other type of work does he do?
9
A.
Well, I don't really know what he does for other
10
people. You mean for me, aside from legal work?
11
Q.
Just anything that you know about. Because you
12
have indicated for this type of work you paid him $25 an hour,
13
which indicates to me that for some other type of work you may
14
pay him more or less.
15
A.
That's correct. There is other kinds of work that
16
I do for which I pay a lower rate because it's work that I do
17
at my own initiative for which I am not reimbursed by anybody,
18
but work that I feel is interesting and needs to be done, my
19
own research, if you will. And Mr. Edholm is willing to do
20
work of that kind for 15 or $20 an hour, plus expenses.
21
Q.
So he may be performing the same services, it's
22
just that since it's for you individually rather than for a law
23
firm or other entities that may have retained you, he gives you
24
a break on his fee?
25
A.
Yes, you could put it that way. And it's
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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basically ---- the rates were determined by me and accepted by
2
him.
3
Q.
Approximately how many hours per month, or
4
whatever time increment is best suited for your response, does
5
Mr. Edholm perform services for you either at the 25 or 10 or
6
15 or any rate?
7
A. It's very sporadic. Sometimes some months go by I
8
don't talk to Mr. Edholm at all. And then there might be other
9
months where I might have him working on two or three projects
10
at the same time.
11
Q.
Do you know anyone else or any other entity for
12
whom Mr. Edholm performs these services?
13
A.
Well, as I said, he mentioned some kind of a
14
national publication like Time Magazine or whatever it was, I
15
forget. I don't know who all his other clients are. I have
16
never asked him about his other.
17
Q.
Who was the person that he replaced?
18
A.
I can't remember her name at this point.
19
Q.
Other than the name, other than the person that he
20
replaced, do you know anyone else or have you checked with
21
anyone else with respect to Mr. Edholm's qualifications?
22
A.
No. I mean I am satisfied by -- My way of
23
finding out how qualified somebody is is by giving them
24
something to do and seeing how well they do it. That's the
25
only thing that matters to me. I have done that with
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
Hr. Edholra to my own satisfaction. I mean, they could have a
2
PhD, and if they do lousy research, I don't want them for $10
3
an hour.
4
Q.
Did you write Hr. Edholm a letter with respect to
5
what you requested him to do in this situation?
6
A.
i think I just told him by phone.
7
Q.
Can you recall what you told Mr. Edholm?
8
A.
I told him -- I did have a list of references from
9
sometime or another. I had put together a list of old
10
references on talc that I had come across long before I got
11
involved in this litigation, and I sent him those articles.
12
I had also noticed that George Peters in his book,
13
source book on asbestos diseases had references to articles on
14
talc as well. And so I told Mr. Edholm to go through the
15
articles, to first get all the articles on the list that I had
16
on my handwritten list, to then go to the library, locate a
17
copy of George Peters's source book, go through the
18
bibliography in George Peters's book and pull out everything
19
that had talc in the title of the article. And then to go
20
through the articles that he had thus accumulated and look at
21
bibliographies of those articles for references cited by them
22
dealing with health hazards of talc. And this what he did.
23
Q.
So if there are articles out there about about
24
talc that don't have the word talc in the title, you may not
25
have it?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
A.
That is right. I don't believe that I have a
2
complete file. I know I didn't have a complete file of every
3
single article that has been written about the health hazards
4
of talc. I have mainly confined my research to the period
5
prior to the 1970s. Although there are articles that are
6
included that go into the 1970s as well.
7
Q.
And the materials that you have provided to me are
8
your handwritten notes, is your handwritten list amongst them?
9
A.
I don't think so.
10
Q.
Do you still have a copy of that handwritten list?
11
I mean there are a couple of handwritten lists here. Are
12
either one of these --
13
A.
I don't know if I have that. I probably do. I
14
probably photocopied the handwritten list and sent it to
15
Edholm.
16
Q.
Let me mark as Exhibit Ho. 9 this document that
17
has a title or appears to be a title "Talc in Rubber
18
Industry-- " and then insert "-- Respiratory Hazards." The word
19
"Respiratory* appears to replace "Health". Could you tell me
20
what Exhibit No. 9 is?
21
A.
Exhibit 9 are notes that I made regarding articles
22
that were published that made reference to pulmonary problems
23
attributed to the use of talc in industry, in particular in the
24
rubber industry. The texts are texts that for the most part
25
happen to be texts that I personally own. I have a few dozen
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
old boxs on occupational diseases. But this is by no means a
2
complete review of everything that appears in any textbooks on
3
occupational diseases. This is just a quick look through a
4
sampling of such texts.
5
The journal reports are journal articles relating to
6
chest disease, or abnormal x-ray findings, or normal pulmonary
7
function and so on, in people who worked with talc in rubber
8
plants, rubber plants of various kinds. And these articles
9
were published starting in 1931, and I think the latest one
10
included in this list is 1959. I think at that point I just
11
stopped keeping a list.
12
Q.
Did you prepare that Exhibit 9 before or after you
13
had talked to Mr. Edholm?
14
A.
Well, I talked to Mr. Edholm on a number of
15
occasions.
16
Q. About this particular project?
17
A.
This is after I had gathered up the materials that
18
Mr. Edholm was able to provide me.
19
Q.
So did that list on Exhibit 9 include some of the
20
articles that Mr. Edholm located as well as something from some
21
of the journals or texts in your own custody?
22
A. Yes.
23
Q.
Let me show you what I have marked as Exhibit 10.
24
Could you identify that for me, please, as to just what the
25
document is, not what it contains?
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1
A.
This is a summary which I have put together
2
reviewing the literature on talc as a respiratory disease
3
agent.
4
Q. Is that in your handwriting?
5
A. That is my handwriting.
6
Q.
Has there been a typed version of that?
7
A. No.
8
Q.
Do you use a word processor or any kind of
9
computer in your research or writings?
10
A. I do,but I didn't in this case.
11
Q. Since we are going to resume tomorrow, will you be
12
able to provide us tomorrow the handwritten list that you
13
provided Mr. Edholm tomorrow morning?
14
A. Sure, if I can find it.
15
Q. Have you ever testified in a caseinvolving tire
16
workers or rubber workers?
17
A. No.
18
Q. Never in deposition or in court?
19
A. No.
20
Q.
These articles that I have before me that I am
21
going to go through, are these your only copies of these, or
22
are these extra copies?
23
A.
These are my only copies. I mean there might be
24
some of these articles I might have other copies of some place.
25
But for the purposes of talc litigation, these are my only
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
copies, this is ray only set of such documents assembled for
2
this purpose.
3
Q*
W will undertake to label each one since they are
4
clipped and not stapled, then the chance of them getting messed
5
up during the copying process will be reduced, we will label
6
each one with its own exhibit number, and try to get copies
7
made either this afternoon or this evening at a copy service
3
and return the copies or the originals to you so that you will
9
be able to go through and see that you have everything back, we
10
hope.
11
MR. CROSBY: I am assuming that's is agreeable to
12
all the other defendants?
13
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Do I understand, so that I don't
14
have to guess, tell me, please, sir, if there is a general
15
category buy which this stack of documents can be identified,
16
what this is?
17
A.
It's literature on health effects or adverse
18
health effects from breathing talc. There might be one article
19
in there that relates to suspected ovarian cancer in women who
20
were exposed to talc generally. This was published in the
21
1970s.
22
There is also a letter of mine to the Food and Drug
23
Administration in 1972 asking for certain restrictions on use
24
of talc based on that article. But otherwise, the articles are
25
about the hazards, or at least investigations relating to the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
inhalation of talc.
2
Q.
Prior to this deposition, have you testified in
3
any form with respect to health aspects of talc?
4
A.
I don't think so.
5
Q.
Let me rephrase it, because I don't want it to
6
sound any way other than it's meant. Are you a medical doctor?
7
A. Uo.
8
Q.
Are you taking any courses currently to become a
9
medical doctor?
10
A.
No. I have a Doctor of Science Degree from
11
Johns-Hopkins Hygiene and Public Health.
12
Q.
I am marking Defendant's Exhibit Ho. ll, a
13
document -- sir, you always try to stump me with the first one,
14
entitled apparently, and I will butcher some language and I
15
don't mean to, I think its "La Medicina del Lavoro"; is that
16
right? Would you help me with that?
17
A.
That was excellent. Of course, I don't speak
18
Italian either. Actually I speak a little Italian when it
19
comes to reading articles on asbestos and talc.
20
Q.
Does this article deal -- Let me show you No. 11.
21
Does that deal solely with the subject of talc, if you know?
22
Or is there any other substance that is referred to in that
23
article?
24
A.
Well, that is kind of a tricky question, because
25
talc itself is kind of a -- very often a combination of things.
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1
But this article is called "Pneumoconiosis from Talc". It's an
2
article by a Dr. zanelli, Z-a-n-e-- 1-- 1-- i. in Zanelli's case,
3
worked in a factory making tires for automobiles, according to
4
Page 7 where I have underlined the occupational history and
5
involved exposure to quantities of talc powder according to
6
that.
7
Q.
Was this plant inItaly?
8
A.
I believe so.
9
Q.
Have you everbeen to a tire worker plant?
10
A.
NO.
11
Q.
Do you know if the working conditions at the plant
12
made the subject of the article written as No. ll in any way
13
resemble the plant conditions made the subject of the lawsuit
14
about which we are visiting today?
15
A.
Resembles it in the sense that talc is used in
16
rubber processing for similar purposes as an agent to keep, you
17
know, the rubber products from sticking. And I am operating
18
correctly or incorrectly under the assumption that that is the
19
purpose of the talc in the bicycle tire plant, and that is at
20
least similar, if not identical to the use of talc in the tire
21
plant in Oklahoma. But I am stating all my assumptions so that
22
it's very clear what I know and what I don't know, and what I
23
am making assumptions about.
24
Q.
Do you know if the talc utilized in the Italian
25
plant was similar or substantially the same as the talc
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1
utilized in the Oklahoma plant?
2
A.
I don't know about the -- let me take a look at
3
the article again. I don't see a mineralogical analysis of the
4
talc as I look through this article very quickly. I think at
5
this early stage of the literature on talc people weren't
6
focusing in that carefully on the mineralogical constituants of
7
the individual talcs involved in the various plants where
8
adverse effects were reported. But again, it's possible that
9
somewhere in here there is some kind of a description of the
10
mineralogy of the talc involved.
11
Q.
What's the date of that article, please?
12
A. 1931.
13
Q
Have you reviewed any of the medical records of
14
any of the individuals in this particular lawsuit?
15
A. No.
16
Q. Have you reviewed any documents or materials of
17
any type with respect to the B.F. Goodrich plant in Miami,
18
Oklahoma?
19
A. No. I think I looked briefly at some kind of a
20
NIOSH survey that was done sometime in the 1970s or the '80s
21
maybe. '80s, I believe.
22
Q. Do you have thatwith you?
23
A. No, I don't.
24
Q.
Do you know if you still have that back at your
25
office or your home?
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1
A*
I don't know if I have it or if I threw it out.
2
If I have it I will bring it in. I assumed that that was known
3
to you all.
4
Q.
Do you know of any of the individuals who were
5
employed at the tire worker plant in Miami, Oklahoma have any
6
disease that is related to their occupation?
7
A.
Well, that goes beyond the scope of my area of
8
expertise. I am not here as a physician. I would have to rely
9
on reports of other expects to give you an answer on that. I
10
don't think that legally speaking that is worth much.
11
Q.
All right, sir. Let me show you what has been
12
stickered as No. 12. Is that an article entitled "Talc"
13
promulgated or published by the International Labor Office?
14
A.
Yes. This is from the International Labor Office
15
Encyclopedia called "Occupation and Health".
16
Q. And the date of that publication?
17
A. 1934 is when the second volume of that
18
encyclopedia was published.
19
Q.
So far No. 11 and 12, were both of those provided
20
by Mr. Edholm?
21
A.
Yes, I believe that Mr. Edholm came up with these
22
two.
23
Q.
Have you conducted an independent survey or
24
undertaken any independent research to determine the accuracy
25
of Mr. Edholm's efforts?
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1
A.
Well, i have in the sense that I have looked at
2
the articles themselves, and I have found that there are some
3
articles that they cite that are not included. Now, I know
4
what some of those articles say because of secondary references
5
to them in the articles that I have seen. But I am at this
6
time endeavoring to procure those articles, and they will be
7
provided as soon as I get them. So I would say that
8
El holm's work was in this particular case good, but not
9
great. There were things that I would have hoped he v/ould have
10
picked up that he didn't pick up, including articles published
11
in the British Medical Journal and British Journal of
12
Industrial Medicine, as well as articles published in foreign
13
language journals.
14
I think I have a good picture of how the literature
15
developed on talc based on what I have here before me, and I
16
can't imagine that anything that is still outstanding would
17
significantly alter opinions that I have developed regarding
18
the foreseeability of harm to workers using talc industrially,
19
particularly in rubber plants.
20
Q.
Do you have a list of the articles or references
21
that Mr. Edholm did not provide?
22
A.
I don't have it here now.
23
Q.
Do you have it back at your office or at your
24
home?
25
A.
Well, I have handed it to somebody who's going to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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get me the references as soon as they can. And I may have it
2
this afternoon. I will give you the list and the articles that
3
I get at that time, either this afternoon or tomorrow.
4
Hopefully this afternoon.
5
Q. To whom did you give that list?
6
A. An attorney with the office of Mr. John Sutter in
7
Baltimore.
8
Q.
And when did you deliver that to him?
9
A.
I gave that to him this morning just before this
10
deposition started.
11
Q.
Was that the handwritten list that you had while
12
you were sitting over there that I seemed to notice before we
13
started?
14
A.
I don't know what you noticed. There is a lot of
15
handwritten stuff. But there was one list of articles*
16
references to articles* you may have noticed it* you may have
17
been looking at something else* and it's a list of about* I
18
guess about 15 references* handwritten references* and I have
19
asked Mister ~ I am sorry, I don't even know the guy's name*
20
to simply go to the libraries here in Baltimore* medical
21
libraries* and make photocopies of those references. I have
22
given him the citations* and I am sure that he sufficiently
23
qualified* having gone through law school* to go and obtain the
24
medical articles* photocopy them at the library.
25
Q.
Based on some of your early comments* I am amazed
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1
that you have that degree of confidence in attorneys. Have you
2
done anything to ascertain what his qualifications are, if any,
3
with respect to retrieving medical articles?
4
A
No. But with all due respect to attorneys, I
5
think any idiot could get these articles. If they could talk
6
their way into the medical library they could get the articles
7
off the stacks. The journals are in alphabetical order within
8
each journal series, they are in chronological order. When you
9
hand somebody a list and you give them the journal name, volume
10
number, page numbers and the year, well, I think that even a
11
rather incompetent attorney could probably manage to come back
12
with the article.
13
Q.
Do I understand that you prepared this list by
14
reviewing these articles that we have begun going through that
15
Mr. Edholm retrieved for you?
16
A.
That's right.
17
Q. So your list was made from other lists?
18
A. My list was made from my review of otherarticles,
19
and from the articles themselves I see references to earlier
20
work that the authors of those articles cited, and I am simply
21
going back and getting those articles.
22
Q. Were those articles cited in a bibliography of
23
articles?
24
A. Right.
25
Q.
So a bibliography is a form of a list?
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Q.
Oh, yes, in the sense that they are listed at the
end of the articles that I was reviewing.
Q.
So your list is made from several lists that are
contained in these articles?
A.
in the sense that the bibliographies of the
articles can be described as a list, yes.
Q.
Do you know anything about the nineralogical
components of any of the talc used at the Miami, Oklahoma plant?
A.
No.
Q.
Do you consider yourself to be an expert in the
field of mineralogy?
A.
No. I understand Dr. Langer is involved in the
case. well.
He can answer your questions about that probably quite
Q.
Which Dr. Wagner? Dr. Chris Wagner?
A.
I'm sorry. I said Langer.
Q.
Oh, Langer, Dr. Art Langer?
A.
Yes.
Q. mineralogy?
So you would defer to him with respect to
A.
Certainly.
Q.
Do you find him to be a competent mineralogist?
A.
As far as I am able to judge mineralogists, yes,
not being one myself.
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1
Q.
Do you know if the talc or talcs referred to in
2
any of these articles that I have before me, which we will
3
eventually mark as exhibits, are the same or substantially the
4
same as any of the talcs utilized at the Miami, Oklahoma plant?
5
A.
All I know is that they are referred to as
6
industrial grade talcs. In some cases there are mineralogical
7
type of analyses provided, in other cases there are not. And
8
so as I say, I haven't focused on the mineralogy of the talc
9
used in the Miami, Oklahoma plant mainly because I really
10
haven't had the time to look at these kind of collateral
11
aspects of the case which are interesting, although not
12
essential to my testimony. And so for that reason, I can't
13
really render the kind of comparisons you're asking me about.
14
Q.
With respect to the articles that you do not have
15
and that the lawyer is attempting to obtain, are you going to
16
defer rendering opinions with respect to scientific development
17
of knowledge relating to talc, soapstone and clay until you
18
have reviewed those articles? Or are you prepared to provide
19
your opinions in those categories without the benefit of those
20
articles?
21
A.
Let's just say that I will offer tentative
22
opinions about talc with the proviso that I consider it
23
extremely unlikely that such opinion would be altered in light
24
of the documents that I have sought to obtain and expect to
25
obtain later today. You can either deal with it that way, or
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1
yoii can wait until the documents come in. But I really do n 't
2
expect that these documents contain any great surprises. I
3
know what a number of them say, because I have seen them
4
referenced in other articles and described in substance in
5
literature. And taking as a whole the literature on talc forms
6
I think a fairly clear picture to the extent that we know what
7
we know forms a very clear picture. I don't believe that we
8
know everything about the hazards of talc today.
9
Q.
Have you personally gone to the library and
10
conducted any research with respect to the health aspects of
11
talc?
12
A
Yes. I have included articles in here that came
13
out of ny own files which I got out of the library at various
14
times. As I said, I have been interested in talc as a health
15
problem particularly since I started reading about asbestos in
16
1970, '71.
17
Q.
Did you have articles in your own -- as a result
18
of your own research that Hr. Edholm did not obtain?
19
A
Yes. Generally they were more recent articles,
20
but I have a few of those, and I believe they are included
21
here.
22
Q.
Let me show you what is No. 13, it's the annual
23
report of Chief Inspector of Factories and workshops for the
24
year 1933. Does this relate to talc? Or asbestos? Or both?
25
Or neither?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-------------- --------------------------------------- -------------------
1
A.
Relates to both. Talc is also described here as
2
French chalk. Starting on Page 63 Dr. Merewether describes
3
examinations of workers that he had conducted, continues onto
4
64 and 65.
5
Q.
Are those individuals that were engaged in the
6
tire and rubber industry?
7
A.
Yes, I believe so.
8
Q.
What was the nature of those individual's exposure
9
to asbestos in that particular report?
10
A.
I don't believe there is any reference to asbestos
11
exposure in connection with these talc cases. The asbestos,
12
it's part of an annual report of the chief inspector. Asbestos
13
is described in another part of the report.
14
Q. So this is the non-asbestos section of the report?
15
A. This is the talc section of the report. It's got
16
a headline, it's italic title is "French Chalk". And I believe
17
there is a similar entry somewhere for asbestos. In any event,
18
I see tables in which asbestos is described. Yes, asbestos is
19
described under heading "Silicosis and Asbestosis".
20
Q.
But insofar as you are able to determine from
21
reading that particular document, was the talc or French chalk
22
asbestos free? Or is one able to determine from that article?
23
A.
That is what I am trying to find out. I don't
24
think that there is any comment on -- no. Asbestos is only
25
used by way of comparison to talc or French chalk, and it's
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
zz
1
stated asbestos is more dangerous, has a greater fibrosis
2
producing power.
3
Q.
What is your understanding, if you have an
4
understanding, as to the nature of any asbestos exposure that
5
may have occurred at the Miami, Oklahoma plant?
6
A.
Well, the plant contained thermal insulation,
7
which at least in part may be asbestos. And the deterioration
8
installation, maintenance and removal of this thermal
9
insulation was a cause of exposure to asbestos dust in the air
10
in the plant, particularly for workers whose jobs involved
11
maintaining the insulation in the plant or piping.
12
Q.
Was that a matter brought out in that Merewether
13
report?
14
A.
Merewether doesn't talk about asbestos in rubber
15
plants. He's just talking about workers exposed to talc and
16
what he found regarding it.
17
Q.
In your review of the literature, when was the
18
publication addressing asbestos -- excuse me. Let me
19
start all over. First report, please, sir, addressing health
20
aspects of asbestos exposure from thermal insulation products
21
in a tire worker or rubber plant?
22
A.
Dozens and dozens of reports on asbestos disease
23
from exposure to asbestos insulation dust going back to 1932,
24
but I can't off the top of my head recall the specific
25
reference that describes an individual whose exposure to such
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
dust was confined to working in a rubber plant. There may not
2
be any such article in print today. I just don't know.
3
Q.
Were you asking Mr. Hays?
4
A.
i was just asking Mr. Hays if he knew of any such
5
articles.
off the top of my head --
6
MR. HAYS: He won't let me talk to you during
7
the deposition.
8
MR. CROSBY: Sir, if you wish to talk to the
9
witness, all I ask is that you let us know that you
10
wish to talk with him, and let us know that you want
11
to take a recess to have a discussion, and if it's
12
appropriate, then I don't have any trouble with that.
13
MR. HAYS: Thank you.
14
MR. CROSBY: We may break down on what is
15
appropriate.
16
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Would you defer to Mr. Hays on
17
that matter?
18
A.
All I was asking is whether Mr. Hays knew of such
19
an article. If there are articles, I would expect that it
20
would have been published in recent years.
21
Q. And even lawyer may know about that?
22
A. Especially a lawyer might know about that where it
23
relates to his own clients, yes.
24
Q.
What is your hourly rate nowadays?
25
A.
For research, or for deposition and trial
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
testimony?
Q. pi ease?
Any of your various hourly rates, what are they,
A.
I charge $150 an hour for research, and $200 an
hour for deposition testimony or trial testimony.
Q.
And about what percent of your time is spent in
depo trial testimony?
A.
it varies. Up until September of last year I had
a much more diverse life. Since September of last year I have
been involved in I think an average of about three trials a
month, and probably one deposition, would be my best guess, in the asbestos litigation.
Q.
Three trials per month, and about how many
depositions? I'm sorry. I was writing.
A.
I think probably about one deposition a month.
But up until last September things were a lot more managable in
terms of my time to do other things. things.
I still do work on other
Q. :oming up?
Are you subpoenaed to appear at these three trails
A.
Not usually, i go by agreement.
Q
So you voluntarily go?
A.
I haven't recognized a distinction between a
subpoena appearance and an appearance that I make without a
subpoena. I usually agree to go or I don't go.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
AQ.
1
Q.
I understand you might not make a distinction, but
2
my question here is: Do you voluntarily go when you appear at
3
trial?
4
A.
Yes. My involvement in the asbestos litigation is
5
voluntarily.
6
Q.
So about what percent of your time since September
7
of *88 has been involved in the asbestos litigation?
8
A
It's probably been more than half of my time for
9
the first time in ten years, probably slightly more than half
10
of my time.
11
Q.
And approximately what percent of your income is
12
derived from asbestos litigation?
13
A.
The last time I looked it was, let me see, it was
14
over 90 percent. Most of my other work is work with public
15
interest groups, environmental groups, labor unions in other
16
countries, health activists in other countries. Generally work
17
that pays little or nothing.
18
Q.
Do you have any other consulting or research
19
activities that pay you $150 per hour other than
20
asbestos-related?
21
A.
Well, i have done legal work of other kinds and
22
charged the same rate.
23
Q.
What other legal work have you done and charged
24
the same rate?
25
A.
I was contacted by some other lawyers at one point
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
41
1
that were interested in the history of threshold limit values,
2
and had some chemical cases.
3
Q. What lawyers were they?
4
A. I don't remember their names.
5
Q. How long ago was that?
6
A. About a year ago.
7
Q. Was it before or after you authored the article
8
that appeared in the --
9
A.
It was after my article that appeared in the
10
industrial journal.
11
Q.
Do you recall if those lawyers represented
12
plaintiffs or defendants?
13
A. They said they represented plaintiffs.
14
Q.
And how much time did you spend on that project?
15
A.
I don't remember.
16
Q.
Well, are we talking ten hours or 100 hours?
17
A.
Something in between.
18
Q.
Closer to 50, or closer to ten?
19
A.
I think my charges to them were something like
20
$2500.
21
Q.
What was the result of that endeavor?
22
A.
I don't know.
23
Q.
I mean what did you find?
24
A.
I don't know what they did with the information.
25
Q.
What did you find?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
A2
1
A.
I don't even remember exactly what I did for them
2
now. My life has been something of a blur with the amount of
3
asbestos litigation that has gone to trial since last
4
September.
5
Q.
Do you recall what chemicals were involved?
6
A.
There was a long list of chemicals. Some of them
7
I recognized,_some of them were trade name chemicals I didn't
8
recognize.
9
Q.
Do you know if it involved asbestos, talc,
10
soapstone or clay?
11
A.
It didn't involve any of those.
12
Q.
Let me show you what has been marked as No. 14,
13
which appears to be a copy of a portion of the 1934 Annual
14
Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops. Does
15
that deal with talc? Or asbestos? Or both? Or neither?
16
A.
It deals with both. Talc is covered under the
17
heading "French Chalk" on Page 65.
18
Q.
With respect to your opinions relating to talc, do
19
you make any distinction as to the mineralogical make-up of
20
talc, or the form, be it fibrous or non-fibrous?
21
A. Yes.
22
Q. Do those distinctions play any role in the
23
formation of the opinions that you have made respecting the
24
development of knowledge relating to alleged health aspects of
25
talc?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
4-3
1
A.
Yes and no. My current view, and this is
2
something that started to gain more discussion as the
3
literature on talc itself started to grow and people started
4
wondering why some people were finding so much more severe
5
affects than other people looking at talc workers.
6
My current view is that the presence of silica and
7
asbestiform fibers came to be identified as the types of agents
8
that would exacerbate or add to respiratory hazards associated
9
with so-called pure talc as a mineral. And that these kinds of
10
contaminants, if you want to call them that, were frequently
11
found mixed with talcs that were sold as industrial talcs,
12
which were therefore, mineralogically speaking, mixtures, not
13
pure substances.
14
Q.
Have you formed any opinions as to whether or
15
not -- Let me strike that and start again.
16
Do your opinions with respect to health aspects of quote
17
"talc" close quote, vary with respect to the development of
18
knowledge depending on whether or not the talc is quote
19
"contaminated" close quote, with asbestos or silica?
20
A. it depends on the time frame. If a manufacturer,
21
for example, of -- or a seller of industrial grade talc was
22
concerned about the possibility that his product might be
23
harmful, it would certainly be necessary for such a
24
manufacturer to conduct certain types of analyses on the
25
product at a minimum to gain some insight into whether the talc
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
AA
1
that he was selling was of the more or less notorious kind.
2
But the literature on talc? and here we really are
3
getting into what my opinions are, the literature on talc
4
reflect a considerable amount of confusion about just what it
5
is that was causing some talc workers to develop a disabling or
6
even fatal pneumoconiosis, and other talc workers to suffer far
7
less severe effects, even though they had evidently been
8
exposed to substantial concentrations of talc for a number of
9
years.
10
So it's not as if the literature here on talc is clear
11
cut. There are various mineralogical constituants which varied
12
with the different types of talcs that were being used. At
13
least by the 1940s some of the writers appeared to be picking
14
up on that fact, and saying, you know, maybe there is something
15
about this talc that is worse than that talc, and starting to
16
compare their findings with the findings of their predecessors.
17
And so this is the way the knowledge evolved. But at the same
18
time there was -- there were no clear cut findings that there
19
is one bad factor that is present in industrial grade talcs
20
that is causing all the disease that is associated with talc
21
workers. No one ever seems to come up with a single cause or a
22
single agent.
23
There have been certainly some agents that had been
24
recognized, or very similar to agents that had been recognized
25
as health hazards, principally silica and asbestiform fibers.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
4S
1
But the talcs, the talc itself as distinct from those
2
ingredients that were mixed in with the number of industrial
3
talcs was also indicted in a number of articles as a cause of
4
lung disease.
5
I am sorry to give you such a long-winded answer, but
6
we were eventually going to get into this anyway. Seems to me
7
sometime in the 1940s they started taking a closer look at what
8
was in these industrial talcs and trying to figure out what
9
were at least the principal causes of adverse health effects
10
attributed to inhaling such talcs.
11
Q.
You used the word "indicted" in your answer. Was
12
there ever any -- was there continuing literature relating to
13
quote "talc" close quote, and its quote "contaminents" close
14
quote, after the '40s?
15
A.
Sure.
16
Q.
Is it within your area of expertise to opine as to
17
whether or not quote "talc" close quote, contaminated with
18
quote "asbestos" close quote, causes an asbestos-related
19
condition or disease as opposed to asbestos from some other
20
source?
21
A.
Well, I guess I would have to answer that by
22
referring to the literature itself which makes frequent
23
comparisons between the scarring, the lung scarring caused by
24
the industrial talcs, and the lung scarring caused by asbestos.
25
And this is commented on both radiologically and pathologically
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
in the literature that I am referring to here. The findings of
2
asbestos bodies in the lung tissues, or asbestoslike bodies in
3
lung tissues, the finding of other appearances that at least
4
resemble the picture of asbestosis. And this is commented on I
5
think starting in the 1940s by some of the authors writing
6
about talc exposed workers.
7
So there are similarities at least between the types of
8
damage between asbestos which were kind of separately
9
established in the case of asbestos workers, and types of
10
damage observed in talc workers. The similarities were noted
11
in the literature I think starting in the 1940s.
12
MR. CROSBY: I move to strike that as
13
nonresponsive.
14
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) My question is: Is it within
15
your area of expertise?
16
A.
It's within my area of expertise to relate what
17
was expressed in the literature which was available to
18
manufacturers and sellers of industrial talc, yes.
19
Q.
So you're not saying that you personally have
20
formed an opinion based upon what you have read from that
21
literature, you are telling me that within your area of
22
expertise you can relate to me your understanding of what the
23
literature imparts?
24
A.
I'm not sure I understand your question. I am
25
doing the same kind of thing with talc that I have done with
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
42
1
asbestos, and that is at a minimum relating what the literature
2
itself says, and relating the availability of that literature
3
in the United States as evidenced by the literature itself.
4
Q.
All right, sir. And I think you are familiar with
5
my prior objections, and my probably continuing objection with
6
respect to that testimony on your behalf.
7
But I am just trying to find out that with respect to
8
this particular issue, your area of purported expertise is that
9
you can relate what the literature imparted to you or to others
10
who may have read it, but you do not form an independent
11
scientific opinion with respect to, for example, causation in a
12
case where an individual has been exposed to quote "pure talc"
13
close quote, quote "talc contaminated with asbestos" close
14
quote, or exposure to quote "asbestos" close quote, from some
15
other source?
16
A.
Okay, i think I understand what you're asking
17
better now. I am not involved in diagnosing anybody's
18
condition medically. I don't testify about causation in these
19
cases either individually, either in terms of individual cases
20
or epidemiologically speaking as individuals as members of a
21
group. I don't say that this person got his disease from that
22
cause. That's never been included in the area of testimony
23
that I give.
24
Q.
In these particular cases, assuming that you are
25
presented with a hypothetical to assume that an individual has
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
AR
1
what has been from time to time referred to as quote "an
2
asbestos-related disease or condition", close quote, if you are
3
presented with the facts that that individual or groups of
4
individuals were exposed to quote "pure talc" close quote,
5
quote "talc contaminated with asbestos or asbestiform fibers"
6
close quote, and/or exposed to quote "asbestos" close quote,
7
from other sources such as thermal insulation, is it within
8
your area of expertise and will you proffer testimony as to
9
what was the cause of the particular disease entities in that
10
person with those multiple exposures?
11
A.
I would be very loathe to offer such kinds of
12
opinions. I would probably refuse to offer an opinion on such
13
a thing, simply because there are other people who are better
14
suited to deal with that onerous job, and I leave it to them.
15
That's -- what you're asking is really much more a subject for
16
a treating physician's testimony than it would be for someone
17
like me, if I understand your question correctly in terms of
18
analyzing an individual case and, you know, how much of this
19
person's exposure came from the talc, and how much of this
20
person's exposure came from the thermal insulation. In terms
21
of sorting out liability or whatever, I mean, that's not
22
something I even want to go near.
23
Q.
My question did not go to sorting liability. I
24
believe that's something suited for juries in court. Mine was
25
sorting out or attempting to sort out causation.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
49-
1
A.
It amounts to the same thing.
2
Q.
Fortunately you are not the judge in this case,
3
because it may not. So I 'm trying to find out if you do
4
endeavor to opine generally or specifically as to causation in
5
a case of multiple exposure?
6
A.
I don't expect to do anything of the kind. I am
7
not that familiar with the details of these individual's
8
exposures, and it's not the kind of testimony I have ever
9
given. It's not the kind of testimony I look forward to giving
10
in this case either.
11
Q.
Would you give it if asked?
12
A.
I can't imagine circumstances underwhich I would
13
give it if asked. I mean the circumstances would have to be so
14
clear cut as to make the question not even worth asking. In
15
other words, a single type exposure and no other exposures.
16
Q.
So multiple causations or multiple exposures to
17
multiple types of talcs, be they contaminated or not
18
contaminated, be they fibrous or non-fibrous, in conjunction
19
with exposure to asbestos from other sources would preclude
20
your testimony in that area?
21
A.
Again, your question is not that clear. But if I
22
can just restate what I won't expect to be doing in this case,
23
and that is trying to weigh the -- quantitatively weighs the
24
contributions that multiple exposures may have made in
25
producing disease in any individual. Is that clear enough?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
sa
1
Q.
I think your answer --
2
A.
I will to the best of ray ability avoid offering
3
such testimony. I don't think it's really appropriate for me.
4
I am not especially expert in that sort of thing. Not that
5
doctors necessarily are much more expert in it, but it's more
6
appropriate, at least, for the doctors to answer those kinds
7
of
physicians, I should say, to answer those kinds of
8
questions. So I leave that pleasant task to them.
9
Q.
Did you bring with you any medical or scientific
10
articles relating to your opinions of the development of
11
scientific and medical knowledge relating to health aspects or
12
alleged health hazards of asbestos?
13
A.
No. We have gone over all that many times. And
14
as you know, I have left behind 150 transcripts and a 700 page
15
book on that subject.
16
Q.
Have you --
17
THE WITNESS: Can we take about a ten minute
18
break?
19
MR. CROSBY: Anybody got a problem with a ten
20
minute break? Go ahead. It's fine with me.
21
(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)
22
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) I have provided you with exhibits
23
that have been marked numbered 15 through 75. Would you please
24
look through those, and at this time I would like to just mark
25
them as exhibits to this deposition, we will go through them in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
51
1
detail later, but are those the articles in conjunction with
2
No. li through 14 that v/e have already reviewed that you
3
reviewed with respect to the development of medical and
4
scientific knowledge relating to talc, soapstone and clay and
5
upon which you in part base your opinion regarding the
6
development of knowledge?
7
A.
Yes.
8 Q. And in addition to those, as I understand it,
9
there are a few other articles which some other lawyer is in
10
the process of obtaining today?
11
A.
That a lawyer who has been given a list of
12
references by me has gone to the library to obtain photocopies
13
of, yes.
14
With respect to -- Let me make sure I have my
15
numbers right. With respect to Exhibits No. 12 through 14, are
16
you aware of any evidence or information that Owens-Corning
17
Fiberglass, my client in this matter, in any way attempted to
18
alter, delay, suppress or in any other way influence or attempt
19
to have an impact on medical and scientific literature
20
reflected in those exhibits?
21
A.
No.
22
?4R. HAYS: Talking about specifically 12 through
23
14?
24
MR. CROSBY: Yes, sir.
25
THE WITNESS: No, is the answer.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2
1
Q*
(By Hr. Crosby) Are you aware of any evidence
2
that Owens-Corning Fiberglass in any way attempted to alter,
3
delay, supress or in any way influence or have any impact on
4
the medical and scientific literature or the development of
5
such knowledge insofar as it relates to talc, soapstone or
6
clay?
7
A.
No.
8
Q.
I can repeat that question, or if you can hold it
9
in your mind I will not. But let me go at it one more time.
10
Do you have any evidence that Eagle-Picher in any way attempted
11
to alter, delay, suppress or in any manner influence or have
12
any impact on publication or development of medical and
13
scientific literature relating to talc, soapstone or clay?
14
A. No.
15
Q. If you can hold thatquestion inyour mind, I will
16
not repeat it. If not, please let me know. I will ask you
17
that same question with respect to Owens-Illinois?
18
A.
The answer would be no.
19
Q.
Same question with respect to Keene?
20
A.
The answer is no.
21
Q.
The same questionwith respect to Celotex or
22
Phillip-Carey?
23
A. The answer is no.
24
Q.
The same question with respect to Armstrong
World
25
Industries or Armstrong Industries?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
iui.
1
A.
The answer is no.
2
Q.
Same question with respect to GAF Corporation?
3
A. No.
4
Q.
Same question with respect to Baldwin?
5
A. MO.
6
Q.
Same question with respect to Pittsburgh-Corning?
7
A. No.
8
Q. Same question with respect to Fibreboard?
9
A. No.
10
Q.
It may be that we can shorten it. Do you have any
11
information -- or excuse me, do you have any evidence that any
12
corporate entity in any way attempted to influence, delay,
13
alter, suppress or have an impact on the development or
14
publication of medical and the scientific literature relating
15
to talc, soapstone or clay?
16
A.
I have seen something to the effect that some
17
company was in contact with Ken Lynch in 1950. I have received
18
a copy of this from the offices of Casey and Gerry in southern
19
California, San Diego. I don't think that company is involved
20
in this case though.
21
Q.
Do you recall the name of that company?
22
A.
No, but I imagine Mr. Hays does.
23
Q.
Do you have a copy of the documents to which you
24
are referring?
25
A.
Yes. I will bring them tomorrow.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-- ------------ -------------------------------------------------- -- ---------------------------------------------------------54-
1
Q.
Is it your position or opinion that contacting a
2
person who conducts research by a corporate entity indicates
3
that they are in some way trying to influence the medical and
4
scientific literature?
5
A.
Well, no, not contact, per se. Contact itself is
6
the way people learn about these things. But it's the nature
7
of the contact that raised some question about the role of the
3
company. But since I haven't -- I got this information over
9
the weekend, I opened it up at about 11:00 last night, and I
10
looked at it very briefly yesterday. And I haven't brought it
11
because I understood that the company involved was not involved
12
in this case as a defendant, and I had enough to deal with
13
without bringing it along. I didn't really see that it was
14
terribly relevant to this case. But you are certainly welcome
15
to examine it, and if you want to ask me what my opinions are
16
on it, I will take a closer look at what it actually says
17
before I accuse any company of doing anything the least bit
18
improper in the area of occupational health.
19
MR. CROSBY: Mr. Kays, if you have it here
20
with you, it might shorten matters.
21
HR. HAYS: I don't.
22
MR. CROSBY: Do you know what it involves?
23
HR. HAYS: Generally. I would have to review
24
it myself though.
25
HR. CROSBY: If you would bring that with you
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
tomorrow, please.
2
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) But other than that, are you
3
aware of any person or entity ~
4
MR. HAYS: You are addressing Dr. Castleman;
5
right?
6
MR. CROSBY: Dr. Castleman, yes.
7
Q
(By Mr. Crosby) -- other than the correspondence
8
to Dr. Lynch, are you aware of any entity that in any way
9
attempted to alter, delay, suppress or otherwise have an impact
10
or influence on the medical and scientific literature relating
11
to talc, soapstone or clay?
12
A.
Not at this time. As far as I know, there have
13
been virtually no legal discovery conducted in that area. And
14
since one does not find out about what has been suppressed from
15
the medical literature by going to medical libraries I wait the
16
development of additional information before closing the door
17
on that subject.
18
Q.
Do I take it from that that your opinions relating
19
to any efforts that in your opinion purport to demonstraight
20
attempts to alter, suppress or have an impact on medical and
21
scientific literature is based upon information obtained from
22
discovery only?
23
A.
No. But discovery has rendered the literature a
24
lot more readable in some cases in terms of truly understanding
25
what was going on in terms of understanding what was published,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
as well as what was withheld or distorted.
2
Q.
It'smy understanding that tomorrow you
desire
3
that we adjourn at 1:00 for some purpose?
4
A. Yes.
5
Q. Could you relate to me what that is?
6
A. Yes. The United States EnvironmentalProtection
7
Agency proposed in January of 1986 to ban asbestos in the
8
United States, ban the continuing use of asbestos, to ban some
9
products immediately, and others over a period of time. I have
10
received a call from the Environmental Protection Agency owing
11
to my continual contact with the EPA over that rule as a
12
consultant to the Natural Resources Defense Counsel. The EPA
13
is going to hold a public announcement briefing at 3:30
14
tomorrow afternoon. It's public, so any of you who want to
15
come can come too. And at that time the EPA will announce what
16
its final rule is going to be on the subject of the asbestos
17
bans or phase down rulings. That is why I am leaving early.
18
The meeting at the EPA is going to be tomorrow afternoon.
19
Q.
Are you the one making the announcement? Or do
20
you just wish to be present when the announcement is made?
21
A.
I will be present when the announcement is made.
22
The announcement is being made by someone in the Environmental
23
Protection Agency. Either the administrator or one of the
24
assistant administrators.
25
Q.
Do you serve in any official capacity with the EPA
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- a-i--
1
at this time?
2
A. No.
3
Q.
Do you with respect to the asbestos ban or
4
proposed ban?
5
A.
I did in the early stages that led to the proposal
6
ten years ago.
7
Q. What is your understanding as to what the
8
announcement will be tomorrow?
9
A. I haven't any idea what they are going to do. I
10
know what the proposed rule was, and I would guess that the
11
final rule isn't going to be a whole lot different than the
12
proposed rule, but it's speculation on my part to say what they
13
finally came down with.
14
There were extensive hearings held after the proposed
15
rule was published in the federal register, and the EPA has a
16
duty to consider all the information that it obtained during in
17
the course of those hearings from all interested parties. And
18
I have really -- Since then there has been a change of
19
administration, so I really don't know quite what to expect. I
20
would only be guessing if I tried to answer the question today.
21
Q.
Do you have any opinion -- Well, let me strike
22
that and start again.
23
Do you have any evidence that any entity that
24
manufactured soap or produced in any way asbestos-containing
25
products at any time or in any way attempted to alter, delay,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
5.R
1
suppress or otherwise have an impact on the development of or
2
publication of medical and scientific literature relating to
3
asbestos? That just goes for a yes or no.
4
A.
DO I have information to the effect that asbestos
5
manufacturers did that?
6
Q*
Not information, mine is evidence. If evidence
7
and information are synonymous do you --
8
A. I have what I consider evidence of that, yes.
9
Q. Did you bring that with you today?
10
A. No, that has been the subject of about 60 other
11
depositions, and the subject of a book, and as well as 85 --
12
well, not trial testimonies, but a number of trial testimonies
13
in which corporate knowledge was covered.
14
Q.
I understand that. And as you understand and know
15
from our previous depositions, I frequently ask questions that
16
I have not thought of to ask before, and the way that I do that
17
is to look at what you contend is evidence, and see if there
18
are additional questions that I may wish to ask. Or if looking
19
at the evidence that I have and the questions that I have
20
previously asked deem that it's appropriate to ask a question
21
in a different way, bearing in mind that particular information
22
or evidence that you have, and ask that question. So my
23
question remains, although you may feel that you have addressed
24
this issue adequately, I personally do not, and so I ask again
25
if you have brought that material with you?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
---------- ------------------- ---- ------------------ -------------------- 59-
1
A.
No, I have not.
2
Q.
Is it available in your office or your home?
3
A.
Most of it i s r yes, from various files, numerous
4
files, it's all been produced before in prior depositions that
5
I've given, including depositions for you, I believe.
6
Q*
^ cannot recall my last deposition of you in this
7
area, but as I recall it, we went for two days, we did not
8
complete the deposition, it was adjourned, the cases were
9
resolved, the deposition was never completed, and it has been
10
several years since then. And I was hoping to update it to see
11
if you had anything new.
12
A.
That was 1986, I remember the occasion well. I
13
produced boxes and boxes of documents for you at the time.
14
Q.
Do you also recall that the deposition was
15
adjourned and not completed?
16
A.
Well, i mean, I consider that a formality, not
17
being a lawyer.
18
Q. We lawyers consider it more than that.
19
A. i understand that. It's like if I were the
20
witness, and I were able to ask you at the end of any
21
deposition that I have ever been involved in, if I were able to
22
ask the defense lawyers, Are you satisfied now? I am sure the
23
answer would be no. So in that sense, it's a continuing
24
exercise. And when someone deposes me for two days --
25
MR. CROSBY: Mr. Hays, do you want to break?
C.S.R. ASSnrTATFVC
Ra
1
MR. HAYS: Yes. Did you want to take a
2
lunch break now?
3
THE WITNESS: Let me just finish what I am saying.
4
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) My question to you was simply:
5
Doctor, do you recall that that deposition was adjourned?
6
A.
All I recall is that it lasted two days, and I
7
produced an enormous amount of information. I don't recall the
8
details of whether I signed the deposition or whether it was
9
considered adjourned or still left open.
10
Q.
Do you recall that we had not gone through all of
11
the various boxes and documents that you produced?
12
A.
At the time I believe we did. I don't recall. I
13
mean maybe we went through part of it and not all of it.
14
Q.
Do you still have those materials in the same
15
files and in the same position so that you can obtain them and
16
bring them here tomorrow so that v/e can continue where we left
17
off?
18
A.
I have no idea what I produced then. I understood
19
this was a deposition related to the history and knowledge
20
about the hazards of talc. I would like to __
21
Q.
Let me see if that is your understanding, and if
22
it is, we may be able to shorten this matter. Is it your
23
understanding that you will not be providing testimony in this
24
case relating to the development of scientific and medical
25
cnowledge relating to health aspects of asbestos?
c d iC C A P T Time?
44
1
It's just that asbestos has been covered at
2
nauseam in prior depositions and trials. Talc is a new issue.
3
It is even in my opinion a legitimate area for a discovery
4
deposition to be held. I think that on the basis of the fact
5
that there have been so many depositions and so on over
6
asbestos, that the people who want to ask about talc should be
7
given priority, and then if you want me to rent a trailer and
8
bring all my files in here about asbestos and talk about that
9
all over again, we can deal with that later, Mr. Crosby.
10
Q.
Well, i would request that if it's necessary for
11
you to rent a trailer to bring the materials relating to
12
asbestos that you do so.
13
A.
Oh, I am sure you would.
14
Q.
And I would also ask you to bring those materials
15
that were requested with the subpoena, and the request for
16
production attached thereto, which relates to all documents
17
that you have reviewed or prepared, and upon which you rely in
18
support of any opinions or conclusions which you have now or
19
testify to at the time of trial concerning development of
20
scientific knowledge relating to the alleged hazards of
21
asbestos, talc, soapstone and clay.
22
MR. HAYS: We have objected to that. You have a
23
copy of our objection.
24
MR. CROSBY: I am aware, I was served with a copy
25
of your objection this morning.
C.S.R- A sso rtA TES
2
1
MR HAYS: Mr Hinkle was also served earlier.
2
MR. CROSBY: It's an exhibit, it speaks for
3
itself. The witness has stated that he did not file
4
any objection. So I renew that request, and ask you or
5
remind you that you should comply with that request,
6
and that I will in light of the fact that you don't
7
have it here now, we're about to adjourn for lunch,
8
you can bring it back with you after lunch. If that's
9
not sufficient time, you can bring it with you tomorrow
10
morning.
11
MR. HAYS: What did you do with the boxes of stuff
12
you got earlier? Did you ever ship that back to him?
13
MR. CROSBY: He insisted on maintaining custody of
14
it, Counsel.
15
MR. HAYS: Who, the attorney?
16
MR. CROSBY: I don't know. Maybe Lisa Blue did.
17
She was there for the plaintiffs.
18
THE WITNESS: You mean to tell me you don't
19
have copies of the stuff I gave you in '86?
20
MR. CROSBY: I think that we have some portions
21
of those documents, but I don't think that we have all
22
of those documents.
23
THE WITNESS: It's not my fault.
24
MR. HAYS: Were they copied?
25
MR. CROSBY: If you recall, you were reluctant
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ------------------------------------63.
1
to let them out of your custody, and some of them were
2
unable to be copied.
3
THE WITNESS: I was willing to let them all
4
be copied, as I recall. I didn't have any objection to
5
producing them.
6
Q.
(By Hr. Crosby) In any event, the issue is an
7
opportunity to ask you questions about what some of the
8
documents say, and what your opinions are from them. If I can
9
get them here another way, I will do it. If you have them here
10
and have the originals, plus the fact that I don't know if you
11
have something in addition to what we had in 1986.
12
A.
Well, I think that would be easier to cover if you
13
just wanted to go company by company and say, "What is new
14
since 1986?" I could at least attempt to give you answers to a
15
question like that. I mean everything that is known up to
16
1986? almost everything of significance in this litigation is
17
recorded in my book, and it's also a matter of discussion and
18
production that took place as of around the time that you
19
deposed me in 1986. There hasn't been a whole lot of research
20
or new material discovered relating to corporate knowledge on
21
asbestos or published literature on asbestos disease
22
historically speaking since 1986.
23
I would be happy to try and answer questions of that
24
nature, which would accomplish I think the same objective for
25
you as a more burdensome approach of asking me to bring
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------------------------------------------ SJL
1
everything that I've got in ray house that has got the word
2
asbestos written on it.
3
Q.
Doctor, I understand that you may not appreciate
4
the obligation that I have as an attorney to represent my
5
client.
6
A.
I appreciate that that obligation is sometimes
7
invoked in cases where it gets stretched beyond its
8
legitimation, too.
9
Q.
Are you able to testify here under oath today all
10
matters upon you which you base your opinion or positions with
11
respect to what efforts were attempted or that took place with
12
respect to what you contend resulted in an alteration, delay,
13
suppression or otherwise impact on the development of or
14
publication of medical and scientific literature relating to
15
asbestos?
16
A.
I can certainly take a crack at it. And basically
17
I would be relying on my own book as a source of information
18
which is neatly arranged in Chapter 9 and appendix four of the
19
second printing of the second edition, which has been available
20
for well over a year now.
21
But if you want me to go through that exercise and
22
basically tell you what is in my book about corporate knowledge
23
and particular manipulations of scientific literature and so
24
forth, we can take the time to do it. I am just saying that I
25
would rather deal with issues related to talc first, because if
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
we start talking about asbestos in the manner that you seem to
2
be laying out, there is no end in sight in terms of the time it
3
could potentially take to go over all this old ground. And so
4
I think the people who have an interest in talc have a
5
legitimate priority to ask their questions first.
6
As you were asking before about talc, those questions
7
are the kinds^ of questions that I think should come first. And
8
if we want to talk about asbestos, all the rest of it, we can
9
do that later.
10
Q.
I understand your preferences, but I am here to
11
ask those questions among -- I mean certain questions, among
12
those questions are questions relating to opinions or matters
13
that you contend relate to asbestos since you are proffered as
14
an expert in that area and you have volunteered to do so. So I
15
would ask that you produce those documents tomorrow.
16
I will make an effort to obtain from my office copies of
17
what I can from prior depositions, and we will proceed with
18
areas of inquiry along those lines when the documents have
19
arrived. If you prefer, we can adjourn to -- where is your
20
office?
21
A.
My office is in my home, and I prefer that we do
22
not adjourn to my office.
23
Q.
Will you bring the materials -- can you bring them
24
after lunch?
25
A
No. I mean it would extend the time taken for
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
lunch and reduce the time available for the deposition. I
2
would rather bring them tomorrow if necessary, and perhaps you
3
can communicate to the court and find out whether it's
4
necessary.
5
HR. HAYS: If you would like for me to do so,
6
I will. And are you adopting that portion of the
7
subpoena that objects to an over broad request for
8
production?
9
THE WITNESS: Sure.
10
MR. CROSBY: We object to the attempted adoption.
11
MR. HAYS: It's timely. You just served the
12
subpoena a few days ago. Do you know when you served
13
that subpoena? Since you're relying on it, I'm sure you
14
do. Do you know when that subpoena was served, Counsel?
15
HR. CROSBY: I will ask the witness.
16
Q.
(By Hr. Crosby) When were you served?
17
A.
Either Friday or Monday. Ho, hold it. I suppose
18
it was Friday.
19
Q.
What efforts, if any, did you take to comply with
20
the subpoena other than the collection of the materials that
21
have been marked as exhibits to this deposition?
22
A.
That was all I had time for.
23
Q.
Those materials weren't in one place?
24
HR. HAYS: Most of them are in the book you
25
have got sitting over there in front of you,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
47
1
Counselor.
2
MR. CROSBY: Well, let's ask that.
3
Q*
(By Mr. Crosby) Sir, how many of those articles
4
referred to that have been attached --
5
MR. HAYS: We're talking about asbestos articles,
6
the box that you had in your office. He's also referred
7
to a book.
8
MR. CROSBY: It's not in my office, Counselor.
9
MR. HAYS: You don't have those documents in your
10
office?
11
MR. CROSBY: I do not believe that I do.
12
I said I'm going to check, and whatever I do have,
13
I will have sent. My recollection is that that
14
deposition is among other things, we've got copies of
15
his second edition hot off the press, which I have paid
16
for, and Ms. Blue took her copy, and I have yet to be
17
compensated for that.
18
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) So what I am trying to find out
19
is of the exhibits marked here through 75, how many of them are
20
referenced in your book?
21
A.
These talc articles contain only a few which are
22
referenced in my book. Those articles tend to be of the
23
general nature on the subject of pneumoconiosis or they are
24
textbooks on occupational diseases, which are referenced in my
25
book. So I would say maybe 10 of these articles, maybe 15 at
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
the most, are referenced in the book of asbestos because they
2
also cover asbestos as well as talc.
3
Q.
Of the exhibits that we have attached to this
4
deposition being No. 11 or 12 through 75 which are references
5
or articles, weren't those all collected in one place prior to
6
this deposition?
7
A. The talc articles?
8
Q. Yes.
9
A. No. I mean before I got involved in this
10
litigation, I didn't do this kind of a historical review of
11
literature on talc. I was familiar with the fact that talc
12
literature v/ent way back.
13
Q.
Excuse me, Doctor. Let me see if I can rephrase
14
my question in more artful manner. Are those articles that
15
number through 75 as exhibits, are those the ones that were
16
accumulated by Hr. Edholm?
17
A.
Some of them are, some of them are articles that I
18
had in my possession either because an interest, prior interest
19
in talc, or because of my interest in asbestos.
20
Q.
Did you keep those talc articles in a single place
21
as they accumulated?
22
A. Yes. You mean the ones that I had from years
23
before?
24
Q. Yes, sir.
25
A. Yes.
3.
1
Q.
Did you then gather the ones that Mr. Edholm gave
2
you and put them with them?
3
A.
Yes.
4
Q.
So when you were served with a subpoena you had a
5
single file that contained those articles; correct?
6
A.
The talc articles, yes. And that is what you have
7
got.
8
Q.
What else did it take you the rest of the time
9
since being served with a subpoena until now to gather up to be
10
prepared?
11
A.
Just one other thing I had to do.
12
Q.
What's that?
13
A.
Read the articles.
14
Q.
So prior to the subpoena you had not reviewed the
15
articles?
16
A.
I had gathered the articles, but I had not had
17
time to sit down in a methodical way and read them all.
18
Q.
So prior to receipt of the deposition notice and
19
subpoena, had you favored the attorneys for the plaintiffs and
20
these or any rubber and tire worker cases with your opinions
21
concerning the development of the state of the knowledge or
22
excuse me, development of the knowledge relating to health
23
aspects of talc, soapstone and clay?
24
A.
No. I think I understand your question. I have
25
never ventured such opinions, and I haven't really done the
c.S-R- A.qsnriATE?
ifl
1
literature review on the basis of which such opinions could be
2
safely ventured.
3
Q.
And at what point did you reveal to counsel for
4
the plaintiffs your opinions concerning development of
5
knowledge on talc, soapstone and clay?
6
A.
Last night, to the extent that I have some
7
opinions on that.
8
MR. CROSBY: How long do you want to take for
9
lunch, Mr. Hays?
10
MR. HAYS: How long do you want, Doctor?
11
THE WITNESS: Three quarters of an hour ought to
12
do it.
13
MR. HAYS: Let's just make it an hour.
14
MR. CROSBY: Is an hour all right for lunch
15
everybody?
16
THE WITNESS: 2:00.
17
MR. CROSBY: Just so we will know, we are
18
going to do what we can to accommodate your schedule
19
concerning the conference that you wish to attend in
20
Washington. There has been an objection filed to
21
these proceedings today going beyond 5:00. I don't
22
know if that objection was filed at your request or not.
23
We have also subpoenaed this deposition to go from
24
day-to-day until concluded. We will accommodate you
25
where we can, but we have information that we need to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
34
1
know and need to discover. If you can think about
2
whether you can go beyond 5:00, and consult Mr. Hays in
3
that matter, we would appreciate it. We would also, if
4
we are able to adjourn tomorrow at 1:00, we would ask
5
that you review your schedule of events to see if you
6
can be here on Friday so that we may go forward if
7
necessary.
8
THE WITNESS; Okay.
9
MR. HAYS: Off the record.
10
(Whereupon, a lunch break was taken.)
11
MR. HAYS: Back on the record now?
12
MR. CROSBY: Yes.
13
MR. HAYS: Did you make a decision about what you
14
wanted to do?
15
MR. CROSBY: Yes. I am going to try to put it
16
in here right now so that we can hopefully move forward.
17
I am going to mark as Exhibit 80 the list of what
18
appears to be articles or references that were produced
19
to me a minute ago by you and the witness pertaining to
20
apparently articles dealing with asbestos exposure. And
21
on the back of the last page of No. 80 are four articles
22
numbered 346, 347, 348 and 349 which are marked as
23
Exhibits 76, 77, 78 and 79 to this deposition.
24
It`s also my further understanding that the
25
documents or the articles referred to in Exhibit No. 80,
C.S.R- ASSnrTATF!;
32
1
which is the Plaintiff's Exhibit Index, are matters or
2
materials that are available here in Baltimore at
3
an attorney's office, and were anticipated to be used in
4
the other deposition or videotape deposition that was
5
canceled this morning that was to precede this
6
deposition. And that in addition to those exhibits
7
there are documents and things that relate to so-called
8
knowledge, close quote, of particular persons or
9
entities.
10
My understanding is that if requested the articles
11
listed in Exhibit 80 will be provided. I have been
12
advised by some of the parties to these proceedings that
13
have not been involved in these proceedings previously,
14
that they would like copies of these articles that are
15
listed on Exhibit 80. And as you have requested or
16
volunteered, we would like for him to bring tomorrow
17
the materials that this witness contends relates to
18
entities or individual's knowledge, and that he relies
19
upon in forming any opinions with respect to asbestos.
20
Now, have I got that part of it right?
21
MR. HAYS: For clarification purposes, we suggest
22
this: That the documents be taken to an entity for
23
copying, perhaps Kinko's, we're having some copying
24
done today, but they not leave the custody of the
25
attorneys who's exhibits they actually are. They will
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
....................... ......................... .... 73
1
deliver them to Kinko's, you instruct Kinko's what you
2
want to do with them as far as number of copies are
3
concerned, insofar as delivery to you, and take care of
4
payment for them, and then he will pick up the original
5
documents and return them to Sutter's office.
6
MR. CROSBY: That is fine. Were on the same
7
thing there, we're in agreement there. So if you
8
will have that lawyer take them to Kinko's.
9
MR. HAYS: I will call him during the break and
10
ask him to do that. Maybe get them over there today,
11
what's the address of the Kinko's where you're having
12
your copying done?
13
MR. RHODES: 221 Charles Street.
14
MR. HAYS: Is there someone that can go over
15
there for the defendants and make the arrangements
16
for payment and so forth?
17
MR. RHODES: They are going to be delivering
18
them here, Jim, probably in the next half hour. We
19
can just ask and make arrangements at that time.
20
MR. CROSBY; What about the non-article
21
references that he relies on with respect to state
22
of the knowledge?
23
MR. HAYS: He will just have to put those
24
together tonight and have them here tomorrow, I
25
suppose.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
--------- ---------------------------- --- ----- ------------- 2A.
1
THE WITNESS: I will bring my traveling corporate
2
files on which I base opinions relating to the corporate
3
defendants in the asbestos litigation.
4
HR. CROSBY: Will those documents be all of the
5
documents upon which you base those opinions?
6
THE WITNESS: Yes.
7
HR. CROSBY: The entities that are related or
8
involved, or have been involved in the past, in
9
production of asbestos-containing products, we would ask
10
there be one copy of the articles listed on No. 80, and
11
then we will make other copies for any other people at
12
some other time.
13
MR. HAYS: So my understanding is you are asking
14
for one copy. But I am going to ask you to take care
15
of all that. I don't want to get involved in the
16
copying.
17
MR. CROSBY: Is there anybody beside an asbestos
18
producer who would like a copy of the articles on
19
Exhibit 80 which are this witnesses' bibliography of
20
asbestos-related publications? Is that a fair
21
characterization of it?
22
THE WITNESS: Let's just say that it's a
23
sufficient bibliography on which I would base any
24
opinions I would give about what was available to
25
manufacturers of asbestos-containing products who
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
05
1
troubled themselves to go to a medical library.
2
MR. CROSBY: So does anybody want copies of the
3
articles? Or do you just want a copy of the
4
bibliography?
5
So just the one copy, and I will see it
6
gets to the appropriate people who want them.
7
MR. HAYS: So there will be one copy made?
8
MR. CROSBY: Yes.
9
MR. HAYS: All right.
10
THE WITNESS: How are we going to handle the
11
traveling corporate files? I would like to be sure
12
that they are going to be handled in a careful manner.
13
MR. CROSBY: I t 's all right with me, I don't know
14
how long it will take you to put together the quote,
15
"traveling corporate files" close quote, but if you
16
can get together, or you're in such a position that you
17
can get them to somebody today in whom you have
18
confidence, and have them taken to the same copy place
19
and have those copies made so that we will have your
20
file back to you and copies here at the same time to
21
make sure they match up, it's suitable to start that
22
this afternoon, or if the process will have to start in
23
the morning, it will have to start in the morning.
24
THE WITNESS: If we go until 5:00 today, it will
25
have to start in the morning. I have got someone from
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2
1
out of the country coming and spending the evening with
2
me today, and I am not going to have time after about
3
6:00 to do any of this stuff. If we knock off at 5:00
4
I can probably get the files together and bring them in
5
tomorrow. As far as copying the stuff, Mr. Crosby, none
6
of this stuff is going to be new to you. So I don't
7
think it should take you very long to question me about
8
them.
9
HR. CROSBY: As you know, sir, I often have
10
objections as to your areas of expertise, and one of
11
them is not only that you may know what I know, but
12
your ability to know what a piece of paper meant when
13
somebody wrote it that's now dead. So I will have
14
to see the documents to see if there is something I 've
15
seen there before, and if upon reading it it prompts a
16
question I haven't thought of before.
17
THE WITNESS: Ready to talk talc?
18
MR. CROSBY: Well, I have been requested that I
19
proceed with respect to the articles that we are waiting
20
to get back from the copy place, which will involve
21
talking, as you say, talking talc. The parties here
22
have asked that we proceed in that manner. That is sort
23
of how we had it outlined, and I don't know how long it
24
will take for them to get back.
25
Does anybody have an estimate as to how long it will
n c n AC C A rT AfTT?C
1
take to get them back?
2
MR. RHODES: Approximately 3:30.
--1
3
HR. CROSBY: So that is 40 minutes,
4
approximately. if you want we can take a break now so
5
you can call that lawyer and he can get things over to
6
that copy shop. That is one of the things I think we
7
probably need to get underway.
8
MR. HAYS: I don't have a problem with that.
9
THE WITNESS: We can also mark some more
10
documents, if you like. That is always a great way to
11
spend time. These are in chronological order.
12
MR. CROSBY: Number 81 will be a copy entitled
13
"Effects of Certain Silicate Dust on the Lungs",
14
appearing in the Journal of Industrial of Medicine --
15
it just says the Journal of Industrial Hygiene, I am
16
sorry, volume -- Roman Numeral 15.
17
THE WITNESS Got an author?
18
MR. CROSBY: Dreessen, D-r-e-- e-s-e-n. Appears
19
to be an author.
20
Number 82 is from the British Medical Journal,
21
Volume Roman Numeral I, 1948. There's an article
22
inside, there are two. One's entitled "Dangerous Talc".
23
THE WITNESS: That is the only one.
24
MR. CROSBY: Number 83 is British Journal of
25
Industrial Medicine, Volume 12, 1955 entitled "Talcosis
1
of Unusually Rapid Development" by A-l-i-v-i-s-a-1
2
P-o-n-t-i-- k-a-k-i-s, and T-e-r-z-i-s.
3
And then Number 84 is Industrial Hygiene Review,
4
Volume 4, Hay, 1961, No. l, Division of Industrial
5
Hygiene Department of Labor, State of New York. Article
6
appears to be entitled "Problem Areas in
7
Pneumoconiosis". Authors appear to be Morris Kleinfeld,
8
K-l-e-i-n-f-e-l-d, and Jack Messite, M-e-s-s-i-t-e.
9
And since Hr. Hays has withdrawn apparently to
10
call the other attorney, I suppose we will defer
11
the questioning until his return. At least that is
12
the practice where I am from.
13
(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)
14
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Number 81, let me show this to
15
you, please, and would you tell me, is this one of the articles
16
that you asked the attorney to retrieve?
17
A.
Yes, it is.
18
Q.
Did he bring the list, by the way, with him?
19
A.
Yes, he did.
20
Q.
Do you have that with you?
21
A.
Yes, I do.
22
Q.
Yes, that is the one I noticed this morning.
23
A.
It's kind of a mess. Written on the back of
24
>f scrap paper.
25
Q.
Let me --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
99
1
A.
The thing is, I would like to get it back so I can
2
try and retrieve the ones I haven't gotten yet.
3
MR. HAYS: Can we have someone run a copy of
4
that so we could have that today?
5
MR. CROSBY: Sure.
6
MR. HAYS: We have got a copy service here in
7
the motel.
8
MR. CROSBY: We will mark that as Exhibit No. 85.
9
Q*
(By Mr. Crosby) Would you tell tell us what No.
10
85 is, please?
11
HR. HAYS: By the way, there is certain material
12
on the back of this that is marked out that is not
13
pertaining to this litigation. Let's take a look and
14
see what that says.
15
THE WITNESS: It says something about Mr. Crosby.
16
Q. (By Mr. Crosby) I hope you spelled it right.
17
A. This is a list of articles that I have not
18
collected as of last evening, or at least it was a list that
19
was intended to be the list of articles I still needed to get
20
from the library. Some of them I in fact did find last
21
evening, and I scratched them out at that time. Others I have
22
since obtained, and I have scratched them out today. And there
23
still looks like about nine or ten articles to go.
24
And I also wanted to eventually review the abstracts
25
published in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Bulletin of
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
n
1
Hygiene. Although the abstracts would simply be secondary
2
references to primary articles, which I believe I substantially
3
have or will have with the completion of what is on this list.
4
Some of these are here just for color, if you will.
5
Article in 1896 published in a German journal, and it is the
6
first report of Talcosis, cited by many subsequent authors, so
7
I thought it would be interesting to see it, although from the
8
standpoint of notice to subsequent articles starting in the
9
1930s would seem to be quite ample since many of them appear in
10
the English language anyway, and review what Thorel had said.
11
Q.
Is Thorel one that you've obtained or one you are
12
still trying to obtain?
13
A.
It's the latter category. The ones that are not
14
crossed out are still articles outstanding that I would hope to
15
obtain in the near future.
16
Q.
Exhibits 81, 82, 83 and 84 are articles that the
17
attorney obtained for you?
18
A.
They are articles that the attorney was able to
19
find in the University of Maryland Medical Library, and that is
20
so indicated on some of the articles. One of these, The
21
Department of Labor Report, I don't recall being on there, but
22
maybe it was.
23
Q.
Let me give you 85, and you can tell me if it is
24
on there, please.
25
A.
I am at a loss to say how the attorney managed to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
come up with this one. It's not on my list of the articles
2
that I wanted to obtain. Somehow he found it. I really -- I
3
don't know the story there. It's just one of many articles by
4
Morris Kleinfeld and his co-worker Jacqueline Messite on the
5
New York State talc workers.
6
Q.
Can we assume, given your previous glowing reports
7
as to the attributes of the attorney to locate articles, that
3
if he was unable to locate certain of those articles as a
9
result of his search and did not bring them back here that they
10
must not be in the library?
11
A. No. Unfortunately --
12
MR. HAYS: I think we now even have a lowering
13
opinion of the capabilities of lawyers in general for
14
research.
15
THE WITNESS: This fellow managed to bring back
16
a cover page from the British Journal of Industrial
17
Medicine from 1949. I wanted two articles from 1949
18
and 1950. Stapled to the cover page of the 1949 are the
19
1950 articles. The 1949 article is still sitting in the
20
medical library.
21
Q. Assuming that it's there?
22
A.
Assuming that the volume attached to that cover
23
page is in the medical library, which would seem to be a safe
24
assumption. He also neglected to find an article by Leroy
25
Gardener in a journal described here as JAMA. He evidently
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2
1
didn't understand that I was referring to the Journal of the
2
American Medical Association, or simply overlooked it looking
3
down this very sloppy list of articles. I am pretty sure that
4
the medical library over there does have JAMA from 1938 on it's
5
shelf and not in storage, but I am not positive of that fact.
6
But I asked him about that, and he didn't really say I looked
7
for it and didn't find it. So much for attorneys as research
8
assistants.
9
Q.
So based on your experience with this one, you are
10
willing to categorize us all, I take it?
11
No* * 3111 just a little more circumspect in what I
12
think that people whose skill in life, one would think would be
13
the assimilation and compilation of written knowledge, that
14
such skills are not often as finely honed as one might expect.
15
Q.
Do we know which law school he went to?
16
MR. HAYS: Somewhere in the south. I don't know.
17
I was just responding to your humor, sir.
18
MR. CROSBY: You will find that those of us from
19
the south are constantly being barraged, and we have
20
become quite calm.
21
MR. HAYS: I won't argue that with you.
22
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Mow then, looking at No. 85, the
23
document which is the list that is crossed through, that list,
24
No. Exhibit 85 is not your initial list, is it?
25
A.
No. This is what is left yet to be looked up and
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 83-
1
possibly applied to the stack of articles that would relate to
2
what was available in terms of published knowledge on talc
3
hazards.
4
Q.
And you are going to bring that initial list with
5
you tomorrow along v/ith other materials that we have discussed?
6
A.
Along with all the other materials -- well, I have
7
a specific list, and v/e can go over at the end of the day what
8
I am agreeing to bring tomorrow.
9
Q.
Could I see No. 80, please? It's the index to the
10
articles.
11
HR. HAYS: Have you marked it?
12
HR. CROSBY: I marked it, and I think someone's
13
taken it out to copy it. Do you have your copy?
14
HR. HAYS: I have got a copy, but I don't want
15
it to suffer the same fate.
16
HR. CROSBY: It won't. I'm going to keep it right
17
here.
18
HR. HAYS: I don't want it marked either.
19
MR. CROSBY: It won't be marked.
20
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) what I am trying to find out, do
21
you recall if your list includes the works by Vigliani in Italy
22
during the late '30s and '40s?
23
A.
I don't think it does.
24
Q.
Do you have those works of Vigliani.
25
A.
I don't think I do. I have seen reference to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
ZA
1
V i g l i a m publishing reports of two fatal cases of asbestosis in
2
1941. And Vigliani has also written abstracts which appeared
3
in the Bulletin of Hygiene, which I cited in my book, at least
4
once.
5 Q. Have you seen any studies of Vigliani or
6
references to where Vigliani opined that a safe concentration
7
of asbestos could be accomplished at approximately 200 fibers
8
per cc?
9
A.
When was this?
10
Q. In the late '30s or the '40s?
11
A. I guess you will have to find the article. The
12
article may have been in Italian for one thing. I have not
13
been able nor have I tried to translate every single article
14
that has been published on the hazards of asbestos, especially
15
if the articles related to factory workers, of which there are
16
so many published articles on asbestosis in factory workers
17
that usually there wasn't any basis in my mind for expecting to
18
find anything particularly new in such articles.
19
I would also question your description of the articles,
20
because they weren't doing fiber counts back in 1939. They
21
were doing particle counts, and so --
22
Q.
I stand corrected. Two hundred particles per cc;
23
do you recall reading anything along that line in the Italian
24
literature dealing with threshold limit values for asbestos?
25
A.
Well, that wouldn't surprise me, because 170
n On
TV P O A / i t m n n
-as.
1
particles per cc is equivalent to five million particles per
2
cubic foot, so Vigliani may have adopted that from Dreessen and
3
just sort of rounded it up a little bit as a fitting figure
4
perhaps that Italian workers are more resistant to asbestosis
5
than American workers.
6
Q.
I understand what your surmise and opinion is. My
7
question was: Do you recall reading that in the literature?
8
A.
I do not recall reading that.
9
Q.
Looking at No. 85, is there any method to that
10
document as to which ones are crossed out as to who obtained
11
them and from what source they were obtained?
12
A. No.
13
Q. So when it*s crossed out it could have either been
14
obtained by you by going through your library at your office or
15
home, or -- well, the only other source would be this attorney;
16
is that correct?
17
A.
Or Paul Edholm. Because in some cases I had
18
listed an article as something that we needed to get only to
19
find later on that I already had it and then crossed it out.
20
So there are some like that on this list too.
21
Q.
And then on the side opposite the exhibit sticker
22
are there also some articles?
23
A. You mean on the reverse side?
24
Q. Yes, sir.
25
A. On the reverse side there is reference to
r.s.p. A.q.qnrTA'PEfl
1
abstracts in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene, and yes, an
2
article by Bauder, the German expert in Berlin on occupational
3
diseases writing in the German Medical Weekly, in 1950 a
4
review article on talc according to other references, is what
5
that is.
6
And also I have made a note that I would like to go
7
through the abstracts of particularly the Journal of Industrial
8
Hygiene and the Bulletin of Hygiene in order to simply, you
9
know, make sure that I have covered what was easily available
10
in this country, and at the same time come up with abstracts in
11
English of articles, the originals which may have been perhaps
12
published in other languages, and then which were abstracted in
13
the United States or Britain and English within a year or two
14
of their publication date. These are sources that were
15
available in this country and therefore relevant.
16
Q.
Would you recite to us in the record just the ones
17
that you do not have, based on that?
18
A.
The references that I do not have, and I am not
19
sure about the first line, I have got three references by
20
Kleinfeld and his co-workers out of the Archives of
21
Environmental Health. I think when the documents come back
22
from the copying services we may find that one or two of these
23
are actually already in our possession. These are articles
24
published in 1963, 1964 and 1965, if that's sufficient.
25
The next is an article by McLaughlin in the British
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
ax
1
Journal of Industrial Medicine in 1949. That is not in the
2
collected group so far, although we do have another article by
3
McLaughlin. And McLaughlin in this case is reporting on a case
4
of talcosis or talc pneumoconiosis in a tire manufacturing
5
plant worker according to other references that state this, so
6
that is certainly one we want to get.
7
The next is Gardener in JAMA 1938, I think a general
8
article on pneumoconioses. I don't know what it says on talc.
9
I have forgotten whatever reference there was to it in the
10
other sources.
11
Q. Is this Leroy u. Gardener?
12
A. The one and only Dr. Leroy Gardener.
13
Next is Thorel's article, which we have already
14
discussed, the article on talc pneumoconiosis published in the
15
German Journal in 1896.
16
The next one is the article by Feinberg in Archives of
17
Pathology. And I believe that the reference, I am going to put
18
question mark beside it, because I think the reference is
19
wrong.
20
The highly educated attorney who went to the library
21
went and got me Volume 24, Page 65, 1937, an article that had
22
nothing to do with talc. So apparently Feinberg's article was
23
not cited right or not copied right as far as the reference
24
goes, and it would take a little bit of poking around through
25
the index or whatever of the Archives of Pathology to get the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
right reference and pull the article.
2
The next is an article buy Kipling in a journal called
3
Transaction of the Association of Industrial Medical Officers
4
published in 1960.
5
The next is article by Messite which we may already
6
have, Archives of Industrial Health, 1959.
7
The next article by Williams, this is not in the Medical
8
Journal. It's called "Talc Dust in the Rubber Industries" and
9
it was published in a journal called Safety Engineering in
10
1937. That should be interesting. Williams, I believe was
11
with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and did such things as
12
petrographic analysis of silted dust on rafters in asbestos
13
plants in the 1930s.
14
The next is Carozzi in a medical weekly published in
15
1941. And I believe I have already talked about what is on the
16
other side of the page.
17
Q.
Would you spell the last one?
18
A.
Carozzi?
19
Q. Yes.
20
A.
C-a-r-o- z-z-i.
21
Q.
And that was 19 what?
22
A.
1941.
23
Q.
The Williams article was 1937?
24
A.
Right.
25
Q.
Is that right?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A. Yes.
2
Q. And Kipling?
3
A. 1960.
4
Q.
Looking at No. 81 could you give me the title of
5
that, please? I am sorry, but my list has wandered out.
6
A.
it's called "Effects of Certain Silicate Dust on
7
the Lungs".
3
Q.
And that was in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene?
9
A. Right.
10
Q. 1941?
11
A. No, 1933, Dreessen.
12
Q. Does that reference mention any health effects of
13
talc or asbestos or both?
14
A. Yes. Well, it talks about talc.
15
Q.
Do you recall seeing any reference to asbestos in
16
that particular article?
17
A.
I don't think the word "asbestos" is used. They
18
talk about a tremolite talc. And I have to say, I haven't -- I
19
got this article and saw it for the first time about an hour
20
ago. I haven't really spent that much time looking at it. So
21
maybe somewhere in here the word "asbestos" appears. I don't
22
see it.
23
Q.
Would that be true also with respect to Number 82,
24
83 and 84 with respect to how much time you have had to review
25
those?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
LQ_
1
A.
I reviewed 82 a little more carefully. I am sure
2
the word
I am pretty sure the word "asbestos" doesn't appear
3
there, if that is your question.
4
Q.
And 82 is that the article by -- Excuse me.
5
Mr. Hays is pointing something out to you?
6
A. Mr. Hays has astutely noted in the first
7
introductory paragraph Dreessen has generally started out about
8
talking about pneumoconiosis. Asbestos is not here, the word
9
"asbestosis" is.
10
Q.
Back to No. 81 since that is what we were just
11
talking about.
12
A.
Right.
13
Q.
Is there any -- do your opinions, any of the
14
opinions that you express in this case regarding talc or
15
asbestos or soapstone or clay, are they based in whole or in
16
part on that article, No. 81?
17
A. Adjacent parts of that article, yes.
18
Q. What parts?
19
A. Well, the part on the article in that the author
20
Dr. Dreessen indicated people who breathe this kind of --
21
breathe talc dust, and this is a tremolite talc in Georgia, I
22
believe it was, that these people do develop a fine diffuse
23
bilateral fibrosis of the lungs which is definitely
24
demonstrable in the X-rays. It does contain a warning that
25
these people do get this material trapped in their lungs and it
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
does produce a fibrosis of the lungs which is demonstrable on
2
X-ray.
3
Q.
Does it distinguish between whether the talc or
4
tremolite is fibrous in nature or clay-like?
5
A.
I don't recall. You might find something in here
6
like that. It seems to me these earlier articles don't get
7
into that very much. I don't think until the '40s did they
3
start talking about fibers, possibly because of the work of
9
Leroy Gardener that was coning to light at the end of the '30s
10
and '40s where longer fibers of asbestos were attributed to
11
causing the fibrosis that asbestos caused, and people started
12
thinking maybe more in terms of its shape of the particles and
13
not their chemical constituants as the cause of disease.
14
Chemically talc and asbestos are very similar. So I
15
think at this stage they weren't very focused so much on the
16
shape of the particles as being the key factor in the causation
17
of disease.
18
Q.
Fiber type or substance type did take an issue,
19
did present itself as an issue in that particular study?
20
A.
I don't know what you mean. There is no
21
discussion of fiber type, there is no discussion of fibers in
22
terms of as far as I see, and maybe there is. I mean, as I
23
say, I haven't looked at this article.
24
HR. HAYS: Would you like to take a minute and
25
look at it for your purposes?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
HI
1
THE WITNESS: I hate to delay the deposition. I
2
don't think it will serve any purpose for me to sit
3
here for half an hour with each one of these articles
4
and answer questions that aren't central to the issues
5
of whether or not some of these articles constitute
6
form of notice to talc manufacturers that their product
7
might be a problem in terms of breathing it in health
8
terms.
9
Q.
(By fir. Crosby) Sir, I understand that you may
10
have formed opinions as to what may be or may not be central or
11
may be crucial in your own mind, but we here as attorneys are
12
here to develop what opinions you may have since you are
13
proffered as an expert in this case with respect to the
14
development of knowledge regarding asbestos, soapstone, talc
15
and kaolin, and you may have priority in which you wish to
16
present it. However, we have priority in which we wish to seek
17
your opinions and what you base them on.
18
You have stated you base your opinions in this case in
19
whole or in part upon that article. I am attempting to
20
determine from you what part of that opinion of the article
21
that you have in front of you, which is No. 81, and what parts
22
of the opinions you have that you rely on. If none of your
23
opinions are based upon that article in whole or in part, then
24
we can simply move on. But if you state they are, I would like
25
to make inquiry.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2Z
1
A.
Well, there is a long way and a short way of doing
2
everything. We will do it whatever way you want to do it
3
because you are asking the questions.
4
Q.
I like to think there is a right way.
5
A. May I finish my answer?
6
Q. You may answer.
7
A.
_It's the summary I was reading to you from which
8
appears on Page 78, is the author's summary of their findings.
9
Q*
Yes, sir, I notice that it's highlighted. Did you
10
do that highlighting or did the attorney that did the research
11
do the highlighting?
12
A.
That is my mark in the margin. Mow, I believe
13
your question was whether they talked about -- whether the talc
14
was a fibrous talc, whether there were fibers in the talc. Is
15
that what you wanted to know?
16
Q.
I believe my question was: Was not one of the
17
matters addressed in that fiber type?
18
A
I don't know what you mean by that question.
19
Q.
Is tremolite a type of asbestos fiber?
20
A.
Yes, it can be. But that is not, as far as I can
21
see, discussed in this article.
22
Q.
You have me at a disadvantage in that you have
23
seen the articles, albeit briefly, and I have not, except to
24
put a sticker on it. You say you rely on it, therefore I am
25
asking what it says in that respect.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2JL
1
MR. HAYS: You commented about the mark on the
2
page. Obviously you paid some attention to it.
3
MR. CROSBY: I can see it from here, Counselor,
4
on the last page, next to the last paragraph.
5
THE WITNESS: As far as I can see, this article
6
doesn't talk about tremolite in the context that you
7
frame your question, namely as a type of asbestos fiber.
8
Q*
(By Mr. Crosby) The generic term quote "asbestos"
9
close quote, was not utilized when referring to "asbestiform
10
contaminant", close quote, rather the word "tremolite" was
11
used?
12
A. The word "tremolite* was used.
13
Q.
Does that article, in your opinion, provide any
14
information with respect to health aspects of asbestos?
15
A. Well, it points out that the importance --
16
Q. Mr. Hays is pointing.
17
A.
He doesn't need to point. It's the only place in
18
the article asbestos is mentioned.
19
MR. HAYS: That is the part we discussed earlier
20
where it says asbestosis in the 1933 article. I think
21
I am referring to the one you are referring to. I am
22
pointing it out that you are pointing it out to him.
23
THE WITNESS: The one place in the article that
24
mentions asbestosis says this is a disease that has
25
recently been recognized. So to that extent, someone
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
could learn about asbestosis by reading this article.
2
Q.
Referring to No. 82, it's an article by --
3
A.
This is an unsigned editorial in the British
4
Medical Journal called "Dangerous Talc".
5
Q.
Have you since learned the author of that unsigned
6
editorial?
7
A.
Mo. it stands as a statement of the editor or
8
editors of the journal, British Medical Journal.
9
Q.
Back up. What year was that published?
10
A.
1948.
11
Q.
In 1948 are you aware of documents that state that
12
unsigned editorials appearing in that journal are the opinions
13
of the editorial staff of that journal?
14
A.
Let me just answer your question this way. There
15
are not explicit statements to that effect, but that is the way
16
journals work. These editorials are not written by carpenters,
17
they are published by professionals of the editors of the
18
journal. They may not be written by the editor of the journal,
19
but if they are unsigned, they stand as a statement of the
20
editor, because the editor bears the responsibility for having
21
published every word of this thing. That is the way it is.
22
Q.
Is that true with all journals?
23
A.
That is my understanding of unsigned editorials in
24
British Medical Journals.
25
Q.
My question to you is: Is that the practice of
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
all journals?
2
3
sir.
I don't know what the practice of all journals is,
4
Q.
Was it the practice of all scientific and medical
5
journals at that time?
6
A.
I think it's safe to assume that it was, but it's
7
also possible that there is some kind of exception of some
8
sort. I can't imagine what the exception would be though. The
9
editor's bear responsibility of what they publish. If they
10
publish it without anyone's name on it as an editorial, it's
11
their statement.
12
Q.
What tangible evidence do you have that unsigned
13
editorials appearing in published medical and scientific
14
journals during the 1930s, '40s and '50s and '60s were the
15
official position of the editors?
16
A.
I have only the -- the only actual proof in that
17
sense is my discussion with Dr. Hueper who was invited to write
18
editorials for a number of journals. He said if he published
19
an editorial in a journal, as for example in 1955 in the
20
American Journal of Clinical Pathology and the editorial
21
carried his name, that he could make statements which were his
22
own opinions and were as fully strong as his opinions were. If
23
he wrote an editorial for the, say, Journal of American Medical
24
Association, was the example he gave, and it was to be an
25
unsigned editorial, he had to write a slightly more
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
conservative appraisal than he would have written in this own
2
name, because it was written as an editorial for the editor of
3
the journal, and would be presumed to be a statement of the
4
editor.
5
Q.
So are you saying then that Dr. Hueper's opinions
6
were altered or manipulated by editors of these journals when
7
they caused him to be more conservative?
8
A.
I am only saying Dr. Hueper's expression was a
9
little more tempered in cases where he was writing for the
10
editor of the journal as oppose to writing in his own name. In
11
other words, at a certain point the information becomes a
12
opinion, and the opinions that he would give would be
13
a little less far reaching, not appreciably different, but
14
slightly different.
15
Q.
Do I take it that the tempering of one's opinion
16
with respect to medical and scientific matters is an acceptable
17
practice when it comes to presenting unsigned editorials?
18
A.
I think that when it comes to matters of style
19
this can be done without compromising one's integrity, and I
20
certainly believe that is what Dr. Hueper was able to do.
21
Q.
Where could we talk with Dr. Hueper and see if
22
your recollection of your discussion is correct?
23
A.
I am afraid Dr. Hueper died in December of 1978.
24
And like you, I have many questions that I have that I regret I
25
am unable to ask him now.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
jia
1
Q.
Did you make any notes or have any recordings of
2
your discussions with Dr. Hueper?
3
A.
I d o n 't think I retained any such documents.
4
Q.
Are you saying -- did you make notes at the time?
5
MR. HAYS: You just asked him a question. He's
6
trying to respond.
7
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) My question was simply: Does he
8
have notes?
9
A.
I may have made notes of one of my discussions
10
back at the time I was visiting with him.
11
Q.
Do you still have those notes?
12
A.
I have no idea.
13
Q.
Do you know where you would be able to find them
14
if you retained them?
15
A. No. I would just have to ransack my files.
16
Q. You may have some evidence that could enlighten us
17
in this matter, but you don't know where it is?
18
A.
I don't need to go through my files. Dr. Hueper's
19
bibliography is on file at the National Library of Medicine,
20
History of Medicine section, and includes a number of
21
editorials which were unsigned editorials that appeared in the
22
Journal of the American Medical Association.
23
Q.
Does it provide us with the drafts or his versions
24
as he would have written it had it not been unsigned?
25
A.
I don't think there were any such drafts. I mean
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
33
1
he wrote it for certain audiences with a certain understanding,
2
I suppose. I don't know what sort of iteration these things
3
went through. I gather he didn't have any problem with the
4
editor or he wouldn't have invited him to write articles in the
5
first place.
6
Q.
Is that gleaned with your conversation with
7
Dr. Hueper? Or is that an assumption you are making?
8
A.
It's based on Dr. Hueper's discussion with me
9
where he said up until the Journal of the American Medical
10
Association was changed he was given a number of opportunities
11
to write such articles, and after changing editorship he was no
12
longer called upon to do so.
13
Q.
What, if anything, does that indicate to you?
14
A.
Dr. Hueper thought it indicated that second editor
15
was substantially less concerned about occupational
16
environmental cancer than the one that he replaced, whose name
17
I am trying to recall. Morris something or another.
18
Anyway, this guy had been the editor of JAMA and retired
19
in 1950 and was replaced by someone else named Austin Smith,
20
and Dr. Smith never contacted Dr. Hueper to write any articles.
21
Q. Do you have anytangible evidence other than your
22
recollection of Dr. Hueper regarding why hewas not contacted?
23
A. No.
24
Q. Do you have any information or evidence with
25
respect to why Dr. Hueper was not contacted?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
inn
1
A.
Only the information that I have* the information
2
from my discussions with Dr. Hueper, which I have related to
3
you.
4
Q.
If Dr. Hueper was not contacted, he doesn't know
5
why they didn't contact him either, does he?
6
A.
My conversations with Dr. Hueper were not as
7
elaborate as your questions to me, so I can't answer.
8
Q.
With respect to No. 82, is this an article by
9
Hendryx?
10
A.
82 is the one we just --
11
Q. That is the unsigned one?
12
A. Yes. What about Hendryx?
13
Q.
Do you rely on this article, No. 82, in whole or
14
in part in forming any of your opinions with respect to
15
asbestos, talc, soapstone or clay?
16
A. Yes.
17
Q. Could you tell me, please, what it is in there
18
that you rely upon and what it tells you?
19
A. What this tells you, first it's entitled
20
"Dangerous Talc" published in one of the most prominent medical
21
journals in the English language in the world, and indicates
22
that getting talc in your body can cause adverse affects.
23
Q.
Does it discuss what type of talc, if it's babies'
24
powder talc? Contaminated? Uncontaminated? Does it give you
25
anything other than that, or is just the word "talc" used?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
in i
1
A.
Just the word "talc".
2 Q Does it's in any way relate to tire workers or
3
rubber workers?
4
5
workers.
No, it doesn't discuss tire workers or rubber
6
MR. HAYS: Let me ask you something about that
7
last question. Do you mean dangerous talc or talc does
8
not apply to rubber workers? Or that particular
9
article does not name or name tire workers?
10
THE WITNESS: This particular article.
11
MR. HAYS: I was referring to Counsel's question,
12
because we're certainly not saying talc is not dangerous
13
to tire workers.
14
THE WITNESS: We're saying the article doesn't
15
say anything about tire workers, this particular article
16
doesn't make reference to tire workers.
17
Q
(By Mr. Crosby) From that article do you form any
18
opinions with respect to the talc utilized at the Miami,
19
Oklahoma plant as opposed to the talc referred to in that
20
ar^ c^ e and circumstances underwhich it was used?
21
A.
i only infer that this is one more statement in a
22
prominent place in the medical literature which very clearly
23
indicates that talc is dangerous to get in your body.
24
Q.
Based on that, if I am understanding you right,
25
all talc under all situations is dangerous?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
lfl2
1 A. Well, not necessarily. But the article raises the
2
question that must be presumed, that there isn't anything in
3
here to exculpate any kind of talc from the assertion made.
4
This doesn't say the only type of talc that we consider
5
dangerous is type "A", and if you have type "B", don't worry.
6
It doesn't say that in here, it says talc is dangerous, it
7
says "Dangerous Talc" in the title of the article, and there is
8
no further elaboration about the kind of people talked about in
9
other places or later years about what about talc might be
10
dangerous.
11
Q.
Is that one of the shortcomings of that article,
12
in your opinion, the fact it doesn't discuss different types of
13
talc and situations under which it may be a hazard?
14
A.
it may be a shortcoming in the sense that the
15
authors don't have complete information about what was
16
dangerous about talc. But it's not a shortcoming in the sense
17
that it constitutes a form of notice to people who are in the
18
talc business.
19
Q.
Was baby powder being used about the time that
20
article was published?
21
A.
i assume so. I understand cornstarch was used a
22
lot before.
23
Q.
What is the difference between French chalk and
24
talc as used at the Miami, Oklahoma plant?
25
A.
i don't think I can answer that question. I think
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
that is for Dr. Rohl -- is it Dr. Rohl on this case, or
2
Dr. Langer?
------
3
HR. HAYS: Dr. Rohl.
4
THE WITNESS: The mineralogist can answer
5
questions about that. I haven't made any investigation
6
about mineralogy in the Miami plant.
7
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Would you agree a mineralogist
8
who was able to review an article as it pertained to their
9
particular product would be in a better position to opine what
10
the article said as to the product?
11
A.
i think it depends on the specific article and
12
what the article conveys.
13
Q.
What is No. 83, please, sir?
14
A.
This is a publication of authors in Greece.
15
Q. And what year was that?
16
A.
This was 1955 published in the British Journal of
17
Industrial Medicine.
18
Q.
Before you go on to it can you tell me if you
19
relied on that article in whole or in part in forming your
20
opinions in this case relating to asbestos?
21
A. Yes, I do.
22
Q.
What part of that article do you rely upon in
23
whole or in part with respect to asbestos?
24
A.
Well, there is a paragraph on Page 48 which says,
25
"More recent research has shown there is such a clinical entity
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
as talcosis. Our observations confirm more recent work--
2
reference Gardener in *39, Policard in '40, Parmeggiani in '48,
3
and some other authors who look like Scandinavians in '49,
4
McLaughlin in '49, Baader in 1950, and the sentence continues
5
-- and encourages us to accept the fact that talc can produce
6
fibrotic pneumoconiosis with functional disturbances."
7
They also have a summary on Page 49, "Our analysis of
8
pulmonary function studies are indicative generally of several
9
degrees of impaired pulmonary function. The results of the
10
analysis of these findings suggest that ventilatory as well
11
alveolar respiratory insufficiency was present, it's possible
12
that the fibrotic changes found in talcosis produce changes in
13
alveolar aeration and perfusion. It's evident that this is an
14
important factor in the production of pulmonary insufficiency."
15
And they go on to have a short summary mentioned they have seen
16
eight cases of talcosis in mill workers developing after and
17
unusually short exposure to talc.
18
Q.
Have you completed your answer?
19
A.
Yes.
20
Q.
Now, I move to strike. My question was, Doctor --
21
MR. HAYS: You asked him what part of that article
22
in whole or in part do you rely upon, and he responded.
23
MR. CROSBY: With respect to asbestos, and I said
24
what part do you rely on with respect to asbestos.
25
MR. HAYS: I didn't hear it.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
JL.U3
1
MR. CROSBY: Let's have the court reporter read it
2
back.
3
MR. HAYS: You changed your question, because
4
ordinarily you say asbestos, talc, soapstone, clay or
5
kaolin. Maybe you are reading the paper and
6
not reading your questions.
7
MR* CROSBY: Let me respond to that. I am not
8
reading any paper, it's just that maybe you're just
9
doz ing.
10
MR. HAYS: It's because you are pausing so long
11
between your questions, you are wasting the day with
12
your long pauses and putting us all to sleep.
13
MR. CROSBY: This is a scientific area, Counsel,
14
and it takes me a while to frame my questions and listen
15
to responses and determine what next question I should
16
ask, and the manner in which I should ask it, and this
17
v/itness has told us countless times that he has been
18
deposed, and therefore I assume that he listens to the
19
questions.
20
THE WITNESS: I answered it in that context.
21
There is nothing in here about asbestos.
22
Q. (By Mr. Crosby) The question was about asbestos.
23
A. The word "asbestos", as far as I see, doesn't
24
appear in the article. This is about talcosis.
25
Q.
Doctor, turning now to No. 84. Would you tell us
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
IQS
1
what that deals with? And I hope that you understand, Doctor,
2
that I don't have the articles before me, I don't know what
3
you're going to say, and I don't know what they say, so it does
4
take me a while to listen to what you say and frame ray next
5
question. So if you'll please tell me what the name of that
6
article is?
7
A.
"Problem Areas in Pneumoconiosis".
8
Q.
Do you base any of your opinions in this case in
9
whole or in part upon that article?
10
A.
Yes, insofar as the article refers to talc.
11
Q.
Do you base any of your opinions relating to
12
asbestos on that article?
13
A.
I don't think so. It's peripheral at best to the
14
literature on asbestos disease.
15
Q.
Does it provide you any information relating to
16
asbestos that you did not have prior to having seen that
17
article?
18
A. I don't think so, but I am familiar with the work
19
of Kleinfeld and his co-workers, and I have reviewed some of
20
these articles before I obtained this one. I mean there may be
21
some reference to asbestos, but basically it's an article on
22
other kinds of pneumoconiosis, and I found the part about talc
23
especially pertinent to this case.
24
Q.
I understand what you may have found pertinent,
25
but my question is and my chore here is in part to determine if
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
anything in that article affects any of your opinions in whole
2
or in part relating to asbestos?
3
A. No.
4
Q.
All right, sir. Now, withrespect to talc,
5
soapstone or clay, what is there in that article in your
6
opinion that imparts knowledge respecting health aspects of any
7
or all of those substances?
8
A.
(No response.)
9
Q.
Doctor, I do not mean to rush you,but if you need
10
to take a break for you to review that article, I am certainly
11
happy to do that. I understand that it takes a while to read
12
these materials and perhaps comprehend them, so if you need to
13
take a break, feel free to let us know that, and we can break
14
for a few minutes.
15
A.
No, I found the part on talc. It starts on Page
16
5, talks about "Talc dust in different mills, and indicates
17
that in the plant where the worker's exposure was to fibrous
18
rather than the granular variety of talc is significantly
19
higher. Incidence of dyspnea, productive cough and chest pain
20
occurred. Similarly the chest X-ray, the X-ray findings of the
21
chest were more abnormal in this group."
22
And I am going to mark that if you don't mind. I am
23
sure you won't.
24
Q. I don't mind it being marked for purposes of the
25
deposition, we will object to any markings or lineations if at
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
time of trial the testimony or evidence is permitted.
2
A.
Anyway, so this is a further elaboration on the
3
kinds of information that is coming to the floor on talc as of
4
1961, particularly in the state of New York where they had an
5
asbestiforra talc mining area under study.
6
Q.
In that article does it discuss whether or not the
7
quote "talc" close quote is quote "contaminated" close quote?
8
And if so, with what?
9
A.
Well, they talk about asbestiform or fibrous talc,
10
so I think we can conclude -- well, let's just take another
11
look.
12
Q.
Again, Doctor, you can certainly take your time.
13
If it would be better for us to take a break, feel free to do
14
that.
15
A.
I really rather use the time as effectively as
16
possible, because there is a limited amount of my time that I
17
can make available for this proceeding. That is why I chose
18
not to ask for breaks anymore than necessary.
19
Q.
Counsel complained about the time taken up for
20
asking questions, and I just wanted you to know that we would
21
extend the courtesy to let you know we would let you take the
22
time to answer them.
23
A.
I appreciate your courtesy. I don't believe I can
24
add much to what it says. They say there is less serious lung
25
disease in the workers that they have looked at handling
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
fibrous talc than in workers that they have looked at handling
2
a non-fibrous talc.
3
Q.
Is it --
4
A. More serious disease in the fibrous talc workers.
5
Q* So does that article discuss whether or not there
6
are contaminants, and if there are, what they are?
7
A.
i don't think they go into it. They just refer to
8
it --
9
MR. HAYS: Could I ask you what you mean by
10
contaminants?
11
MR. CROSBY: Let me ask the Doctor since he used
12
that word earlier.
13
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Doctor what do you mean when you
14
refer to talc or quote "talc" close quote, that is
15
contaminated?
16
A.
Well, talcs have various types of mixtures. Pure
17
talc dust, the mineral called talc, is a very unusual thing.
18
The industrial grade talcs commonly contain such things as
19
silica and tremolite. The article by Schultz and Williams in
20
1942 is indicative of the range of minerals that are found in
21
industrial talcs, whether you want to call them contaminants or
22
not, they are there.
23
Q.
I don't mind. I am just trying to find out if
24
that word is a word you are comfortable with. If that is what
25
it indicates to you, I will certainly use that word.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
im
1
A.
I am not totally comfortable with it, but it's a
2
word you can use. They are not contaminants in the sense that
3
they were inadvertently added. They were there to begin with.
4
They were part of the mineral that was being dug out of the
5
ground by some company or another.
6
Q.
So would you prefer using the term pure talc
7
versus non pure talc?
8
A.
i suppose. I suppose that might be a little bit
9
more precise.
10
Q.
And then is asbestiform talc in your opinion
11
opinion the same thing as a talc that contains asbestos as a
12
contaminant that occurs naturally?
13
A.
That is my understanding, yes.
14
Q.
All right, sir.
15
A.
That is what I think it is, although the real
16
experts on that would be the mineralogists.
17
Q.
If your understanding as to what an asbestiform
18
talc is is incorrect, would it alter your opinions with respect
19
to talc in any way?
20
A.
Depends how it was incorrect and in what manner.
21
Q.
Have you done any type of research to determine
22
what is meant by asbestiform talc?
23
A.
I have read what appears in the literature on
24
talcosis. I hasn't gone to the extent of reading a great deal
25
of literature which is of a mineralogic and geologic nature,
a.CRnrTa'PPC!
1
although such literature is available. What is not available
2
is time to go and do every single thing that might answer every
3
single question that I could conceivably be asked.
4
Q.
With respect to Nos. 82, 83 and 84, is there any
5
information relating to the exposure levels of the workers
6
who
and the opinion of the authors, who have contracted what
7
you relate to me as talc associated conditions or diseases?
8
A.
I don't see any dust counts. Here there is. 83.
9
Q.
Would you help me with what the title is?
10
A.
The article by the Greek authors in the British
11
Journal of Industrial Medicine in 1955 does have air sampling
12
data, units of talc particles per liter of air.
13
82 doesn't have quantitative information on exposure.
14
34, I don't believe contains such information.
15
Q.
Do any of those articles deal specifically with
16
individual's exposed to pure or non-pure talc in a tire worker
17
or rubber worker situation?
18
A.
Ho, none of these three, 83, or 82, 83 and 84 do
19
not.
20
Q.
What about 81? I have got it. I am sorry. it
21
was in front of me.
22
A.
81 doesn't either. These are mine and mill
23
workers.
24
Q.
What were the exposure levels in Mo. 83?
25
A.
They were in unusual units that would require some
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J_L2
1
conversion to get them into million particles per cubic foot.
2
They are given as talc particles per one thousand milliliters
3
of air, per liter of air. The information is on Table 3.
4
There are a lot of numbers here.
5
Q.
Were these measurements of talc -- I know it says
6
talc particles, but can you tell from reading this article if
7
it was actually talc particles, or was it total particles and
8
all attributed to being talc?
9
A.
I don't think I can tell from reading the article
10
which they mean.
11
Q.
From looking at Table 3, are these ranges, is that
12
how you interpret it?
13
A.
Let me see it. I read this as a separate
14
measurement, not ranges.
15
Q.
Two separate measurements?
16
A.
Well, some cases two, some cases three, some cases
17
four. If you will look at it more closely, I think you will
18
agree.
19
Q.
And to convert this to talc particles per cc, one
20
would just divide by a thousand?
21
A.
Well, yes. No, hold it. Right. And then divide
22
by another 170 particles per cc is five million particles per
23
cubic foot.
24
MR. HAYS: Counsel, am I to assume you're assuming
25
lead for the talc people as well as abestos at this
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
414
1
point?
2
MR. CROSBY: No. I am just asking questions
3
about these particular articles. I am not assuming
4
lead for anybody.
5
MR. HAYS: We're producing the asbestos articles
6
tomorrow.
7
MR. CROSBY: I know, but I don't want to go
8
back through the same articles twice, I didn't think you
9
did, so when I cover an article, I try to cover it
10
fairly completely so that we don't have to do it twice.
11
If I go through it now and ask him the title and
12
everything about it, and ask about asbestos and he says
13
nothing, go back all through it again tomorrow on talc,
14
I am certainly willing to do it that way. I don't know.
15
I am just trying to do it --
16
MR. HAYS: We might be able to shorten this.
17
Let's take a break for a second, and I'll ask him about
18
these articles, we might be able to give you an answer
19
and you just won't have to ask any more questions from
20
your standpoint.
21
MR. CROSBY: All right, sir.
22
(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)
23
MR. HAYS: Back on the record. We took a break
24
to see if we could expedite the deposition. And I
25
have spoken with Dr. Castleraan. He has agreed that
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
i i. a
1
we will not rely-- his opinion will not be based upon
2
any of the articles that are identified as the quote,
3
unquote "talc articles" which comprise Exhibits 11
4
through 75, and four additional articles that were
5
provided after lunch which were 81 through --
6
MR. CROSBY: 84.
7
MR. HAYS: Where is the other article? There it
8
is.
9
THE WITNESS: Let me complete your representation.
10
No opinions that I have on the hazards of asbestos
11
will be based on any of the so-called talc articles
12
except insofar as such articles also appear on the list
13
of asbestos articles numbered 1 through about 349 on a
14
separate list, which has been marked as an exhibit.
15
I think that will take care of it.
16
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) All right, sir. Do you have a
17
separate list of all of the so-called talc articles that we can
18
look at so we can compare the talc list with the asbestos list
19
and see where there is a duplication?
20
A.
No.
21
Q.
Are you able to go through No. 80, do you think,
22
and let us know?
23
A.
i will do it during the deposition tomorrow with
24
when the documents get back here, or I will do it during the
25
deposition if the documents get back here between now and 5:00,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
I am going home at 5:00/ or you can do it yourself.
2
HR. HAYS: That's a good idea.
3
THE WITNESS: You will have plenty of time
4
eventually before trial. There are only about three
5
or four I think.
6
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) I understand we may have plenty
7
of time before trial. But one of the purposes for this notice
8
and subpoena and gathering is to find out what your opinions
9
are and what you base it on.
10
MR. HAYS: Well, Counselor, since you are going
11
through all those articles tomorrow, when you happen
12
upon those articles, then it will be --
13
MR. CROSBY: I am just trying to find out if there
14
is a shortcut, Mr Hays. If there's not, there's
15
not.
16
MR. HAYS: You are going to go through all those
17
articles tomorrow anyway, so what difference does it
18
make?
19
MR. CROSBY: Like I say, I don't mind doing it
20
the right way.
21
MR. HAYS: Me neither.
22
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Just so I understand it, your
23
opinions relating to health aspects of asbestos are not based
24
upon the quote "talc articles" which are Exhibits No. 11
25
through 75 and 81 through 84; is that correct?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
US.
1
A.
Correct, except insofar as such articles may also
2
appear on the list of 349 or so, which we have also marked as
3
exhibits somewhere.
4
Q.
Which is exhibit No. 80.
5
MR. HAYS: In order that we be perfectly clear,
6
we're not excluding anything that has to do with talc
7
with asbestos fibers or asbestiform talc. That is we're
0
talking about asbestos as distinct from talc with
9
asbestos in it. Are we tracking on that?
10
MR. CROSBY: Let me make sure. I think we are.
11
What you're telling me is that this witness --
12
HR. HAYS: May have opinions --
13
MR. CROSBY: will not relate to products that
14
were manufactured, produced and sold as being products
15
that were promulgated as asbestos-containing products.
16
His opinions with that respect will not rely on 11
17
through 75 and to 84 except duplicates on the list that
18
may contain asbestos in one form or another?
19
MR. HAYS: Correct.
20
MR. CROSBY: If we can agree to do it, I will
21
yield the witness to the talc people at this time with
22
the understanding that I can resume with asbestos
23
matters at a later point, either when we begin tomorrow
24
or the talc general examination is over. If I yield the
25
witness now, I do not want to be precluded from asking
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
414
1
other questions that I nay have about asbestos.
2
MR. HAYS: We will not preclude any further
3
questions by yourself, so long as they are not
4
repetitive. And we do ask you to consider our offer
5
nade off the record, which we will make on the record,
6
to shorten the deposition by incorporating by reference
7
the depositions that have to do with background and
8
other natters as we agreed to in the Cohen deposition.
9
MR. CROSBY: And like I said, I have discussed it
10
v/ith several people here, more people have shown up
11
since then, we will try to see if we can do something.
12
If we can, we can.
13
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Let me ask the witness, are
14
you -- have you checked about Friday?
15
A. No.
16
Q.
Are you aware of any commitments that you have for
17
Friday other than to be here?
18
A.
I am aware of the fact that work is piling up on
19
my desk.
20
Q. We all aresuffering from that.
21
A. Yes. Well, i suffer from it differently than you
22
do.
23
Q. Maybe not.
24
A.
And I have a limited amount of my time, my life's
25
time that I am willing to make available to be questioned about
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
na
1
anything in deposition this week, because I do have other
2
things I have to work on, such as the EPA's rule coining out
3
this week and whatever repercussions are going to result from
4
that, and other kinds of activities that I'm involved in that
5
don't have anything to do with litigation.
6
Q.
Let me ask you something about the EPA thing
7
tomorrow. As I understand it, you are going up there to hear
0
what the announcement is, you are not to participate in any
9
offical capacity with respect to that announcement, are you?
10
A.
i intend to participate.
11
Q.
In an official capacity?
12
A.
I will be representing the Natural Resources
13
Defense Counsel. We have taken a number of positions in papers
14
we have filed with the EPA in the course of this rule making.
15
Participated at the hearings and attended the hearings that
16
were held on the proposed rule for a week, and I intend to
17
participate in what goes on tomorrow as well.
18
Q.
I understand what your intentions are. I am just
19
trying to get an understanding as to what your role is in the
20
matter tomorrow since it may deal with your qualifications.
21
And what I am trying to find out is: Is your presence there
22
necessary for the announcement to be made?
23
A.
My presence isn't necessary for the administration
24
to tell the media what its view of its regulations are.
25
Q.
All right. So your --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
a
1
A.
But for a more balanced picture to be gotten
2
across, and for certain questions to probably be asked of the
3
government people, which the government people might not have
4
thought to raise on their own, which might raise some critical
5
aspects about their new regulations, it probably is essential
6
that I be there, and I intend to be.
7
Q.
Is it essential that you be there as an individual
8
for this group? Or is it essential that you be there as
9
someone who's a representative of the government?
10
A.
As a representative of the Natural Resources
11
Defense Counsel, the leading environmental group in the United
12
States that deals with toxic substances and confronts the
13
government time after time over such things as a need to
14
regulate asbestos.
15
Q.
But this -- What is it, National Resources
16
Defense Counsel?
17
A. Natural Resources Defense Counsel.
18
Q. That is not a government agency or entity, is it?
19
A. That is right, it's not.
20
Q. And you do not have any official governmental
21
capacity with respect to the EPA announcement at this time?
22
A. That's correct.
23
Q. Is the National Resources defense counsel what
24
some folks might call a lobby group?
25
A.
I suppose it's been called that by people in the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
12a
1
industry that were criticized by the NRDC. But the Natural
2
Resources Defense Counsel is a very highly regarded group in
3
the area of occupational or mainly environmental health.
4
Q.
I guess it's highly regarded by some and maybe not
5
highly regarded by others?
6
A.
Well, statements that they make and studies that
7
they do are reported by the leading stuffed-shirt east coast
8
newpapers as a fact, to which to my mind constitutes a very
9
high degree of recognition. These people who have been in
10
business a long time, Jacqueline Warren, with whom I worked on
11
this rule, has written more environmental legislation that
12
anybody probably now working for the Environmental Protection
13
Agency.
14
David Hawkins with the Natural Resources Defense Counsel
15
under 10 years back was the assistant administrator to the
16
director of the EPA in charge of all air pollution control
17
programs. These are the kind of people who work at the NRDC.
18
And in the field of environmental protection, the Natural
19
Resources Defense Counsel and the Environmental Defense fund
20
have an extremely good reputation for doing solid, competent
21
work, and not for going over the deep end about things that
22
aren't real problems.
23
Q.
I assume that there is some disagreement with
24
respect to your assessment of the organization for which you
25
consult?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
421
1
A.
I am sure the producers of Alar would disagree
2
with that.
3
Q. Is that the apple thing?
4
A. That is the pesticide that the Environmental
5
Protection Agency said it should ban, but it wouldn't be able
6
to ban until 1991, so we should be keeping apples in our
7
refrigerators until such time as they get together on banning
8
Alar.
9
Q.
Were you all instrumental in getting all the
10
grapes and everything in Chili banned?
11
A.
That had nothing to do with the Natural Resources
12
Defense Counsel or any environmental group. That was action
13
taken by the Pood and Drug Administration of the United States
14
for reasons best known by the FDA.
15
Q.
Did you support that action?
16
A.
I didn't really know what to make of it. They
17
analyzed one grape and found some kind of a trace of cyanide in
18
it. I don't consider that in a class with the deliberate
19
application of Alar to half the red apples grown in the United
20
states consumed by adults and children.
21
Q*
Let's see if I can find out who some of the quote
22
"stuffed-shirt", close quote, east coast newspapers are. Is
23
the New York Times one of those?
24
A.
That was the principal one to which I referred.
25
Q.
Do you find it to be a reputable and highly
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
122
1
regarded newspaper?
2
A.
Yes, I do.
3
Q.
And do you find it to have enjoyed that reputation
4
for over a century?
5
A.
I don't know how long it's had that reputation.
6
But I read the newspapers a lot, and I consider myself very
7
astute in appraising the quality of journalism of newspapers.
8
I've dealt with the media for 20 years in the field of
9
occupational and environmental health, and I've seen how they
10
report issues with which I am intimately familiar. And based
11
on that, I would characterize the New York Times as a very
12
competent newspaper, but also kind of a stuffy newspaper in the
13
way that it reports the news.
14
Q.
In your view of historical matters relating to
15
substances, did you note that the New York Times enjoyed a
16
reputation of attempting to correctly and accurately report
17
scientific matters?
18
A.
Well, I think that the New York Times does that as
19
well as any city newspaper in the country.
20
Q.
Is the Washington Post another stuffed-shirt
21
newspaper?
22
A.
They are a little less stuffy than the New York
23
Times.
24
Q.
But is it still one of them? Are we talking
25
degrees here?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A.
We're talking degrees here, yes.
2
Q.
How about the --
3
A.
We have got about --
4
Q.
How about the Wall Street Journal?
5
A.
Well, the Wall street Journal does very solid
6
reporting. It's editorials are another story. But the
7
reporting of the wall street Journal is remarkably good.
8
Q.
Do you find that it has enjoyed that reputation
9
for about a century or so?
10
A.
I don't really know how long. I mean, I am just
11
talking about my own experience as someone who, you know, for
12
example was very much involved in the aftermath of the Bophal
13
disaster and reading the New York Times and Wall Street
14
Journal, Washington Post every day for months on end about the
15
way they were covering that development, as well as all the
16
trade magazines in the chemical industry and other publications
17
from abroad.
18
MR. HAYS: Do you think this is relevant?
19
It's 4:30 in the afternoon, and you're going through
20
a list of newspapers.
21
HR. CROSBY: Yes, sir, and I will tie it up for
22
you at trial.
23
Q.
(By Mr. Crosby) Now, let me ask you this: Did
24
you go to Bophal and do an investigation of your own there?
25
A.
I didn't go to India. I had become acquainted
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----------- ------------- -- -- -------------------------------- 124.
1
with very many people who were involved in the situation both
2
in India and in the United States, one of whom I expect to meet
3
tonight.
4
MR. CROSBY: With the understanding that I will
5
be able to complete my questioning of this witness after
6
passing the witness temporarily for one of the talc
7
attorneys to make inquiry, I pass the witness and
8
reserve ray further questioning relating to asbestos in
9
general, and with respect to Owens-Corning Fiberglass in
10
particular. And I think counsel is aware that I have a
11
series of questions that will be perhaps quite lengthy,
12
and I do not want to in any way indicate that I am in
13
any way waiving my right to pursue those questions.
14
We got an agreement on that?
15
MR. HAYS: I haven't heard the questions yet.
16
MR. CROSBY: I understand. You may not like some
17
of the questions as we go along, and you may have some
18
reservations about some of the questions, or objections,
19
but if for instance --
20
MR. HAYS: You are not waiving your right to ask
21
them, I understand that. You can about newspapers
22
tomorrow if you want to, and the funny papers in
23
particular.
24
MR. CROSBY: No. Those are the only ones I needed
25
to ask about at this time, unless I see some of them in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
125.
1
the materials that he has tomorrow that are provided
2
that formed the basis of some of his opinions. So I
3
temporarily yield --
4
MR. HAYS: It's 4:30, 4:30 is my time. Let's go
5
off the record for just a second.
6
(Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record.)
7
.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
8
BY MR. HINKLE;
9
Q.
Mr. Castleman, will there be other representatives
10
of this Natural Resource Defense Group at the hearing tomorrow?
11
A.
I don't believe so.
12
Q. You are the only one that will be there?
13
A. Right.
14
Q. Are there others in the Baltimore area, other
15
members?
16
A.
They may be members, but they are not people who
17
work as members of the staff or consultants. This is a group
18
who's probably got 50,000 members around the country that send
19
them annual dues, they're members.
20
Q.
Are you the only one that has ever attended any
21
hearings like this on behalf of that organization?
22
A.
I think so. The attorney involved in the Hew York
23
office may have come to one of the hearings just to make --
24
yes, she did in fact come to the presentation where we
25
presented NRDC's statement. But aside from that, I have been
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
12
1
the only person. I have been the point man for NRDC dealing
2
with EPA on this ruling.
3
Q.
Do you hold an office with the NRDC?
4
A.
No.
5
Q.
Are you paid a salary by the NRDC?
6
A. No.
7
Q.
This is a voluntary service on your part?
8
A.
Well, actually I made $1500 out of my work in this
9
connection since 1986, so it comes close to being volunteer
10
work, but I got paid something for it.
11
Q*
Are there other organizations that have interests
12
similar to the NRDC's that will be there?
13
A. There are no organizations that will be
14
represented in the way that I can represent NRDC unless I am
15
there, because I know more than anybody else in the
16
environmental movement about the hazards of asbestos.
17
Q. As I understand it --
18
MR. CROSBY: I move to strike the voluntary
19
assessment of the witnesses' credentials and knowledge.
20
MR. PIERCE: I disagree with him.
21
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) You were advised some time ago
22
that we were going to need at least two days for this
23
deposition, were you not?
24
A. I was advised that you wanted two days.
25
Q. Well, you were told a minimum of two days, were
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
you not?
2
A.
I believe I was told that you wanted two days. I
3
blocked out two days, and I was of course aware of the fact
4
that at the end of the two days in all likelihood at least one
5
of the dozens of attorneys would object to the fact that they
6
hadn't had more time, because this has happened many times in
7
the past.
8
But be that as it may, I have put aside as much time as
9
I could. The call from the EPA came sometime last week, and
10
there is nothing I can do to get the government to change its
11
schedule for you all or for me.
12
Q.
When you got the call from the EPA did you notify
13
Mr. Hays or anyone with John Norman's law office about that?
14
A.
Not immediately. The call was dropped on my
15
answering machine. Later on I did eventually get the call. I
16
Jacqui Warren at NRDC in Mew York and discussed
17
briefly --
18
Q.
I don't need to know about your discussions with
19
her. I am trying to get some timing down here. When was it
20
that you were notified that you were going to have a problem on
21
the 6th of July with regard to this deposition?
22
A.
Well, I didn't think I would necessarily have a
23
problem. I was hoping we could get this all over with in time
24
for me to scoot off tomorrow afternoon and go down to
25
Washington. I wasn't assuming we would have a problem.
r> a o xecn/it
12
1
I felt that the talc literature could be expeditiously
2
dealt with in the time allotted. But in any event, the
3
information from EPA came to me late last week, something like
4
Friday, Thursday or Friday.
5
0. That is when you knew about itthen?
6
A. That is when I knew that the EPA was holding this
7
proceeding. It didn't occur to me right away --
8
Q.
All I want to know is when.
9
A.
-- that there was necessarily a conflict, it took
10
me a little while longer to realize that that might cause some
11
problems in connection with this deposition.
12
Q.
You knew Thursday or Friday of last week that this
13
hearing was going to take place Thursday of this week, you had
14
a weeks notice?
15
A. Right. Maybe it was Friday.
16
Q.
When did you notify Mr. Hays or someone at John
17
Norman's office about that?
18
A. I don't recall.
19
THE WITNESS* Did I talk to you about it this
20
weekend or after you got up here?
21
MR. HAYS: Last night.
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) You notified representatives of
23
the plaintiff's firms that hired you about this conflict last
24
night?
25
MR. HAYS: Counsel, in fairness, he didn't say
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
123.
1
he was aware that it was going to be a conflict. He
2
thought it might be expedited. And to that end we have
3
agreed to incorporate depositions, we have supplied
4
lists, we have worked to get copies for you, and we have
5
answered a rather banal list of questions today. In
6
fact, very little has been accomplished, and v/e asked
7
for the talc people to go first to cover the talc
8
articles. That was not done even though the talc people
9
were here, although you were not here, and some others
10
did not arrive until late based upon the fact that we
11
were going to have a video deposition, I understand
12
that. But things didn't transpire the way we had
13
planned.
14
MR. HINKLE: Mr. Hays, we were doing all that
15
we could to accommodate you.
16
MR. HAYS: I understand that. And I am in
17
agreement with you.
18
MR. HINKLE: Please. I have been sitting back
19
there at the end of the table listening to all three
20
people talking at one time and watching this poor court
21
reporter trying to keep up with everybody, so why don't
22
we try as hard as we can to not intrude on one another
23
and make sure that there is only one person talking at a
24
time.
25
MR. HAYS: That's a very reasonable request, and
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
,130
1
I will do ray best to do that.
2
HR. HINKLE: I appreciate that.
3
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Do I understand that having
4
learned Thursday or Friday of last week that you were going to
5
want to shut the deposition down at 1:00 tomorrow, you didn't
6
notify anybody until last night. Is that true?
7
A.
Well, it didn't happen quite that way. I got a
8
notice from the e p a on my telephone line. I eventually called
9
up Jacqui Warren to ask if she intended to go down to represent
10
NRDC. At some point it occurred to me that this deposition
11
might still be going on Thursday afternoon even though it
12
started Wednesday morning, and that probably occurred to me
13
sometime over the weekend. I didn't make the connection right
14
away. And then the next time I talked to Mr. Hays I told him
15
about it.
16
Q.
That was last night?
17
A.
That was last night. I hadn't been in touch with
18
Mr. Hays over the July 4th weekend.
19
Q.
That was my question. You didn't tell anybody
20
about what you saw as a conflict until last night?
21
A.
I didn't even know how to get in touch with
22
Mr. Hays.
23
Q.
Were you served with a subpoena?
24
A.
Yes, I think Friday I got a subpoena from you all.
25
Q.
Do you understand what a subpoena is?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A.
I understand that a subpoena is something that
2
gets me down at all hours of the day and night to answer the
3
front door, and very often is accompanied by an extremely
4
burdensome request.
5
Q.
Do you understand that a subpoena, a response to a
6
subpoena is not optional?
7
A.
I understand that I do my very best to respond to
8
subpoenas and in a way that serves the judicial system, in this
9
case by making every effort I could to provide the new
10
information related to the health hazards of talc which I have
11
developed, which I thought was going to be the subject of this
12
deposition in the first place.
13
Q.
Has any attorney told you that you are free to
14
modify a subpoena whenever it suits your schedule?
15
A.
No, but I have seen countless examples in my own
16
experience where I have been told to disregard subpoenas or
17
certain things that were requested in subpoenas by plaintiff's
18
attorneys, and that the plaintiff's attorneys were subsequently
19
not admonished by the courts for having given me those kinds of
20
instructions, namely owing to the time that the subpoenas
21
arrived, and the extraordinarily burdensomeness of the requests
22
that the subpoenas contained, as we as the intrusiveness of the
23
subpoena sometimes. Hot necessarily referring to yours.
24
Q.
Did you consult with an attorney as to whether or
25
not you are free to rectify a scheduling problem to ignore or
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J_iZ
1
modify the subpoena in this case?
2
MR. HAYS: Counsel, excuse me. Are you saying
3
that he's sought to modified the subpoena?
4
MR. HINKLE: The subpoena does not say anything
5
about the deposition will be continued from hour to hour
6
at the discretion of the witness.
7
MR. HAYS: The subpoena, as I recall, simply
8
mentions a starting time, does not mention an ending
9
time, and is very vague and uncertain as far as the
10
first paragraph in there when it talks about a starting
11
time at 10:00# July 5th, as opposed to other subpoenas
12
where you mentioned a period from 9:00 or 10:00 to 5:00
13
or 6:00. It doesn't have that sort of specific
14
designation for some reason. Doesn't even mention the
15
two days that you refer to.
16
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Do you understand what the rules
17
provide with regard to subpoenas, Mr. Castleman?
18
A.
I am not an attorney, and I will not represent
19
myself as understanding the kind of things that you all are so
20
well schooled in, no. I do ray best to comply with your
21
subpoenas. Understand that I have received a lot of subpoenas,
22
and I have done my best to comply with them all.
23
Q.
Do you understand if you had notified us about
24
this problem that you are having that probably a lot of the
25
people that are going to be sitting around here waiting until
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1
you finish your hearing wouldn't be here, or would have made
2
arrangements to do other things?
3
A.
Well, I think if those people would have known
4
what was going to go on here today, they probably wouldn't have
5
come today either. But there wasn't any way of my anticipating
6
the fact that there would be so much redundant and superlative
7
questioning going on. I can't be responsible for everybody's
8
problem in this room. It's all I can do to cope with the
9
problems in ray own life, and I'm doing the best that I can.
10
Q.
You could have called Mr. Hays though, and
11
informed him about this problem?
12
A.
i don't even know his home phone number. I was
13
trying to take a little vacation this weekend.
14
Q.
We've been talking a while today about talc. So
15
we will have a working definition, and so we'll all be in
16
agreement with regard to what we're talking about, what exactly
17
is talc?
18
A.
Talc is used in the industry as a mixture of
19
minerals of various kinds, depending on where it is mined.
20
Q.
Is that as good a definition as you can give us?
21
A.
I think it's a correct definition as far as it
22
goes.
23
Q.
Well, we can say a lot of things that are correct,
24
and it may not be the best we can do. what I am getting at
25
here is I would like you to give me the best definition for
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
13-4
1
talc, the substance that we're going to be discussing, as you
2
can give us.
3
A. I have given you that.
4
Q A mixture of minerals of various kinds, depending
5
upon where it's mined; right?
6
A.
That is right. Depending on where it comes from,
7
different talc deposits have different constituants.
8
Q.
So any concern that markets or distributes a
9
mixture of minerals of various kinds, depending on where it
10
comes from, should be on notice of the matters that you have
11
discerned in these articles that you have told us about?
12
A.
if that material was marketed as talc or
13
industrial talc, then I think they should be on notice about
14
^ ^ e r a t u r e relating to the hazards of talcs used in industry,
15
not necessarily each and every article of course, but in a
16
general sense manufacturers and sellers of products should be
17
more than dimly aware of the health hazards associated with
18
such problems.
19
Q.
Have you ever heard of the term Mil-Slip?
20
A. No.
21
Q. Do you knowwhat Mil-Slip is?
22
A. No.
23
Q.
Well,should
the manufacturer of Mil-Slip, since
24
1il-Slip is a mixture of minerals of various kinds, depending
25
upon where it comes from, should the manufacturers and
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
X3-E
1
distributors of Mil-Slip be on notice of anything with regard
2
to any of the articles that you have discussed here concerning
3
talc?
4
A.
Let me just say that I am unfamiliar with the
5
technical jargon which includes the v/ord Mil-Slip. Now, if
6
Mil-Slip is a synonym used in the trade for industrial grade
7
talc, then the answer to your question would be yes. But I am
8
not hear to -- i think it's very clear that if you sell
9
something you call talc and there's a body of medical
10
literature on something called talc, that that is relevant to
11
your business. And if you also call your product Mil-Slip, or
12
if the people in some factory call it Mil-Slip, that seems to
13
me beside the point. I don't know what Mil-Slip is.
14
Q.
By the way, is Jacqui Warren going to be present
15
at this hearing tomorrow?
16
A.
NO.
17
Q*
^re you telling us that there is some consensus in
18
the medical community with regard to whether or not inhalation
19
of talc, as you have defined it, poses a health hazard to
20
people who breathe it?
21
A.
I am saying that there is a body of scientific
22
literature that goes back to the turn of the century that says
23
that people who breathe talc can get sick from it. And that
24
that is what is relevant to the historic sale of that product
25
by the companies that marketed stuff they call talc.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
13
1
Q.
My question to you, sir, was: Is there a
2 consensus in the medical field with regard to the dangers posed
3
by inhalation of talc?
4
A.
i know that there is certainly controversy over
5
what it is in different types of talcs that is particularly
6
pernicious. And different people will, I am sure say,
7
different scientists today, will I am sure give somewhat
8
different, at least somewhat different opinions on the weight
9
that might be given to this or that constituant of these
10
industrial products as to which ones, which constituants
11
constitute what percent of the health hazard or which
12
constituants constitute the most serious or less serious health
13
hazard. Controversy never ends, especially where money is
14
involved. But even if there wasn't, I think there would be
15
controversy in this case because this is a complex problem.
16
Q.
All I wanted to know from you, sir, is as you sit
17
here today are you prepared to testify that there is some
18
consensus in the medical community concerning the dangers posed
19
by the inhalation of talc?
20
A.
I think there is a consensus in the medical
21
community that inhaling industrial grade talcs has to be
22
presumed to be hazardous to your lungs. I think no matter what
23
the constituants of it are, even if it is so-called pure talc,
24
sufficient quantities, sufficient exposures to the so-called
25
pure talc will cause lung damage. I read that in the medical
C Q p jq e fli'T i l 'PC
177
1
literature. I think that is a currently held view, a majority
2
view, although I say that with some hesitancy because I am not
3
here as an expert on the current state of medical knowledge
4
about talc as a health hazard. I am here basically as someone
5
who has looked at the historical development of scientific and
6
medical knowledge as someone who might have been in the talc
7
selling business might have looked at the open scientific
8
literature at any time in the 1930s, '40s, '50s, and '60s to
9
see what was reported about this product, not necessarily what
10
the current state of medical knowledge and controversies on it
11
are.
12
Q.
You mentioned the term industrial grade talc. How
13
does that differ from the definition of talc that you gave us
14
earlier?
15
A.
It doesn't. But mineralogists do have something
16
that they refer to as pure talc, and this is a particular
17
mineral, which as far as I have been able to determine is
18
rather unusual to be found in a really pure state, nut they do
19
have a mineral that they call talc, and the mineralogists have
20
a distinct meaning when they use the term.
21
Q.
So you are saying that the definition you gave us
22
earlier, that is a mixture of minerals of various kind
23
depending upon where it comes from, will apply equally to pure
24
talc and industrial grade talc, that definition will apply to
25
either?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
13-E
1
A.
I am not sure I understand your question. No, I
2
think that that is wrong.
3
Q.
All right.
4
A.
As I understand what we have been talking about,
5
the so-called pure talc of the mineralogists is a pure
6
substance, it is a particular mineral. It is a pure substance,
7
as I understand it.
8
Q.
Can you give me your understanding of the working
9
definition of the pure substance talc? when you read it in
10
these articles what is it that we're talking about, what is it
11
that we will be discussing?
12
A.
i would have to fan through the articles to
13
actually look up the molecular formula that they give, but
14
there is something they refer to as pure talc. And I have to
15
admit I am not sure I could tell you what pure asbestos is, for
16
that matter, without looking it up in somebody's, you know,
17
description of the mineral composition.
18
Q.
So as I understand it, as you sit here today you
19
are unable to give us a working definition of the term pure
20
talc. Is that true?
21
A.
Mo, it's just that we have got six minutes left
22
this afternoon. If you want to ask me the question tomorrow
23
morning, I will look it up in one of these articles and I will
24
tell you. All I am saying is that mineralogists have something
25
they call pure talc, this for practical purposes is not the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
1
only thing present used in talcs that have been used in the
2
industry. The talcs that have been used in the industry are
3
mixtures of minerals, and various things have been written over
4
time about the types of health effects attributed to working
5
and breathing these types of materials, and that is what is in
6
medical and scientific literature that I think is relevant to
7
what we're talking about here today.
8
Q.
So if I understand what you just told me, you are
9
unable to at this moment give me a working definition of the
10
term "pure talc"?
11
A.
I am unable to recite to you the chemical formula
12
for the mineral that a mineralogist defines as talc.
13
Q. I don't want the chemical formula.
14
A.
That is the answer to your question.
15
Q.
Please. We're trying to make an agreement here
16
that both of us don't intrude on the court reporter. I will
17
try not to intrude on your answers if you will show me the same
18
courtesy. Okay? Fair enough?
19
A. Go ahead.
20
Q.
Now, if you are going to make statements about a
21
substance called pure talc, I want to know what you're talking
22
about when you make those statements, so that we will be on the
23
same wavelength. And if you don't know, then you can tell me
24
that.
25
A.
All right. Let me see if I can find one of these
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
140-
1
articles where they say what the mineralogists call pure talc,
2
and I will give you the chemical formula for it.
3
Q. If you don't know, sir, you can just tell me. I
4
can read the articles.
5
A.
That is great, because I don't know it off the top
6
of my
I do not know the chemical formula for what
7
mineralogists call pure talc off the top of my head. You can
8
find it in the articles sometime when we have more than four
9
minutes left.
10
Q.
How does pure talc differ from industrial grade
11
talc that you mentioned when you use that term industrial grade
12
talc?
13
A.
I thought I explained that. Industrial grade talc
14
tends to be a mixture of minerals, because the stuff that comes
15
out of the ground isn't pure.
16
Q.
What minerals do you expect to find in talc for it
17
to meet your definition of industrial grade talc?
18
A.
it varies. I mean the articles describe the
19
number of types of constituants that are found in the talcs,
20
these include tremolite, they include silica. Schultz and
21
Williams's article is probably a pretty good source if you want
22
a catelog of the different types of things that have been
23
looked for in industrial talcs published in 1942 in the Journal
24
of Industrial Hygiene, we have got it out at the Xerox place
25
right now.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
141
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Q.
I would like to know as you sit here today what
you can recall, and we will get the articles out tomorrow and
look at them, but I would like to know in the next four minutes
what you can recall. Tremolite, silica. Anything else?
A.
Those are the things that stand out in my memory,
but there are certainly other things that have been associated.
Anthophyllite_ has also been reported. And there are other
kinds of things that are a little less familiar to me because my own backgound happens to include a particular emphasis on such things as quartz or silica, and fibrous minerals like tremolite and anthophyllite. But there are other things a little less familiar to me, and therefore, not so easily recalled by me which are enumerated in such articles as that of Schultz and Williams in 1942.
Q
If a talc product does not contain tremolite,
silica or anthophyllite, does that still fall into the category
of industrial grade talc in your thinking?
A.
Well, it does unless
i mean, if it's used in
industry it's industrial grade talc, unless it's
mineralogically speaking absolutely pure in the sense of what a mineralogist means by talc, in which case it would also be an industrial talc, but it would be also a mineralogically pure talc as distinguished from evidently almost every form of talc that has been used in industry all over the United States and Europe.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
142
1 Q- So if i understand what you're saying, you define
2 industrial grade talc by its use as opposed to its composition.
3
If it's used in industry, it's industrial grade talc; is that
4
right?
5 A* No. I mean it mainly by its composition.
6
Q. And the composition --
7
A. Composition is a mixture.
8
Q.
You have told me about tremolite, silica and
9
anthophyllite that you are aware of?
10
A.
Yes.
11 Q. Would you also categorize talc without tremolite,
12
silica and anthophyllite as industrial grade talc simply
13
because it's used in industry?
14
A.
Well, I would if it had anything in it except what
15
the mineralogists call talc, and even there, you know, it's
16
kind of like getting hung up on the words at that point to say
17
whether or not it's industrial grade or not. If it's pure, if
18
it's pure enough to be like -- I mean, if it's the highest
19
grade of pharmaceutically pure talc or something like that,
20
then perhaps we're talking about a different animal. But
21
industrial talcs that are described in the literature are for
22
':he most part mixtures of minerals.
23
Q.
Would you agree with me that the danger, assuming
24
that there is some danger posed by the inhalation of talc, will
25
depend in a large part on the minerals that are contained in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
i4 a
1
it?
2
A.
Sure.
3
Q
Some types of talc may be moredangerous than
4
others?
5
A.
That's true.
6
Q. Some types of talc may be safe?
7
A.
I am not so sure about that, although there may be
0
some people who think so.
9
Q.
Well, have you seen in your research into the
10
subject of talc any references to the fact that science has
11
been unable to connect health hazards with exposure to certain
12
types of talc?
13
A.
I've seen certainly somestatements like that by a
14
couple of authors from the Firestone Rubber Company in 1950
15
talking about the use of talc in the rubber industry.
16
Q. Anyone else?
17
A. At least they said one type of talc, I think the
18
type of talc they used wasn't so bad. There is also a
19
statement in the 1941 text of Rutherford Johnstone to the
20
effect that talc produced no undue pulmonary fibrosis, which is
21
kind of a backhanded way at that of saying something is not
22
dangerous. But in his 1948 text he went ahead and reported
23
that subsequent studies had shown to the contrary that talc was
24
not innoculous.
25
Q.
We will come back to that tomorrow. And let's
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1AA
1
close with this question. You said that you believe that there
2
is a majority opinion with regard to whether or not exposure to
3
talc poses a health hazard; right?
4
A.
Well, i have tried to hedge on what the current
5
state of knowledge might be, but looking at all these articles
6
that have been published over time, it seems to me that there
7
has been a continuing thread, a strong thread of statements in
8
the medical literature and other scientific literature to the
9
effect that talcs used in industry are causing disease, and
10
some of them aren't causing real serious disease and some of
11
them are killing people, but they are causing lung damage, and
12
that this is evident in various ways, pulmonary function tests,
13
chest x-ray abnormalities and pathologic evidence.
14
Q.
All I wanted to know was whether or not -- you had
15
told me earlier that there is a majority position with regard
16
to whether or not inhalation of talc poses a health hazard. Is
17
there in your opinion, or is there not?
18
A.
I haven't taken a survey of what the current
19
status of talc is. I have seen reports by people from the
20
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and
21
others that would suggest to me that the majority opinion of
22
people who are somewhat knowledgeable about this probably is to
23
the effect that industrial talcs as have been used in this
24
country have caused disease.
25
Q.
And with regard to whether -- assuming that there
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-------------- --------------------------------------------- 145-
1
is a majority opinion on that, do you have any idea when that
/
2
majority opinion became a majority opinion as opposed to a
3
minority opinion?
4
Q.
I think it 's always been a majority opinion since
5
people were investigating the subject. I think in the '30s and
6
'40s you were finding sometimes very little damage, sometimes
7
very grave damage. But the range has always been of people
8
finding degrees of damage attributable to breathing talc. Not
9
people saying that it doesn't cause any harm at all and other
10
people saying maybe it does.
11
Q.
So if I hear what you're saying, that insofar as
12
you have been able to determine from reviewing these articles,
13
it has always been the majority opinion that inhalation of talc
14
poses a health hazard to those who inhale it?
15
A.
Yes, and certainly, if inhaled in sufficient
16
quantities.
17
MR. HINKLE: I guess that is a good place to
18
take up in the morning. Anybody want to say anything at
19
this point?
20
MR. CROSBY: I think that you wanted us to go over
21
something with you, Doctor, so we would be straight
22
on --
23
THE WITNESS: What you want me to bring?
24
MR. CROSBY: What you were to bring.
25
THE WITNESS: My list is: You want the traveling
Las
1
corporate files, and I will find out who all is
2
represented here, so I don't leave anybody out. List
3
of talc references sent initially to Edholm. Okay.
4
That was my old list from my old talc file. And you
5
want the stuff from Kenneth Lynch's files that I got
6
from the California lawyers about Kaolin pneumoconiosis.
7
HR. CROSBY: Let me go through the other things
8
that I have here. The NIOSH report.
9
THE WITNESS: I don't know if I have that. I
10
know that if I don't have it that Hr. Hays can come
11
up with it.
12
HR. HAYS: We will see if we can. They may have
13
it themselves.
14
MR. CROSBY: I do not. If I did, I wouldn't ask
15
for it.
16
THE WITNESS: Who's representing talc people?
17
Do you all have this NIOSH report? There is a NIOSH
18
study of rubber workers. I will look for it.
19
What else?
20
MR. CROSBY: You had mentioned your letter
21
to the Food and Drug. Since the articles are gone,
22
I don't know if it's in there.
23
THE WITNESS: It's in there.
24
MR. CROSBY: That is fine. If you get the
25
additional talc articles, will you bring those? You
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
41
1
said you thought the ones that the sharp lawyer didn't
2
find you were going to undertake?
3
THE WITNESS: I've got another sharp lawyer.
4
MR. CROSBY: All right, sir. We should have
5
the asbestos articles here in the morning.
6
I asked you if you would please look or see if
7
you could find the Vigliani articles and Johnstone
8
1960, and looking through your articles you didn't see
9
them?
10
THE WITNESS: I will see if I have it.
il
MR. CROSBY: When you say you are talking about
12
the traveling company knowledge documents --
13
THE WITNESS: It's the same old stuff.
14
MR. CROSBY: What I am getting at, that may be
15
what your traveling company documents are, I want
16
you to be sure those are the documents upon which you
17
base your opinions.
18
MR. GOSS: Doctor, one other thing. You had just
19
referred to your list of citations from your old talc
20
file. If there is anything else in that old talc file
21
we would like the entire copy of your old talc file.
22
THE WITNESS: Anything else?
23
MR. HOOD: I would like the record to reflect that
24
we have got a room full of lawyers from all over the
25
country --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
MR. HAYS: We went off the record, and we
2
understood that was going to be the end of the
3
questioning today you had.
4
MR. HOOD: I have got a statement for the record,
5
if you will let me make it. I am willing to sit here
6
as long as we need to to finish this witnesses'
7
deposition. I think it's a mistake to recess at 5:00.
8
We have been given no reason other than the witness
9
wanted to leave. He doesn't have any medical or health
10
reasons for leaving. I think it's going to result in
11
an inconvenience to all of the lawyers, including
12
plaintiff's counsel, anticipating he's going to try to
13
leave at 1:00.
14
I have got at least eight hours of questions
15
for this witness. There might be lots more than that
16
depending on his responses and promptness of his
17
responses and completeness of the responses. I am
18
going to move to disqualify him as a witness at the time
19
of trial if I am not allowed to --
20
MR. HAYS: You have made your statement. I will
21
reserve my response.
22
MR. HOOD: I just want you to know where I am
23
coming from.
24
MR, HAYS: You have got plenty of depositions
25
from this gentleman. You come from a group of attorneys
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-------------------- ------------------------------- L49.
1
that I am sure have lots of information and a book on
2
him. I consider the fact that you state you have got
3
eight hours of questioning coming when you are going to
4
be following another attorney that is going to be
5
questioning on asbestos, you have got all that asbestos,
6
I think that's the rankest form of intimidation, and I
7
think you are trying to wear the witness out, and I
8
don't think you are going to disqualify anyone based on
9
that.
10
MR. HOOD: When you hear the questions and
11
answers, you may change your opinion.
12
MR. CROSBY: Just for the record, I join in the
13
comments by Mr. Hood. I don't know how long my
14
questions will be, since I have not been privy to the
15
documents we had requested with the witness, and as it
16
now turns out he had some of the articles and documents
17
for the other deposition this morning.
18
MR. HAYS: That deposition was going to be
19
incorporated into this deposition, so there you are.
20
MR. CROSBY: I don't know if it was going to be
21
incorporated. Owens-Corning didn't agree to that.
22
MR. HAYS: It was our understanding it was going
23
to be incorporated.
24
MR. HINKLE: The agreement was it would be
25
typed up and attached --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
is a
1
MR. CROSBY: If anyone representing Owens-Corning
2
Fiberglass entered into that stipulation, it was without
3
my knowledge and without the knowledge of Owens-Corning
4
Fiberglass.
5
MR. JAMES: As regard to Pittsburgh-Corning there
6
is no agreement to that effect either.
7
MR. HAYS: We're off the record. I assume there
8
will be no further records made in my absence.
9
(Whereupon, the deposition was recessed until July 6th,
10
at 10:00 a.m.)
11
Q.
(BY MR. HINKLE) Dr. Castleman, we were talking
12
yesterday about categories of talc, and we had broken it down
13
basically into two categories, pure talc and industrial grade
14
talc. Do you recall?
15
A. Yes.
16
MR. CROSBY: Could we find out what the witness
17
brought with him, so we could be looking at that while
18
you are asking your questions?
19
MR. HINKLE: I think that's just fine.
20
Q. (By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castleman, if you would,
21
describe for us what materials that you brought with you today.
22
A.
i have brought with me what I refer to as the
23
traveling files relating to corporate knowledge under numerous
24
categories, either by company or by type of information, some
25
relating to trade associations, and some relating specifically
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
454
1
to companies.
2
MR. HAYS? We just ask that you look at them
3
right here, if you would, and not be passing the files
4
around, if that would be all right with you.
5
MR. CROSBY: Well, the problem I have is that
6
right here in front of me is the table that is occupied
7
by exhibits, and the witnesses1 coffee cup, and various
8
files.
9
MR. HAYS: Well, we will move down and make room
10
for you.
11
THE WITNESS: We will make room for you. I don't
12
want these files out of my sight right now. Maybe later
13
on.
14
MR. CROSBY: We are going to mark them as exhibits
15
to this deposition.
16
MR. HAYS: Well, after they're marked, then that's
17
a different matter.
18
THE WITNESS: I would like them to be photocopied
19
first, and you can mark whatever you want in them.
20
MR. CROSBY: I am going to have a difficult time
21
having these photocopied in the witnesses' presence
22
while he's being deposed.
23
THE WITNESS: I didn't say you had to do
24
that.
25
MR. CROSBY: You just said you didn't want them
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
152
1
out of your sight.
2
THE WITNESS: At the moment I don't want them out
3
of my sight. Hr. Hays can probably arrange to have them
4
photocopied, and he can handle the documents with the
5
photocopying place. I am sorry, but that is the nature
6
of this litigation is that sometimes things get lost
7
when you go back and forth.
8
MR. HAYS: There are so many attorneys, something
9
can be innocently misplaced, not intentionally.
10
MR. CROSBY: I find the comments by the witness
11
unfounded.
12
MR. HAYS: Well, let's not get into this. We're
13
not interested in your early morning bantering.
14
MR. CROSBY: Pine.
15
MR. HAYS: You can take a look at them, they are
16
right in front of us--
17
MR. CROSBY: Let's mark this box as the next
18
numbered exhibit.
19
MR. HAYS: Play your little game.
20
MR. CROSBY: And then I am going to have them
21
copied as soon as I can. I'm trying to expedite
22
matters, Mr. Hays.
23
MR. HAYS: We just asked you to look at them
24
right there, and you're fighting about it.
25
MR. CROSBY: I can't copy them sitting right here.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
MR. HAYS: You aren't copying them right now. You just asked to look at them.
THE WITNESS: Why don't you pull up a chair, put them on a chair and look at the files.
MR. CROSBY: I would rather do it at the table down there at the very end where there is plenty of room.
MR. HAYS: The first thing you will do is find something that is not applicable to you, some one will pick up the file, the file will lay on the table and get mixed up with someone else's file. There will be a piece gone, something will be missing.
MR. WAGNER: Just for the record, I don't think the witness completed his answer to your question, Mr. Hinkle.
THE WITNESS: I am not trying to be difficult. MR. CROSBY: You are succeeding without trying. Go ahead, Mr. Hinkle, what else?
Q
(By Mr. Hinkle) Let's go ahead and catelog for us
igain what else you brought, please
A. This is something that I just received relating to .aolin and pneumoconiosis, Kenneth Lynch papers which were tailed to me by the Casey, Gerry Law Firm.
When did you receive that particular item? Within the last few days. The cover page is dated
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-154
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
|june 29, 1989, the transmittal letter.
Q. receipt?
Do you not have a stamp which shows your date of
A.
I didn't come here prepared, you know, to show you
the envelope it came in.
Q*
I didn't ask you that. I asked you _
A. secretary --
i don't stamp things received.
I don't have a
Q.
Then that is the answer to the question,
Dr. Castleman.
A.
i don't have an accountant.
Q.
Just a moment, Dr. Castleman. Let's try to get
[off on the right foot today, shall we? And let's have the same
jagreement we had yesterday, and I will not intrude on your
answers if you do not intrude on the questions. And we will do
this out of respect for the court reporter. A. Go ahead.
All right?
Q. All I askedyou waswhether |your date of receipt on that document?
or not you had stamped
A.
I have never worked in an office where that was
|done except the government offices I was employed in.
Q So the answerto that question isno;correct? A. Correct.
Q All right. Go on. Tell us what else you brought.
A.
You asked for the talc reference file. Here it
C.S.R. a s s o c i a t e s :
155
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
is. Many of these ace duplicated, duplicative references of things that we have already discussed, others relate to talc m their use as cosmetic powders and ovarian cancer and the controversies about that in the early .70 s, which I hadn't originally thought was all that relevant to this case. But in any event, you are welcome to look through them and come to your own conclusions.
My own list of articles, early articles that I had came from a letter I had written to somebody in 1980 or part of a letter I had written. And then ! had marked a few more things Ion it. This is my initial list of old articles on talc that X knew about.
Q.
Stand by for a moment and let's try to make some
sense out of this.
we're going to mark this bo* that you brought, which I
think you have told us is your traveling corporate file, is that what you called it?
A.
Yes.
Q.
We will mark that as Exhibit No. 86.
The packet of documents that you received from the Gerry law office relating to Kaolin we will mark as Exhibit 87.
HR. CROSBY: Let me state in the record that No. 86 is a box with the contents containing several files. I will count the files in a minute.
87 is the memo with documents relating to Kaolin.
C.S.R. ASSnr Tarnpe
1
And I will affix the Exhibit number to the memo that
2
forwards it. It's about an inch thick.
3
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Now Exhibit No. 88 will be the
4
file that you -- the talc reference file, is that what you call
5
it?
6
A.
It's marked talc references, et cetera.
7
Q. All right.
8
MR. CROSBY: I am affixing 88*s exhibit sticker
9
to the manila folder, and this contains about an inch
10
and a half of various materials, most of which appear
11
to be published.
12
Q. (By Mr. Hinkle) Next,please?
13
A.
This is a file marked IHF, it's part of my
14
traveling files, so that can just go with the afore numbered
15
exhibit box.
16
Q. That would be 87?
17
MR. CROSBY: No. It will be part of 86.
18
Q. (By Mr. Hinkle) Part of Exhibit 86. All right.
19
This July 7, 1980 letter that you handed me, we will
20
mark as exhibit what, Mr. Crosby?
21
MR. CROSBY: 89.
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Exhibit No. 89.
23
MR. CROSBY: It's a letter dated July 7, 1980
24
addressed in handwriting to "Dear Ken" with what appears
25
to be Xeroxed on the front side of Barry I. Castleman,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Industrial Environmental Consultant, down through and after mill man occupational medicine, the Xerox
ceases, and handwriting begins in blue ink. That won't show on Xerox, that is why I dictated that in the record.
MR. HAYS: Let me check with you, because I was getting some materials out that I had Xeroxed for you today, I Xeroxed a copy of this stuff.
MR. CROSBY: Which may be a little late.
MR. HAYS: Exhibit 85, can we track down through
85 through 89 and make sure we're in sine on this?
MR. HINKLE: I think that Dr. Castleman had some
of those exhibits. Isn't that right, Ms. Reporter?
MR. RHODES: find 81 and 83.
Yesterday when we left we couldn't
THE WITNESS: all back.
I had walked off with them. They're
MR. CROSBY: Are we on the record?
MR. HOOD: the record?
Did you get the witnesses' comments on
MR. HAYS: record?
Did you get Counsel's comments on the
MR. HINKLE: Guys, we're not going to get anywhere acting this way. Let's pay attention to business. Okay?
MR. HAYS: I appreciate that.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
MR. HINKLE: Jim, let's go to work.
2
MR. HAYS: If we can control these other
3
attorneys, fine. I just want to deal with you.
4
MR. HINKLE: Let's go to work.
3r*
MR. HAYS: 85 is what?
6
MR. CROSBY: Excuse me, please. I am trying to
7
answer your question. The exhibits that were
8
inadvertently taken yesterday have been returned, and
9
now we have a complete set, and 85 is a handwritten
10
list of the witness in black and in blue with parts of
11
articles or titles of articles Xed out that was the
12
basis of the search for the attorney.
13
86 is the box of materials that the witness has
14
referred to as his traveling documents relating to
15
corporate matters.
16
87 is a cover memo with attachments addressed to
17
the witness from a legal assistant to Mr. Greenblatt.
18
88 is a manila folder and its contents are
19
entitled "Talc References, et cetera".
20
89 -- Have you got that?
21
MR. HAYS: I have got that.
22
MR. CROSBY: Is the July 7th, 1980 letter.
23
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Okay. Is that all that you
24
brought with you today, Dr. Castleman?
25
A.
For this deposition, yes.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22
23 24 25
Q.
Did you bring anything else with you today?
A.
I brought things that I am taking to Washington
this afternoon to deal with the Environmental Protection Agency.
MR. HAYS: I also have some materials here that he has not been able to read that were hard to collect,
and I have brought those. I have a stack of those. He hasn't reviewed them yet.
MR. HINKLE: Well, if he hasn't reviewed them, I am not sure they have anything to do with the case.
MR. HOOD: There were two other items the Doctor was going to bring. A NIOSH report, and additional medicals articles which were to be obtained by a local law firm, d o we have either of those?
THE WITNESS: This is the additional medical articles that have so far been obtained from the very crossed out list of outstanding articles, still outstanding.
MR. HINKLE: Let's get them in the record then. THE WITNESS: And the NIOSH study, I have not been been able to find.
MR. HOOD: Can we get that identified?
MR. HAYS: that.
I think Mr. Hinkle will take care of
MR. CROSBY: I don't know what's the quickest way.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----------------- -- -- -------------------------------------- 160
1
I can just give the numbers, and identify what it is if
2
you want me to.
3
MR. HINKLE* How many articles do we have here?
4
MR. CROSBY: One, two, three, four -- there appear
5
to be 10 articles, although there is a page here that is
6
just loose that may be a portion of an article, rather
7
than-- _
8
MR. HAYS: It's a portion of an abstract, and
9
it is a separate document.
10
MR. HINKLE: May I see that, Mr. Crosby, please?
11
We will mark this as a single exhibit comprised of
12
an article from the Journal of American Medical
13
Association, Volume 3, November-December 1938.
14
MR. CROSBY: Could we do separate numbers for
15
each one? I will do the numbers. That is 90.
16
MR. HINKLE: That will be fine.
17
Exhibit No. 91 is apparently an article in
18
German which I can't make heads or tails of.
19
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Do you read German,
20
Dr. Castleman?
21
A.
A little bit.
22
Q.
Would you be kind enough to give us the benefit of
23
your little bit of German and tell us what that is?
24
A.
Yes. This is by Dr. Baader, and it's a review on
25
talcosis.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q. Can you give us a date?
2
A. It's in a journal dated 1950, and it's from the
3
German Medical Weekly, or the Gesuncheitsfursorge Und
4
Arbeitsmedizin.
5
Q.
The court reporter will probably not be able to
6
follow that.
7
MR. CROSBY: I will hold it up for her so she can
8
transcribe it.
9
MR. HINKLE: I think that is good enough for the
10
identification purposes. That is Exhibit No. 91?
11
MR. CROSBY: 91, yes, sir.
12
MR. HINKLE: Exhibit 92 is an article from the
13
American Medical Association Archives of Industrial
14
i, Volume 20, July through December of 1959
15
MR. CROSBY: So marked.
16
MR. HINKLE: That is 92?
17
MR. CROSBY: Right.
18
MR. HINKLE: Exhibit No. 93 is an article
19
the British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1949
20
entitled "Talc Pneumoconiosis".
21
Exhibit No. 94 appears to be, well, let me just
22
ask.
23
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castleman, do you know what
24
this is?
25
A.
This is a 1937 article from the Archives of
* n<"iA/TmwP
1
Pathology. And we can probably get the correct citation wi
2
little bit of checking.
3
Q.
Just hand it back, if you would, please.
4
A.
Can I write Archives of Pathology, 1937 on it?
5
Q.
Sure, if it helps us identify it.
6
MR. CROSBY: It was 1937, wasn't it?
7
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castlenian, do you know?
3
A.
We had a little bit of difficulty locating it
9
because of the cite I had written down didn't turn out to be
10
exactly correct, since this gentleman found it, hopefully he
11
knows what he found and what it was.
12
Q.
All I would like to know is whether or not you
13
know what this is, Dr. Castleman?
14
MR. HAYS: Which article are you referring to?
15
MR. HINKLE: It's styled "Talcum Powder Granuloma
16
by Robert Feinberg, M.D.
17
MR. HAYS: I apologize. I should have gotten a
18
coversheet. I thought it would have the citation by
19
volume and page internal to the article. But it only
20
says "Archives of Pathology" on Page 38 at the top. But
21
it would have been after 1936, so the 1937 date I
22
estimate would be correct.
23
MR. CROSBY: Number 94 is an article entitled
24
"Talcum Powder Granuloma", No. 94.
25
MR. HINKLE: Exhibit No. 95 is an article from
1
the Archives of Environmental Health, Volume 10, March
2
19, '65 entitled "Effect of Talc Dust Inhalation on Lung
3
Function".
4
Exhibit No. 96 is another article from Archives
5
of Environmental Health, volume 9, November 1964,
6
entitled "Lung Function in Talc Workers".
7
Exhibit No. 97 is another article from the
3
Archives of Environmental Health, Volume 7, July 1963
9
entitled "Talc Pneumoconiosis".
10
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Exhibit No. 98, can you identify
11
Exhibit No. 98 for us, please, sir?
12
A.
This is from the abstracts section of the Journal
13
of Industrial Hygiene, Volume 17, Page 60, May 1935, and it's
14
an abstract covering the article of Dr. Dreessen on Pages 60
15
and 61.
16
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) And can you identify Exhibit No.
17
99 for us, please, sir?
18
A.
This is also from the abstracts section of the
19
Journal of Industrial Hygiene. This is from the January 1931,
20
Page 14, and the Volume number would be four numbers down from
21
the preceding exhibit volume number, it's not indicated on the
22
face of the document. So that would be volume 13. I am
23
writing "V" 13.
24
Q.
What does it deal with?
25
A.
The abstract is about pneumoconiosis of sandstone,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
164
1
silica, chalk, porcelin, granite, cement and shell lime
2
v/orker s.
3
Q.
All right.
4
MR. HINKLE: Mr. Hays, did you bring anything
5
else that we need to mark as an exhibit today?
6
MR. HAYS: Mo. I did copy these documents about
7
Dr. Kenneth Lynch that were requested yesterday, so
8
everyone would have a copy.
9
MR. CROSBY: I'll pass them around.
10
THE WITNESS: This has already been narked as
11
an exhibit, and I will just keep this for ny copy.
12
MR. HINKLE: Has it already been marked as an
13
exhibit?
14
MR. HAYS: I think it was that portion of the
15
original 70 some odd --
16
MR. CROSBY: I don't know. You all will have
17
to me help me out.
18
THE WITNESS: Yes. It's No. 87.
19
MR. CROSBY: It's in No. 87, because No. 87 is
20
considerably more bulky that what you just had.
21
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castleman, as I understand
22
it, there was some discussion yesterday about a NIOSH report.
23
You have looked for that report and have been unable to locate
24
it. Is that true?
25
A.
That's correct.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
4r*-3.
1
Q.
Will you identify that report for us by date and
2
by subject matter?
3
A.
It was an evaluation of rubber workers, rubber
4
worker plants, and I think it even I included the Miami,
5
Oklahoma plant, but I am not sure of that. And I just looked
6
at it briefly, and as soon as I saw that it was of relatively
7
recent vintage, I passed over it because I was at that time
8
more focused on the historical development of knowledge about
9
talc, and time was limited, and I d o n 't know what happened to
10
that.
11
Q.
Can you give us some idea about the date of that
12
NIOSH report?
13
A.
I think it was in the 1980s.
14
Q.
Do you have any idea concerning the conclusions
15
reached in that report?
16
A. Mo.
17
Q. And you told us that you skipped over the more
18
recent materials that were offered to you because you are more
19
concerned with the historical development than the current
20
state of knowledge?
21
A. Right. I understood that the historical
22
development was what I was going to be asked to talk about in
23
this case, not the current state of medical knowledge on talc
24
disease.
25
Q.
Now, with regard to the articles that were brought
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------------- --------------------------- ------------ 1_
1
by Mr. Hays today, and I believe that's Exhibits 90 through 99,
2
you have not seen at all. Is that true?
3
A.
Well, I haven't seen them until this morning, just
4
now, right.
5
Q. Approximately five minutes ago?
6
A. Right.
7
MR. HINKLE: Let's go off the record for a moment.
8
Okay, Jim?
9
MR. HAYS: Fine.
10
(Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record.)
11
MR. CROSBY: I want to clarify something right
12
now. With respect to Exhibit No. 87 I have marked
13
the documents contained in 87 as 87 "A" through 87
14
"J", so that each one bears its own exhibit sticker.
15
MR. HAYS: "A" through what? I didn't hear you.
16
MR. CROSBY: "J". Now, with respect to what is
17
in the box, if people want them copied, what do you
18
suggest we do?
19
MR. HAYS: Well, I suggest they give us a note
20
saying they want them copied, and we can have them sent
21
to them for the purposes of the deposition, they can
22
refer to the originals in the file. We can go through
23
the file that way, and then after the deposition we can
24
have them copied, and they can make a list of the
25
document if they want to, in order to protect
C.S.R- ASSOCIATES
4&4-
1
themselves, or they can just put it on the record by
2
going through a document at a time.
3
MR. CROSBY: Let's go off for a second, if it's
4
all right.
5
(Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record.)
6
MR. CROSBY: Exhibit '86 is the box, and it
7
contains 14 to 17 files, depending on how you count
8
them. Included is -- I will read the tabs off of the
9
manila folders, and I will later mark them 86 "A"
10
through whatever letter of the alphabet. Saranac
11
Studies; Carey/Celotex; Owens-Illinois; O-C;
12
GAF-Rubberoid; Eagle-Picher; Keene NIMA, all caps
13
N-I-M-A minutes; Fibreboard; Pittsburgh-Corning; H.K.
14
Porter; Contract Unit Claims. A separate file entitled
15
Contract Unit Comp Claims. A separate file Magnesa
16
A-s-s-n. A file that is not in the box but is a part of
17
86 is entitled IHF. Another file entitled Garlock.
18
Another file entitled ATI.
19
After I have had a chance to review some of the
20
documents, I can have some indication of v/hat of these
21
materials I will want copied if it's less than all of
22
them.
23
And I understand we're getting a table down here
24
so that we can review the documents?
25
MR. HINKLE: I heard Mr. Rhodes make that request
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
jlsh
1
of the some of the hotel staff, so I am assuming that
2
is being taken care of.
3
Q. (By nr. Hinkle
.) Dr. Castleman, do you
4
understand that you are being offered as an expert witness in
5
the Oklahoma Tire Worker Litigation?
6
A. Yes.
1
Q. What do you see as the subject matter of your
0
expertise in the Oklahoma Tire Worker Litigation?
9
A.
The subject matter as I sec it is the presentation
10
of the historical development of knowledge about the hazards of
11
asbestos and talc as reflected in the public literature. And
12
with respect to asbestos, the historical development of
13
knowledge and actions taken of the basis of such knowledge in
14
some cases on the part of the industry itself, that is mined
15
and manufactured asbestos products, mined asbestos and
16
manufactured asbestos products.
17
Q.
Do you see your expertise in the Oklahoma Tire
18
Worker Litigation extending beyond what you just said in any
19
way?
20
A.
I don't think so. But uhat ways -- rdo you have
'i
21
anything in mind particularly?
22
Q.
Well, no. I want to know what you have in mind,
Dr. Castleman.
24
A.
I told you.
25
n.
All right, now, with regard to your expertise in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
4-9
1
the historical development of knowledge concerning the hazards
2
of talc, you consider yourself to be an expert in that regard?
3
A. Expert in the sense that I could aid the jury in
4
understanding the fact that there has been a number of
5
publications about talc dust as a cause of lung problems, that
6
these publications appeared in primarily medical journals
7
published in this country and Great Britain as well as in other
8
countries and other languages, and that there was obviously a
9
lot of other international exchange of information as reflected
10
in the literature. So I would be aiding the jury in that sense
11
as anexpert to tell them that this body of knowledge existed.
12
Q.
So I take it then that the answer to my question
13
is yes?
14
A.
it is in the sense that I have described.
15
Q.
All right. Mow, at what point did you become an
16
expert in the historical develop of knowledge concerning the
17
hazards of talc?
18
A. Within the last few days.
19
Q. Okay.
20
A.
I mean the process started earlier, but the actual
21
sitting down and reading of the documentation to the point
22
where I could explain it somewhat, was not until within the
23
last week anyway.
24
Q. Within the last week?
25
A. Well, within the last week I sat down in a much
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
ixa
1
more detailed way than ever before and read a larger number of
2
articles on this subject than I had ever before read.
3
Q.
Did you consider yourself to be an expert in the
4
historical development of knowledge concerning the hazards of
5
talc, say, six months ago?
6
A.
I did not consider myself an expert on that,
7
although I was aware of the fact there was a body of knowledge
8
going pretty far back talking about talc as a respiratory
9
hazard.
10
Q.
So I take it then, that the consumation of your
11
expertise occurred having reviewed the articles that were
12
identified and marked yesterday?
13
A. Yes, and today.
14
Q. And today. All right.
15
We talked yesterday about broad categories of talc, pure
16
talc and industrial grade talc. What I would like for you to
17
do today, if you would, please, as an expert in the historical
18
development of medical knowledge concerning the hazards of
19
talc, tell us what subcategories we might expect to find within
20
those broad categories.
21
A.
Well, there are different minerals that are
22
present in different proportions, and the various types of
23
talcs that have been used industrially. If I could refer to
24
the Schultz and Williams article now that we have gotten them
25
back from the copying place. This is No. 22.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
474.
1
HR. HAYS: I would like to request on the record
2
that the originals of the Doctor's research, the
3
articles that he's presented at your request here today
4
be returned to him, and copies substituted.
5
MR. HOOD: I have got one comment on that. As
6
I have started to look at the copies several pages
7
have been cut off by the copier. So I wouldn't have
8
an objection to that provided the copy is complete.
9
MR. HINKLE: One other ~
10
MR. HAYS: And I make that request as to all
11
original documents. Is there any problem with that?
12
MR. HINKLE: Well, the one thing that I would
13
be interested in having is I would like to have these
14
originals of these copies attached to the deposition
15
for this reason, because the Doctor has made sane
16
notations on them, some in red ink, some in blue
17
ink, apparently some in pencil, and he's done some
18
writing on the back. So if the Doctor would have
19
no objection, I would prefer to have these exhibit
20
with his handwriting on them attached to the deposition.
21
We can certainly see to it that he gets copies of these
22
copies for his own use. Is that all right?
23
HR. HAYS: That's fine.
24
MR. CROSBY: As long as we're doing housekeeping,
25
let me reflect on the record that Exhibits --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1X2
1
MR. HAYS: Let me clarify something. Do you mean
2
that as to the box of documents, too?
3
THE WITNESS: Oh, no. We are only talking about
4
the talc articles.
5
MR. HINKLE: That's all that I was referring to,
6
Dr. Castleman. But Mr. Crosby has something he needs to
7
clean up evidently.
8
MR. CROSBY: What I am trying to do is elaborate.
9
Exhibit No. 86 has now been subcategorized such that it
10
now contains 86 "A" through 86 "Q", stickers affixed to
11
each particular manila folder that has the labels that I
12
previously read into the record. And I have not yet had
13
an opportunity to sit at this table with other counsel
14
to review the documents, but these are now marked as
15
exhibits to this deposition, and after we have had a
16
chance to review them, we can determine whether or not
17
we can exchange them for copies or not. I just can't
18
say right now.
19
MR. HINKLE: I guess you will have to take those
20
up on an item-by-item basis.
21
MR. HAYS: If you want to have the entire box
22
copied, that is no problem. We're just trying to
23
resolve that. If you want to send them out of here
24
and have them copied, we can start that. But you are
25
not going to have them available to question him.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
123.
1
That's your problem really more than it is ours.
2
MR. HINKLE: I think that probably the items and
3
matters we will be discussing with Dr. Castleman this
4
morning won't be related to matters in the box anyway.
5
MR. CROSBY: Can we go ahead and send the box now
6
for copying since the consensus the witness and the
7
lawyers is we're not going to get past talc today
8
anyway?
9
HR. HAYS: I don't have any problem if Kinko's can
10
pick it up here and deliver it back here.
11
MR. HINKLE: Is that all right with everybody?
12
MR. HAYS: we will place it in the custody of the
13
reporter.
14
MR. CROSBY: And what we may do is give Kinko's
15
half of it and we can be reading the other half, and
16
when they bring that half back, give them the other
17
half.
18
THE WITNESS: I am going to be taking off in two
19
and a half hours.
20
MR. CROSBY: She has custody of them until we get
21
them all back anyway, why don't we go ahead with
22
the questions. We'll see if we can work out the
23
logistics of it.
24
MR. HAYS: Why don't we just call Kinko's and get
25
them in here, and we can give them half of them and the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1X4
1
Doctor will take half of them with him, or I'll keep
2
them. How do you want to handle it?
3
MR. HINKLEj Let's go off the record.
4
(Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record.)
5
MR. HAYS: It's understood that the originals will
6
be returned to Dr. Castleman after they are checked
7
for-- after the copies are checked for conformance with
8
the original documents.
9
MR. CROSBY: That is true, unless there is
10
something on an original in a different color ink
11
that can't be shown on the copy. And provided the
12
witness also understands that these are now exhibits
13
to this proceeding, and even when they are returned,
14
he's to maintain them intact and in their present form
15
of integrity.
16
MR. HAYS: Well, not if we're substituting copies.
17
If we're substituting copies, we're making the copies
18
the exhibits, and the originals are his documents to do
19
what he wants to with. First of all, those are his
20
documents. They are not anybody else's property.
21
MR. CROSBY: They are now in the Court's custody.
22
MR. HAYS: They are in the Court's coustody,
23
but it's still his personal property. He's not giving
24
up that right by making it an exhibit. If we substitute
25
copies, then the copies are the record for the court,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1ZS
1
And those are returned to him are his own documents to
2
do what he wants.
3
HR. CROSBY: I quite agree. The problem being
4
that if these are still exhibits and if there's problems
5
with legibility and colors of ink and matters such as
6
that, I want him to understand he's not to do anything
7
to interfere with the integrity until those matters are
8
revolved.
9
HR. HAYS: That's fine. We don't have any
10
problem with that.
11
THE WITNESS: 3ut that is within a reasonably
12
short time of the copying. Because these documents
13
travel around the country, and I have no way of assuring
14
that any of these files are going to be maintained like
15
it was in a bank vault.
16
HR. CROSBY: I think we have made whatever
17
position we have clear.
18
MR. HINKLE: Dr. Castleman, you just a moment
19
ago announced once again your intention to leave us
20
at -- what time did you say?
21
THE WITNESS: Between 1:00 and 1:30. I understand
22
there is a train that I can get to Washington on that
23
leaves at a little before 2:00.
24
MR. HINKLE: In that connection, Mr. Hays,
25
arrangements have been made for a telephone conference
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
---------------------------------------------------- 1X6-
1
with the magistrate on this matter now. I think that
2
they are expecting a call from us. And so who is in
3
charge of getting the magistrate on the line?
4
5
(The following is a telephone conversation with the
6
Honorable Judge Wagner, taken on July 6th, 1989 during
7
the depositon of Barry Castleman.)
8
9
THE MAGISTRATE: This is John Wagner.
10
MS. SIEGEL: This is Nancy Siegel, and we are here
11
with Mr. Hays in the asbestos litigation. Can you
12
hear us?
13
THE MAGISTRATE: Yes.
14
MS. SIEGEL: We have got a dinky speaker phone and
15
a bunch of lawyers.
16
THE MAGISTRATE: What seems to be the problem?
17
MS. SIEGEL: Vie* re here taking the deposition of
18
Dr. Castleman. This was arragned with the plaintiff
19
some time ago. I would think about a month ago the date
20
was arragned. Notice went out to commence on the 5th of
21
July. I think the file stamp was on July 23rd, or
22
excuse me, June 23rd. Dr. Castleman was served with
23
notice, I believe, on or about July 28th. There has
24
been no objection filed to that notice, and it's my --
25
MR. HAYS: I have filed an objection.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
JJ7
1
MS. SIEGEL: There has been no objection filed as
2
to the subpoena by an attorney on behalf of
3
Dr. Castleman. There has been an objection filed by
4
plaintiff's counsel to the parameters of the notice.
5
THE MAGISTRATE: Could you -- objection to the
6
what?
7
MS. SIEGEL: There has been an objection filed by
8
the plaintiff's counsel to the notice, but there has
9
been no objection filed as to the subpoena by a lawyer
10
on behalf of Dr. Castleman.
11
By agreement yesterday morning we were to allow
12
the plaintiff and counsel for Eagle-Picher in another
13
case pending in this jurisdiction in Maryland, I guess,
14
to have a video deposition to begin before the Oklahoma
15
litigation began their inquiry. Apparently at the last
16
minute they settled that case, and this deposition was
17
to commence at that time. However, a number of the
18
attorneys were delayed in arriving here because they
19
expected a video deposition in another case to be going
20
on.
21
Yesterday we were advised by Dr. Castleman that he
22
had received notice about an EPA hearing to be conducted
23
in Washington that he intended to appear at this
24
afternoon, and that he was going to leave this
25
deposition at 1 :00 or 1:30.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
rz_a
1
He has additionally advised us that he will be
2
available until approximately noon tomorrow. So he
3
intends to leave at 1:00 or 1:30 for the rest of the
4
day, and to return tomorrow to be present for
5
approximately a half a day.
6
Our request to you at this point is for a little
7
encouragement, I guess, to plaintiff's counsel to
8
encourage this witness to obey the subpoena that has
9
been served on him, or in the alternative to request
10
that plaintiff's counsel pay for the expenses
11
associated with all these attorneys sitting around
12
wasting time for half a day until tomorrow morning,
13
and/or that this witness be precluded from testifying at
14
the time of trial.
15
And that is what we're calling about, and the
16
request and the relief that we're seeking at this time.
17
THE MAGISTRATE: Mr. Hays?
18
MR. HAYS: Good morning, Magistrate Wagner.
19
We have entered into a general agreement as to a
20
time estimate for depositions of experts to be a matter
21
of a two day period of time, understanding that as
22
depositions go, things can be prolonged or they can be
23
shortened.
24
The subpoena that was served and the notice that
25
was served did not set forth a specific time period, it
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
------ ixa
just said it was to commence July 5th, 1989 at 10:00.
We filed an objection to that, the Doctor adopted our
objection to that subpoena yesterday. This is the
history of the matter, because of Doctor __
THE MAGISTRATE: obj ection?
What's the basis for the
MR. HAYS: Well, as to the third item, that it was over broad. They said they wanted "All documents which you have reviewed or prepared, or upon which you rely in support of any opinions or conclusions which you now have or will testify to at the time of trial concerning talc and it's manifestations in the chest, and/or pulmonary disease caused by talc, it has nothing -- it doesn't say anything about asbestos. But we have in the spirit of this deposition supplied a great deal of documentation, We supplied over 70 articles dealing with talc. We have provided over ----
THE MAGISTRATE: Let me interrupt you here. MR. HAYS: Yes, sir.
THE MAGISTRATE: Are there any defendants of
whom
well, Ms. Siegel says here there was -- we're
not talking really about documents at this point, that
is not our fight.
MR. HAYS: Let me back up then. this deposition --
We agreed to take
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
mu
1
THE MAGISTRATE: You didn't object to the time?
2
MR. HAYS: No, sir. We agreed to take the
3
deposition in concurrence with another deposition by
4
Mr. Sutter, it was a video deposition for trial in
5
asbestos cases and Eagle-Picher was a defendant.
6
It was agreed that we would adopt that deposition,
7
the transcript of that deposition, incorporate it
8
by reference into our deposition, so that perhaps many
9
questions concerning asbestos would be precluded by
10
these defendants. All objections would be reserved.
11
After that deposition, then all defendants could
12
ask whatever questions they wanted to that weren't
13
repetitive concerning asbestos. We did that in order to
14
accommodate all the parties. Then the talc defendants
15
were to begin their questioning. And there is a clay
16
component that is minor that won't take very much time.
17
So that original deposition canceled because the case
18
was settled, then the deposition commenced. It
19
commenced, oh, between 10:00 and 11:00. I am not sure
20
of the exact time. And that continued all day yesterday
21
until 5:00. We commenced this morning again at 10:00.
22
Yesterday we advised them early that Dr. Castleman
23
had received this invitation just a few days before the
24
deposition to appear with the EPA. This is a matter
25
he's been involved in for some period of time, and 40 or
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------ ---- ----------------- -------------LSi-
1
50 percent of his time is spent in public service, and
2
h e 's a part of this. I believe it's 40 to 50. Is that
3
correct, Dr. Castleman?
4
So this is a matter that is a very serious concern
5
because it involves a proclamation about asbestos
6
and recommendations concerning its future use in the
7
United States of America. And he's been the point man
8
for a group that has been pushing this matter for some
9
period of time. So this is the second day that we
10
generally agree on for all the experts.
11
As you understand, we have to give them an
12
estimate of time, and some of these experts in asbestos
13
cases are called all over the country, and are involved
14
in many lawsuits. So we agreed to come back in tomorrow
15
morning and give them the half a day they would be
16
losing by his taking off this afternoon. And we felt
17
that was fair.
18
And we have tried to shorten the deposition
19
by agreeing to let them adopt and incorporate certain
20
portions of depositions regarding his qualifications,
21
possible bias, income, so that they wouldn't have to ask
22
any questions concerning that.
23
The asbestos defendants have his book, many of
24
them have been involved in litigation with him before
25
and have documents. In the spirit of cooperation we
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
have even provided them today a box of over 400
2
documents to be copied, we think we have been in full
3
compliance with the subpoena. The only problem is
4
taking off the half day so he can fulfill a prior
5
obligation, something he's been involved in for some
6
period of time, which we agreed to make up tomorrow.
7
Now, I understand that they are going to say,
8
Well, we didn't agree to a two day deposition. No, they
9
didn't agree to a two day deposition, but we have agreed
10
to a two day estimate of time, and we have given that
11
information to our experts to expect to be deposed two
12
days. That is our understanding from our conversations
13
with Hr. Hinkle, who's been appointed, as I understand,
14
as lead counsel to set up and schedule and coordinate
15
all the depositions of these experts.
16
MR. HINKLE: Your Honor, this is Mike Hinkle.
17
Part of the problem here is that, you know, that
18
Dr. Castleman, of course, if he's got to be there at
19
this deal, nobody told us about it until yesterday, so
20
now all of our clients are going to be expected to pick
21
up the cost of us waiting another day, and another night
22
of expense here for us. And we understand that Dr.
23
Castleman learned about this last Thursday or Friday,
24
and we didn't know a thing about it until we arrived
25
here yesterday morning. So it really isn't fair, and
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
--------------------- ------------------------------------ LB3_
1
we're not unsympathetic to his desire to be elsewhere,
2
but it's really not fair for our clients to have to pick
3
up the cost in order for him to make this hearing.
4
Also, let me just respond to a couple of things.
5
I have never told anyone that we would limit these
6
depositions to two days.
7
HR. HAYS: And I never stated that.
8
HR. HINKLE: I know, but I want it very clear
9
that Hr. Norman attempted to get us to agree to a
10
limitation on expert depositions, and I was not willing
11
to do that, and I never intended to suggest to anybody
12
that we were going to limit these to two days. And so
13
for a counsel to come in and say that we, you know, you
14
have got no complaint because we're going to give you
15
two days is not really fair, because that was not our
16
deal.
17
MR. HAYS: Your Honor, let me respond to that.
18
This subpoena, as I read it, has nothing to do with
19
asbestos. It says, "Documents relating to talc" in that
20
paragraph three that I have objected to, except as to --
21
Well, there is something in the last paragraph, and I
22
will have to retract that. He stuck in "asbestos, talc,
23
soapstone and clay". So I will retract that. The first
24
paragraph taketh away, the fourth -- fifth paragraph on
25
the last page giveth back. I apologize for that.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1M
1
But the point is, they have deposed this gentleman
2
many, many times. They have his book sitting on the
3
table. They have a multitude of documents that they
4
have accumulated over the past. In fact, at one time it
5
was discussed that the asbestos people might not even
6
appear because he's not changing his testimony in regard
7
to anything over the asbestos so far as I know, except
8
maybe some recent articles in the past few years, and
9
they can ask him about that. But they haven't asked
10
that.
11
They spent a lot of time just talking about a
12
Mr. Edholm who was a researcher that collected their
13
articles for him. I don't think the time has been
14
efficiently utilized. They haven't gone into the
15
substance of the matter, as I see it, and I think the
16
continuation of the deposition over until tomorrow, I
17
doubt that they will even complete it when they are
18
given their half day. I doubt that they will ever say
19
they have completed this deposition the way they are
20
approaching it at this point.
21
MS. SIEGEL: Your Honor, I have a couple of points
22
in response to Mr. Hays.
23
First of all, Mr. Hays feels that we are
24
conducting this deposition in an oppressive way, or
25
under any of the parts of the federal rules which would
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
iS
1
allow him to come in and terminate the deposition and
2
seek relief from the Court, he may do so. Thus far,
3
there has been no requests to do that.
4
Dr. Castleman, with regard to this EPA hearing, is
5
not serving in any official capacity, has not been
6
ordered to be present there, he desires to be present
7
there.
8
Well, somebody pointed out it's not a hearing. I
9
don't know exactly what the nature of this announcement
10
is that the EPA intends to make. In other words, he
11
just simply desires to be present there.
12
The subpoena and the notice that was served says
13
that this deposition will continue from day-to-day, the
14
notice says from day-to-day until completed. There has
15
been no agreement that this would only take place for a
16
period of two days.
17
In an effort to work out an agreement with the
18
plaintiff, we agreed to allow this other deposition to
19
go forward yesterday morning which ended up eating up
20
several hours of time because it did not occur. And
21
there was never any agreement that we would adopt the
22
videotape as part of this deposition to my knowledge.
23
HR. HAYS: Not the videotape, the transcript of
24
that deposition.
25
MS. SIEGEL: Either one.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
1
MR. HAYS: Yes, there was an agreement, as I
2
understood it.
3
MR. HItIKLE: well, that is immaterial, because
4
that didn't happen. Okay. So that is not an issue
5
here.
6
The thing about it is, Judge --
7
THE MAGISTRATE: Who have I got here?
8
MR. HINKLE: This is Mike Hinkle.
9
THE MAGISTRATE: You have had Mr. Castleman,
10
or Dr. Castleman for a day?
11
MR. HINKLE: Yes.
12
TIIE MAGISTRATE: And you are going to have him for
13
the remainder of today until 1:30 or so?
14
MR. HINKLE: Or thereabouts, yes.
15
THE MAGISTRATE: And he is willing to come back
16
tomorrow?
17
MS. SIEGEL: For half a day.
18
THE MAGISTRATE: Which half are we talking about?
19
MS. SIEGEL: In the morning, for two hours, from
20
10:00 to 12:00, for three hours.
21
MR. HAYS: 9:00 til 12:00.
22
MS. SIEGEL: I was cut off, and there is one other
23
thing I think is very important for you to consider, and
24
that is that Dr. Castleman has never testified with
25
regard to talc before. And while he may have
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
iW
1
publications that relate to asbestos, the area of
2
inquiry regarding his knowledge of talc and the
3
scientific development of the hazards associated with
4
talc is yet defined. And it may take us several days to
5
get through that area, as did the first deposition
6
relating to asbestos. Now, he's given depositions in
7
that regard numerous times, and the lawyers that
8
represent asbestos defendants here may want to inquire
0
further, but the area of inhalation of talc is yet
10
untapped.
11
HR. HAYS: Hay it please the Court, yesterday we
12
requested the talc defendants to go forward early in the
13
deposition. Some of them weren't here, we knew, but
14
some of them were here. And in fact, the lead counsel
15
yesterday did go into the talc articles for
16
identification, but also extended that to things like I
17
believe definitions of talc. So there has been
18
some deposition concerning talc. They could have
19
continued that, and at our request they did do some,
20
I suppose, but they could have been doing talc all
21
along.
22
And we had one -- we had one defendant yesterday
23
say, "I am not going to be precluded in my examination.
24
Hy examination alone will take eight hours." So the
25
fact that we continue this a half a day isn't really
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----------- ------------------------------------------------ IBB.
1
going to affect their being over here one other night,
2
because one of the attorneys said he was going to depose
3
him for eight hours, and that is after the lead counsel
4
on asbestos resumes his questioning.
5
So they are planning on doing a marathon
6
deposition here, and I bet you that if we would give
7
them two more days even, they would end up -- which we
8
cannot do, but they would ask for a contiuance and
9
not complete the deposition based upon what they're
10
saying.
11
HR. CROSBY: Your Honor, I am Jim Crosby. I
12
represent one of the asbestos producers.
13
Just for purposes of letting Your Honor know,
14
the witness brought today some items that we had
15
requested dealing with particular companies, and some
16
opinions that he has relating to asbestos. I have
17
deposed this witness in the past and cross-examined him
18
in the past in courtrooms. I have reviewed briefly that
19
box of materials, and in that box of materials now are
20
a considerable number of documents and articles and
21
memorandum that I had not seen or heard this witness
22
testify about at any time prior to today. So the scope
23
of the deposition is pretty broad, and what they
24
tendered this witness for is a broad subject that
25
requires a great deal of discovery.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
---------- ----------------------------- ------------------Laa.
1
We allowed the talc people to go in between our
2
examination, and plaintiff's counsel has agreed that we
3
can come back. But it's an involved and tedious process
4
with lots of documents and lots of medical and
5
scientific literature that takes quite a while to
6
explore.
7
HR. HAYS: Hay it please the Court, this
S
gentleman -- Dr. Castleman has been deposed over 60
9
times since 1979, and there are transcripts on
10
over 80 trials, and his testimony concerns
11
history of knowledge concerning asbestos and talc, and
12
to a small degree clay. You know, they have got the
13
book on the man, they have had it for a long time, and I
14
just think this is an exercise in using time that should
15
be used otherwise.
16
MR. HINKLE: Your Honor, this is Hike Hinkle
17
again. I am just going to make one other statement
18
here. That this doctor has brought with him 80 or
19
approximately 80 or more articles dealing with talc.
20
We have never seen the bulk of these, we did not get
21
copies of those until last night about 7:00, and so we
22
have never had an opportunity to review these documents
23
and question this witness about it in the history.
24
He's never testified in a talc case. So this is
25
the first time that he's ever been placed under oath
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-- ---------------------------------- --------- -------------------------- L2fl.
1
and questioned concerning his expertise in talc, and we
2
want to make sure that we get it done this time.
3
We have told counsel for the plaintiff that we're
4
going to try to fix it where we don't have to keep
5
running back here and taking additional depositions for
6
every plaintiff. So what we're trying to do here is in
7
the talc context, and I am not going to speak to
8
asbestos, I don't know what all they need to ask him,
9
but I do know that we have got an awful lot of articles
10
about talc that nobody here has ever seen before.
11
With that, I think that it's unfair for the
12
witness to say that I am only going to allot you so much
13
time, and then to just break it off, even though he's
14
got a subpoena served on him. And there was no
15
objection and no notice to us that he was going to
16
bellyache about the amount of time that he was spending.
17
MR. HAYS: Your Honor, I sent a letter to
18
Hr. Hinkle telling him we were going to object to the
19
subpoena before we left town, and I also filed
20
objections to the subpoena. And Dr. Castleman said he
21
didn't have an attorney representing him, and then later
22
I asked him if he adopted what I filed in that subpoena,
23
and he said yes. And I think that subpoena is
24
over broad. But we have responded, we have given them
25
tons of documents, now they are using that as a basis
-LSI
1
for extending the deposition.
2
MR. HINKLE: We're not bellyaching about the items
3
presented, what were talking here is about the
4
time, that is the issue here.
5
HR. HAYS: So the more we give them the longer it
6
takes. And we need some guidance.
7
THE MAGISTRATE: Why are we cutting this off at
8
half a day tomorrow?
9
MR. HAYS: Sir?
10
THE MAGISTRATE: why are we cutting this off
11
at half a day tomorrow?
12
MS. SIEGEL: The testimony from the witness
13
yesterday was that he has other important things to take
14
care of in his life, and that is pretty much the reason
15
why.
16
THE ilAGISTRATE: Mr. Hays, can you enlighten me
17
any on that?
18
MR. HAYS: I can just -- No, sir. He just had
19
business plans, as I understand it.
20
Dr. Castleman, can you help me on that?
21
THE WITNESS: Yes. Good morning, Your Honor.
22
MR. HAYS: Can you hear Dr. Castleman from there,
23
Your Honor?
24
THE MAGISTRATE: Yes, I can.
25
MR. HAYS: Is it all right if he speaks to you?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
132
1
THE MAGISTRATE: Yes.
2
MR. HAYS: Excuse us. There Is a squad car going
3
by or ambulance. It's making a lot of noise here.
4
THE WITNESS: Your Honor, I am going to be going
5
out of the country later next week. I have other
6
obligations in other work I am doing. I am involved in
7
international work in the field of occupational and
8
environmental health. I am also involved in this
9
federal rule making regarding the EPA's proposed band of
10
asbestos consumation of which they plan to announce at
11
this time. And I need some time in my life co be able
12
to take care of these and other personal matters as
13
well as business matters before I go away.
14
I am going to be out of the country for about
15
four weeks. And I really do see that if I -- I made
16
myself available for deposition between now and the time
17
that I am leaving the United States, in all likelihood
18
I think that these folks would still be here asking me
19
questions straight through next week about the various
20
documents, boxes of documents, about 50 pounds worth, I
21
think, that I have so far brought in, most of which has
22
been the subject of repeated discussion in the asbestos
23
litigation over the past ten years.
24
The talc stuff is new, and I have attempted to
25
respond to questions on that. If we can't finish as of
r* n
r O A /^ T u m B ^
------------------------------------- ------------------------------------m
1
mid-day tomorrow, I supposed if you consider it
2
necessary, the deposition will just have to be resumed
3
when I get back in the United States in August or in
4
September sometime.
5
THE MAGISTRATE; Well, these cases are set for
6
trial in August, and they will go in August.
7
MR. HAYS: No, sir. These are the January trials.
8
THE MAGISTRATE: January cases?
9
MR. HAYS: Yes, they are the January cases.
10
MS. SIEGEL: But that does put us into our
11
discovery cutoff, however.
12
MR. HINKLE: And nobody told us this, Judge.
13
This is the problem we're having. We come in here after
14
all these lawyers traveling a thousand miles and
15
believing that we have got a subpoena that will be
16
binding on the witness, and an agreement with
17
plaintiff's counsel that he will be here, and after
18
doing all this we find out that we're not going to be
19
able to finish.
20
MR. HAYS: Your Honor, as far as that one days
21
time, the attorneys did not show up until maybe 12:00,
22
some of the talc attorneys, so they did not -- because
23
the video deposition was going to take place.
24
MR. HINKLE: Jim, that is not fair.
25
MR. HAYS: So really there is really no loss on
--- -- ------------------------------- -- ------------- -- .- 194
1
that from that standpoint.
2
HR. HINKLE: That is not fair. I agreed to that
3
as an accommodation to y o u r and it's not fair now for
4
you to use that as some kind of an argument as to why
5
this witness ought to be able to leave.
6
HR. HAYS: No. I am just talking about your extra
7
day, extra half day you're talking about.
8
Well, Your Honor we're sorry to take up your time
9
with this matter, but it is something of concern. I
10
think we need to have your guidance on it.
11
THE MAGISTRATE: Well, I can go one or two ways
12
here, and of course my concern is trying to be fair to
13
all the parties. We have Dr. Castleman here who's been
14
listed as an expert witness in this case or in these
15
cases. And of course, we have a new area as to talc
16
here. I think these defendants are entitled to fully
17
examine Dr. Castleman as to the talc area.
18
MR. HAYS: Yes, sir.
19
THE MAGISTRATE: How many lawyers do I have there
20
right now?
21
MS. SIEGEL: Eighteen to 20.
22
THE MAGISTRATE: Having served a subpoena having
23
20 people travel to -- where are we, New York?
24
MS. SIEGEL: Baltimore, Maryland.
25
THE MAGISTRATE: Baltimore, and then have the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
135
1
witness take off, does not sit well, certainly to
2
announce this after everyone has arrived. It's not
3
the way to proceed.
4
MR. HAYS: I had no notice of it until I got here
5
for the deposition, Your Honor, and it was reported to
6
them as soon as possible.
7
THE MAGISTRATE: On the other hand, I certainly
3
don't want to be oppressive to any witness, including
9
Dr. Castleman.
10
MR. HINKLE: Could I propose a compromise, Your
11
Honor?
12
THE MAGISTRATE: Certainly.
13
MR. HINKLE: One way that we might be able to
14
solve this is if Dr. Castleman wants to break off and
15
leave, and the Court thinks that is the way to handle
16
this, then the Court can say that he's not going to
17
testify to anything that was not covered in the
18
deposition. And if they want to limit us to the amount
19
of time that we're going to take with him and he's going
20
to limit us, then it ought to cut both ways, they need
21
to be limited too. And that seems like a fair way to
22
handle it.
23
MR. HAYS: Well, Your Honor, I think that would be
24
very fair from the defendant's standpoint, that is their
25
clients would be certainly in a wonderful position if
r c d accnrT m 'p q
J_9
1
they could just stop the deposition right now, walk away
2
and say he didn't testify to it, so therefore, he can't
3
present it at trial.
4
We're going to present him in trial concerning
5
those matters they are well aware of from the asbestos
6
standpoint, and should be aware of from the talc
7
standpoint.
3
It surprises me that after two years or close to
9
three years maybe now in litigation, that these talc
10
defendants haven't been down to the library to look up
11
some articles, which I was able to do last night in a
12
couple of hours, I picked up five or six of them myself.
13
So it surprises me that they don't have these talc
14
articles. I just can't buy that frankly. But I don't
15
want to be limited in what I present Dr. Castleman
16
on because they choose not to question him in an area
17
tactically.
18
THE MAGISTRATE: Well, that is fine, if they chose
19
not to question him in an area. But what we're doing
20
here, you have got 20 lawyers sitting out there, and
21
were not providing the witness for an adequate period
22
of time to be questioned.
23
MS. SIEGEL: Your Honor, I think one of the
24
important things to consider here is that this witness
25
is not being ordered to appear in some other
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
iSJ.
1
jurisdiction or by court order or for any other reason
2
other than his own desire to be elsewhere. .And from
3
that perspective, I would urge you to encourage this
4
witness to obey the subpoena, to remain here, and to let
5
us continue and complete this deposition pursuant to the
6
terms of that subpoena instead of being his own judge in
7
this jurisdiction and allowing himself to come and go as
8
he sees fit.
9
MR. HAYS: Well, Your Honor, he*s not coming and
10
going.
11
THE MAGISTRATE: The deposition should proceed,
12
and the subpoena should be complied with. And the
13
deposition should proceed through today and through
14
tomorrow.
15
Certainly I would think that by the conclusion
16
of the working day tomorrow the defendants should be
17
finished with this deposition. Three days in my
18
estimation should be sufficient to depose any witness,
19
and we should terminate this deposition then as of 5:00
20
tomorrow. But certainly up through that time.
21
Dr. Castleman should remain available, and this
22
deposition should proceed and be completed.
23
MR. HAYS: Thank you, Your Honor.
24
MS. SIEGEL: Thank you, Your Honor.
25
THE MAGISTRATE: Anything further?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
iaa
1
MS. SIEGEL: No. Appreciate your time.
2
THE MAGISTRATE: Very well.
3
(Whereupon, the deposition was resumed.)
4
MR. HAYS: Dr. Castleman can't be there to
5
represent the poor people.
6
MR. HOOD: I have asked the court reporter to
7
start noting the time so we can show the Court we're
8
ready to start the deposition. According to my watch
9
it's 11:40, the judge has ruled, and I would like to
10
proceed with the deposition.
11
MR. HAYS: We haven't agreed to go back on the
12
record, but I will agree to go back on the
13
record. And I want us to have an agreement right now
14
that lead counsel and myself agree when we go on the
15
record and off the record. Is that acceptable to
16
everyone?
17
MR. HOOD: If you drop my client from the case, it
18
is.
19
MR. HINKLE: Except that there is going to be
20
times when I am not going to be here.
21
MR. HAYS: Well, whoever occupies the cat bird's
22
seat, as you call it.
23
MR. WAGNER: I think that is reasonable.
24
MR. HAYS: Thank you.
25
MR. CROSBY: Well, let me just state for the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------- --------------------- --------------------- 149-
1
record that within certain parameters it's reasonable,
2
but there may be times when there may be descending
3
votes on when we go on and off the record, and everybody
4
here has the obligation to represent their clients. We
5
continue to try to work with you. For example, we
6
still have to make our own objections for each of our
7
clients since you would not allow an objection by one
8
defendant to stand for all.
9
MR. HAYS: Are you renewing that request now?
10
HR. CROSBY: Whatever you want to do, Mr. Hays,
11
but I mean, I don't think that I am being unreasonable
12
in light of your position with respect to certain
13
matters.
14
MR. HAYS: I don't believe that we have taken
15
up much time with objections. What are they going to
16
do, object to lead counsel's questions?
17
MR. CROSBY: I may. I certainly wish to reserve
18
that right. I am here representing a client.
19
MR. HAYS: Well, some people may not agree to do
20
that. He's not going to object to his own questions.
21
MR. CROSBY: Let's go to work.
22
MR. HAYS: So you're going to have to object,
23
aren't you? It doesn't make sense, does it?
24
MR. CROSBY: The witness has returned. If we may
25
proceed, I would think we should do that.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2011
1
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castleman, when we left off
2
the questioning, you had Exhibit 22 in front of you to help you
3
tell us what subcategories of talc we may be talking about.
4
A. Yes.
5
Q. What are they?
6
A. Well, the mineral talc is defined here by its
7
formula.
8
Q.
Well, I don't want the formula. I want to know
9
what the subcategories of talc are. we have talked generally
10
about pure talc and industrial grade talc. Are there
11
recognized subcategories within the rubric of talc that we can
12
talk about?
13
A.
Well, I don't know that you can say they are so
14
distinctly recognized. As the authors here say "Variations in
15
the composition of talc used in industries are extreme."
16
And they mention that the talcs involved may contain
17
minerals, the most prominent minerals they say which may
18
accompany talc as it occurs in nature are serpentine, dolomite
19
and tremolite. So those are the three listed here as minerals
20
that may accompany talc as it naturally occurs, and which would
21
be present in the talcs that are used in the industry.
22
Q.
All right. Do I understand then, that those are
23
the only subcategories of talc that you as an expert recognize?
24
A.
I don't say they are subcategories of talc. I
25
think that that is a misunderstanding. That there are
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
201
1
mineralogical ingredients that are found, as well as the
2
hydrous magnesium silicate that mineralogists refer to when
3
they mean pure talc.
4
Q.
Listen carefully to my question, Dr. Castleman. I
5
would like to know from you, being the expert in this field,
6
what are the recognized subcategories of talc that have been
7
dealt with in the medical literature if you can tell me?
8
MR. HAYS: Assuming that there are such
9
categories.
10
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) If you don't know or don't
11
believe there are such categories, you can so state,.
12
A.
I just don't think that the question lends itself
13
to an answer. There are all kinds of talcs that are mined in
14
different places, they contain various quantities of these
15
other types of materials, as well as materials which are
16
perhaps not as prominent in talc deposits.
17
Q.
Do you know whether or not talcs are
18
subcategorized according to their form, do you know?
19
A.
I really don't know about the jargon of
20
mineralogists and talc vendors in this regard, although there
21
may well be different types of grades and standards that have
22
been arrived at in the industry regarding physical properties
23
and constituants of the various talcs that are sold.
24
Q.
Dr. Castleman, you have told us that you are not
25
an expert in mineralogy. Is that true?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
22
1
A.
That is true.
2
Q.
I am not asking you about anything that is outside
3
the area of the expertise that you have claimed in this case.
4
You have claimed to be an expert in the development of medical
5
knowledge concerning the hazards of talc; right, among others?
6
A.
As reported in the scientific literature, yes.
7
Q.
Now, as reported in the scientific literature,
8
Dr. Castleman, do the authors, do the scientists categorize
9
talc according to its form, or do you know?
10
A.
I don't see clear cut categories emerging in the
11
scientific literature, although certainly some of the writers
12
do refer to tremolitic talc, and there are what you might call
13
categories, but it's not clear cut. It's not as clear cut, for
14
example, as the mineralogical varieties of asbestos, in the
15
literature on asbestos disease where you are dealing with,
16
relatively speaking, more pure materials, and not mixtures of
17
this kind.
18
Q.
When you use the term "tremolitic talc", you are
19
talking about talc that is categorized by reason of its
20
content; correct?
21
A. Yes.
22
Q.
My narrow question is: Are you aware in the
23
medical literature of any catergorization of talc by virtue of
24
its form?
25
A. You mean its morphology?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
333
1
Q.
Well, morphology is a different question, but
2
let's ask that one. Are you aware of any subcategorization
3
dealt with in the medical literature concerning different
4
subcategories of talc by reason of its morphology?
5
A.
in a sense that some of the authors say that
6
fibrous talcs are different in their biologic action or more
7
severe in their biologic action than non-- fibrous talcs. This
8
is generally speaking in the more recent literature, not in the
9
earliest articles.
10
Q.
So you recognize a distinction in medical
11
literature between fibrous talc and none fibrous talc?
12
A.
I recognize that there are different authors who
13
say various things, and some of these authors have made
14
distinctions of that kind* But it's ---- let's not speak of the
15
medical literature as a uniform, single body of things. It's a
16
diverse collection of things that were put into print over a
17
period of decades, and some of the authors made comments of
18
that type, and some of them did not.
19
Q.
And all we can ask you now are the matters that
20
appear in this medical literature, and I am not asking for
21
everything that everyone says. I want to know what basically
22
we can glean from this body of literature. Okay?
23
And you tell me now that somewhere some authors deal
24
with a difference between fibrous talc and non-fibrous talc,
25
you have seen that distinction made?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2SU L
1
A.
in some cases, yes.
2
Q.
Have you seen any other distinction made with
3
regard to subcategories of talc apart from the ones you have
4
told us about?
5
A.
I don't think so.
6
Q.
All right.
7
A.
I mean the things I told you about since you
8
started questioning me yesterday.
9
Q.
Serpentine, dolomite and tremolite arecategories
10
based on content and fibrous and non-fibrous you see as
11
distinctions based on form. Would you agree with that?
12
A.
Yes. Again, the minerals you have mentioned are
13
things that are present in varying quantities in different
14
types of talcs as it's reported in the literature.
15
Q. All right.
16
A. I hesitate to say that they are differenttypes of
17
talc. But they are -- there are different compositions of
18
industrial talcs that contain varying quantities of those
19
things.
20
0.
Doctor, all I am asking you now, I'm not asking
21
you to take the position as to whether it's true, or not true,
22
or accurate or not accurate. I am just asking you what is in
23
the medical literature.
24
A. Fine.
25
Q. Now, do you recognize any other -- haveyou seen,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
355-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
dealt with m the medical literature any other subcategories of
talc apart from the ones you have told us?
A.
Nothing comes to mind.
Q. All right.
A. There may be other comes to mind at this time.
things in here, but nothing
Q.
Now, are you familiar, do you see dealt with in
the medical literature any epidemiological studies that relate
to the effect of fibrous talc on the lungs?
A. Yes.
Q. When?
that? You have an exhibit in front you of. what exhibit is
A. I am looking at No. 15.
Q.
Are you telling us Exhibit No. 15 is an
epidemiological study dealing with the effects of fibrous talc on the lungs?
A.
Well, they use the terra tremolitic talc, or they
mention that talc tremolite is involved, but they talk about
not just the current study, but earlier work.
Q. Does Exhibit No. 15 -- and incidently, identify that for us, please.
A. Report.
This is a study by Dreessen, 1935 Public Health
Q.
Is that an epidemiological study?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2Q.
1
A
It is an epidemiological study.
2
Q.
What are Dreessen's conclusions with regard to the
3
affects of fibrous talc on the lungs?
4
A.
He says that Georgia Talc appears to be more
5
injurious than tremolite talc. So this is a study that appears
6
to say that talc that doesn't have tremolite that is found in
7
Georgia appears, according to the author at this time to be
8
more harmful.
9
Q.
All right. Now, are you takinga position,
10
Dr. Castleman, one way or the other as to whether or not the
11
findings in this article are correct?
12
A.
No.
13
Q.
All right. Now, does -- Well,let me just ask the
14
broad category. Are you taking the position that the findings
15
of any of these articles that we have talked about and have
16
made exhibits, are you taking a position as to the accuracy of
17
any of these articles?
18
A.
Well, I am not here to testify as to the truth of
19
the matters reported in the articles. I am testifying as to
20
the availability of the reports themselves, and the logical
21
inferences that might be drawn by someone, say, in the talc
22
business having access to such reports.
23
Q.
Now, the exhibit that you just told us about
24
indicates that the higher the tremolitic content of talc the
25
less dangerous it is. Would that be a reasonable in inference
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
203
1
from the article you just cited?
2 A. This particular article says that, "Georgia Talc
3
appears to be more injurious than treraolite talc." And they
4
say, "Georgia Talc contains only traces of free silica." So I
5
am not sure if they understand or have even a theory as to why
6
they find more problems with Georgia Talc than they found with
7
the stuff they refer to as tremolite talc. And I am also not
8
clear, and I am not sure that this article makes clear the
9
extent of fibers that were found in the tremolite talc they
10
refer to.
11
Q.
So this particular article, I guess, would lead to
12
either confusing, inaccurate or incomplete conclusions. Would
13
you agree with that?
14
^ think this article would lead to the conclusion
15
that you can develop pneumoconiosis from some types of talc,
16
and just what it is in terms of a detailed mechanism of the
17
pneumoconiosis was somewhat obscure at the time that this was
18
reported.
19
Q.
Does this particular article deal with disability
20
at all?
21
A.
I don't believe that they found -- Well, let me
22
see. They did find, I believe they did find disability. They
23
lad eight individuals who had pneumoconiosis grades two and
24
three. And I don't see specific discussions of it in terms of
25
disability.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-------------------- ---- -------------------- --------------------- ?nft
1
Q.
Have you followed the treatment of Dreessen's
2
article in subsequent literature?
3
A.
I have seen it referred to in subsequent
4
literature.
5
Q.
Do you know what the subsequent literature says in
6
regard to what Dreessen finds as to disability associated with
7
inhalation of talc?
8
A.
You mean what other people inferred from reading
9
this?
10
Q.
Yes. Limited to the disability question.
11
A.
I think that at least one of the articles that I
12
have seen, I think one of the articles inferred that there was
13
disability, and I think there may have been other articles that
14
inferred that -- Well, I am not sure. I don't think that
15
the -- without knowing which article you are referring to, it's
16
a little hard to answer the question.
17
Q.
Okay. As we sit here today you are not able to
18
tell us how Dreessen's conclusions have been dealt with by
19
subsequent authors on the question of disability?
20
A.
I know that this was cited and -- but I don't have
21
a perfect recollection of what each of the subsequent authors
22
said or did not say about Dreessen's report.
23
Q.
I am not asking for a perfect recollection,
24
Dr. Castleman. if you can remember in substance what was said,
25
that will do.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2oa
1
A.
Well, I seem to remember one of them saying that
2
he found that there was disability in people with grade two and
3
grade three pneumoconiosis, but I could be wrong about that.
4
That is just kind of an unusual question asking me what one
5
author had to say about another author's writing. But I think
6
that is what somebody said, and if pressed at some point today,
7
maybe we will see a little bit more about that when we go
8
through these other articles.
9
Q.
Dr. Castleman, isn't that one of the ways that we
10
decide how a particular publication is received in the medical
11
community, by seeing what subsequent authors have to say about
12
that?
13
A. Yes, that's right.
14
Q.
Are you able to say as you sit here today how
15
Dreessen's article was received by subsequent authors?
16
A.
I would say that generally it was received as a
17
sign that talc might well cause lung damage.
18
Q. Would you agree?
19
A. And it was so cited.
20
Q.
Would you agree that it also says that some talcs
21
are more dangerous than others?
22
A.
It definitely say that. There is no question.
23
That is explicit, and we covered that.
24
Q. Do you know which authors have subsequently
25
accepted that point of view?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A.
There are plenty of authors here who have said
2
that there seems to be a variability in the extent of disease
3
that is reported. I think ever since --
4
Q.
All I want to know, Dr. Castleman, is are you able
5
to say which of these authors have accepted the conclusions
6
reached by Dr. Dreessen?
7
A.
Well, what conclusions? That there is variability
8
in the extent of damage that the different types of talc may
9
cause to different people.
10
Q.
Let's start with this, that you say that
11
Dr. Dreessen concludes that inhalation of talc can cause
12
disability; correct?
13
A.
Well, Dreessen I don't think actually uses that
14
term. He says he found grades two and three pneumoconiosis in
15
people that he examined. I don't think he characterizes it
16
using the word disability. So I am at a loss to tell you
17
something that Dreessen himself didn't say explicitly.
18
Q.
Let me frame the question this way then. In
19
reviewing the article on this Exhibit 15 by Dr. Dreessen, does
20
he discuss in any terms whether or not inhalation of talc will
21
result in functional disability?
22
A.
well, the way I read it he did find functional
23
disability. He said, "There were eight cases-- " on Page 138,
24
"-- showing definate symptoms of the disease, such as dyspnea,
25
cough, chest pain, rales and other abnormal chest findings,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2Ur
1
clubbing of the fingers, and roentgenologic manifestations of
2
nodular or nodular conglomerate types of fibrosis, and more or
3
less diaphragmatic fixation. Considering all clinical and
4
roentgenological findings together, these eight cases were
5
diagnosed pneumoconiosis two and three."
6
Q.
And so your reading of this article says
7
Dr. Dreessen concludes that you can in fact suffer some
0
functional impairment by reason of inhalation of talc?
9
A.
Yes. I mean I read those sentences to mean that
10
your lungs have been damaged.
11
Q. Allright.
12
A.
And that those are evidence, various evidence of
13
lung damage.
14
Q.
All right. Now, Dr. Dreessen makes a distinction
15
between Georgia Talc and tremolitic talc; right?
16
A. Yes, he does.
17
Q.
And he says that Georgia Talc in his view is more
18
dangerous; right?
19
A. Yes, he does.
20
Q. Does he says whether or not there is any tremolite
21
in Georgia Talc?
22
A.
Yes. He says there was one, referring to the
23
petrographic analysis on Page 142, he says, "Georgia Talc
24
contains only traces of free silica." And then it goes on to
25
say "The amount of tremolite, about ten percent found by
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
212
1
petrographic analysis averaged one-fourth the amount reported
2
in the previous study." And previous was a study of what he
3
calls tremolite talc. So this apparently also has tremolite in
4
it, but it has less tremolite than Georgia Talc.
5
Q.
All right. So Dr. Dreessen says that a talc with
6
only traces of free silica and less tremolite is nevertheless
7
more injurious to the lungs than talc that has a higher
8
quantity of tremolite. That is what he suggests in this
9
article; true?
10
A.
Yes, that's correct.
11
Q.
Do you agree or disagree with that? Or do you
12
have a position on that?
13
A.
All I can say is that is what he reported, and
14
this was an early stage in the development of knowledge about
15
talc. It was the first time really in the '30s that the
16
authorities in Great Britain and in the United States were
17
starting to take a look at significant numbers of talc exposed
18
workers and looking for lung disease.
19
Q.
Do you remember my question, Dr. Castieman?
20
A.
Well, I can't say that I -- He reports the
21
findings that he had.
22
Q.
Do you remember the question that I posed to you,
23
Dr. Castieman?
24
A.
I believe your question was do I agree that
25
tremolitic talc is, as Dreessen said, less harmful than the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
212
1
other type of talc.
2
Q.
Yes. Do you agree or disagree with Dr. Dreessen's
3
conclusions, or do you have a position?
4
A.
I think other people have subsequently reported
5
that tremolitic talc caused more problems. Not just with
6
respect to fibrosis of the lungs, but also with respect to
7
cancer, but that was not reported for a number of years
8
afterward. So it certainly is a mixed picture of the
9
literature as people try to sort out just what it was about
10
these industrial talcs that was of greatest concern.
11
Q.
Do you recall the question that I posed,
12
Dr. Castleman?
13
A. I can't disagree with Dreessen's objective report
14
of his own findings.
15
Q. Thank you.
16
A. And at the same time, I have to acknowledge that
17
it seems to be at odds with the subsequent reports that other
18
people wrote on basis of their findings.
19
Q.
I am not asking about anybody else in the world
20
but Dr. Castleman. And I want to know, does Dr. Castleman
21
agree, disagree or are you neutral with regard to
22
Dr. Dreessen's findings?
23
A.
I can only conclude that Dreessen is truly
24
reporting what he found and believed to be the case at the time
25
he conducted his study.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
21A
1
Q.
I am asking about his conclusions, the conclusions
2
that he draws?
3
A.
I think that the conclusions that he draws are not
4
consistant with modern thinking on the subject of tremolitic,
5
or particularly fibrous talcs compared to non-fibrous talcs.
6
Q.
Dr. Castleman, I am not asking about anybody
7
else's thinking. I am not asking about modern thinking. I am
8
asking about Dr. Castleman's thinking. And how does Dr.
9
Castleman line up with Dr. Dreessen's conclusions? Do you
10
agree with him? Do you disagree with him? Or do you have no
11
opinion? That's all I want to know.
12
A.
I just don't know how to answer that question.
13
Q.
Well, I could give some suggestions. You can say,
14
yes, I agree with him; you can say, no, I don't agree with him;
15
or you can say, I don't have a position on that.
16
A.
Dreessen was probably as competent as anybody who
17
worked for the U.S. Government in the area of pneumoconiosis
18
research in the 1930s. And I don't doubt that Dreessen found
19
what he reported.
20
Q.
I am not asking --
21
A.
At the same time subsequent authors have written
22
different things.
23
Dreessen doesn't say anything about the percent of
24
fibers that were in what he calls tremolitic and less
25
tremolitic talc. And so there is missing information here
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
which it's easy to see in the light of more recent knowledge
2
that Dreessen hadn't quite focused in on. There are just --
3
there is incomplete information on the basis of which for me to
4
give you a simple answer, much as I might like to give you a
5
simple answer to your question.
6
Q.
Dr. Castleman, I am entitled to an answer to that
7
question.
3
A.
You are entitled to the best answer I can give
9
you, and I am trying to give you that.
10
Q.
Well, I think that that question can be answered
11
with yes, I do agree with Dr. Dreessen's conclusions; no, I do
12
not agree with Dr. Dreessen's conclusions? or I have no
13
position in regard to Dr. Dreessen's conclusions. I'm entitled
14
to one of those answers.
15
MR. HAYS: He can also say I don't know.
16
MR. HINKLE: He can say I don't know, I'll accept
17
that. Do you know whether you agree with him or not?
18
MR. HAYS: Or you can say I agree in part.
19
MR. HINKLE: That will be fine. And we'll go down
20
the list and find out what you agree with and don't
21
agree with.
22
MR. HAYS: Or he can give you his best answer,
23
and say that is the best I can give you.
24
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Well, just answer the question
25
for me, if you would, Dr. Castleman.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
21&.
1
A.
I have. I really have. I am not trying to be
2
evasive. It's just that the question doesn't lend itself to a
3
simple answer.
4
Q.
I am going to pose this question to you, Dr.
5
Castleman, and I'm going to expect an answer. And I want you
6
to know that if you do not answer this question, that we are
7
going to seek to get the aid of the court in regard to this,
8
because it's something that we are entitled to have. And the
9
question is this: Having now reviewed Dr. Dreessen's
10
conclusions, do you, Dr. Castleman, agree with his conclusions?
11
Do you disagree with his conclusions? Do you agree in part?
12
Or do you have no position? Where do you stand in regard to
13
Dr. Dreessen's conclusions?
14
A.
Well, I agree that he found what he reported that
15
he found. And there appears to be incomplete information on
16
the basis of which one might agree or not agree with the kinds
17
of statements he made.
18
Q.
So I take it then that you are saying that you are
19
in no position to agree or disagree either way; correct?
20
MR. HAYS: You are talking about with regard
21
to any statement made in there as to the notice or
22
talking about talc?
23
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) I am just talking about the
24
conclusions. I have tried with all my heart to limit these
25
questions to the conclusions.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
A.
You mean whether Georgia Talc is more injurious
2
than tremolite talc? That is the conclusion.
3
Q.
All right. I'll go along with that. Would you
4
agree with that conclusion? Or not agree with it? Or you have
5
no position on it?
6
A.
I am not positive, but I think subsequent events
7
have shown tremolite talc, at least of the kind that is found
8
in up state New York, is more harmful than the Georgia Talc,
9
but I am not positive about that. Again, it's because of the
10
types of terminology he uses here, it's difficult to give you a
11
simple answer. I don't know what he had in his mind when he
12
used these terms, and I don't know the extent of the fibers
13
that were found in the different types of talc that he was
14
referring to.
15
Q.
Dr. Castleman, I did not ask you a word about
16
subsequent findings.
17
A.
You asked me whether I agree with it.
18
Q.
Right. Do you agree or not agree?
19
A.
My agreement would be based on what I know, not
20
just what Dreessen reported. I can't put myself back in 1935.
21
If I did, I would agree with everything Dreessen said, because
22
I wouldn't have any basis for disagreeing.
23
Q.
Dr. Castleman, whatever you need to think about to
24
tell us how you stand is fine with me. But I have been asking
25
you for the last ten or 15 minutes to take a position with
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2 1 _a
1
regard to Dr. Dreessen's conclusions.
2
A.
If I read this in 1935 I would have no reason but
3
to agree with it.
4
Q.
And anyone else --
5
A.
Dreessen was an authority at this time in the
6
United States.
7
Q.
Would you agree that anyone else reading Dr.
8
Dreessen's article in 1935 would have every reason in the world
9
to believe that that was true?
10
A. Sure.
11
Q. All right. How many people did Dreessen -- what
12
was the population for his study, by the way?
13
A.
I believe there were 32 people that he examined in
14
this study.
15
Q.
Is that sufficient to qualify as an
16
epidemiological study?
17
A.
Yes, in my mind, yes.
18
Q. Are there guidelines in the medical community with
19
regard to the numbers which will qualify as an epidemiological
20
study?
21
A.
Not that I am aware of.
22
Q.
All right. What industry were these --
23
A.
I am sorry. Thirty-two men and four women were
24
employed at the time, and so there may have been 36 people
25
examined.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q. What trade were they involved in?
2
A. They worked in mines and mills.
3
Q.
What kind of mines and mills?
4
A.
Talc mines and mills.
5
Q.
I think you told us earlier there is no discussion
6
at all with regard to the concentrations of exposure; correct?
7
A.
In this study I think there were some comments on
8
the concentrations.
9
Q. What were they?
10
A. I am sorry. They at least conducted physical
11
examinations of 66 talc workers and former talc workers. Just
12
by way of correcting the numbers.
13
Q. Fine.
14
A.
The exposures they have divided into three classes
15
in terms of how many millions of particles of dust per cubic
16
foot of air.
17
Q.
How many millions of particles of dust per cubic
18
foot of air was the least exposure to Dr. Dreessen*s subjects?
19
A.
Seventeen million.
20
Q.
So all of those subjects were exposed to 17 plus
21
million particles of talc per cubic foot in their work
22
environment; right?
23
A.
Well, the lowest exposed group was exposed to an
24
average of 17 million, so some of them would have been exposed
25
to less, some of them would have been exposed to more. And in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
220.
1
the other two groups they would have all been exposed the more
2
than 17 million.
3
Q.
All right. Are you aware of any industry anywhere
4
in the United States from the 1940s on where anybody was
5
exposed to talc in concentrations of 17 million plus particles
6
per cubic foot?
7
A.
I think some of these other reports make reference
8
to exposures that high and higher.
9
Q.
We will get to those in a minute.
10
A.
That is not a real high concentration of dust.
11
Q.
Seventeen million particles per cubic foot is not
12
a very high concentration?
13
A.
Well, it's not an unusually high concentration
14
when one talks about industrial environments in the 1930s, and
15
dusts generally speaking. Although it would have been regarded
16
as an alarmingly high concentration for dusts such as silicas
17
and asbestos even in the 1930s, it was certainly well within
18
the range of whathas been reported as occurring even in the
19
case of asbestos and silica dusts at that time.
20
Q.
Is it your testimony then that in the '30s and
21
40s concentrations of 17 million particles per cubic foot were
22
regarded as safe in talc workers?
23
A.
No. I'm just saying that in industries, and your
24
question was, I think your question went to the issue, Wasn't
25
this extraordinarily high concentrations of dust for industrial
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
221
1
workers, and I am trying to put it in context. There were
2
plenty of workers exposed to concentrations of different dusts,
3
some of which were recognized as fibrogenic at the time in the
4
1930s which far exceeded 17 million particles per cubic foot.
5
Q.
When is the last time that you can think of that
6
there are any documented exposures of levels that high, 17
7
million plus particles per cubic foot, when did that come to a
8
stop?
9
A.
I think that sort of thing may still occur, with
10
regard to what kinds of dust are you asking the question?
11
Q.
Well, we have been talking about talc.
12
A.
I don't really know what kinds of exposures are
13
found in modern times in terms of exposures in workplaces where
14
talc is used.
15
Q.
Is the dust in workplaces regulated now?
16
A. Some dust is.
17
Q. And is talc dust regulated?
18
A.
I believe talc dust that contains asbestos fibers
19
is regulated. I don't know whether talc dust itself is
20
regulated or not.
21
Q.
Do you know whether or not there are any
22
guidelines with regard to what we call nuisance dust?
23
A.
Yes. It would presumably be covered under that
24
category if it's not covered under any other category.
25
Q.
Well, what are the regulations with regard to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
222.
1
concentrations of nuisance dust?
2
A.
I don't know off the top of my head. I just don't
3
know. I have seen numbers like 50 million particles per cubic
4
foot. I don't know whether lower levels are accepted or agreed
5
upon in the general nuisance dust.
6
Q.
As you sit here today are you aware of v/hether or
7
not there are regulations dealing with the concentrations of
8
talc dust in the work environment, do you know?
9
A.
I don't know there are explicit regulations.
10
Q.
When they talk about tremolitic talc in the
11
Dreessen article, give us your working definition of tremolitic
12
talc.
13
A.
in Dr. Dreessen's case he said the tremolite talc,
14
the stuff he didn't call tremolitic talc, the Georgia Talc had
15
about ten percent of tremolite by petrographic analysis, and
16
the stuff he did call tremolitic talc was four times that.
17
Q.
Forty percent then?
18
A.
One would have to conclude about 40 percent
19
tremolite was found in the stuff that Dreessen was referring to
20
when he said tremolitic talc in this 1935 study.
21
Q.
Are you aware of any subcategorization of
22
tremolitic fibers by form?
23
A.
I have seen literature relating to literature and
24
other kinds of -- well, publicity relating to the controversy
25
of what is a fiber, what is a cleavage fragment, and what's
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
222
1
neither of the above with regard to tremolite. So I understand
2
that there is a range of morphology involved with the materials
3
generally classified as tremolite.
4
Q.
You say that it's been classified by some as
5
fibrous versus what?
6
A.
Nell, I understand that there are different types,
7
different forms, different shapes, if you will, of tremolite,
8
and that some tremolite is regarded as fiber shaped in a
9
similar way, that other asbestiform minerals are fiber shaped,
10
long thin fibers. There are other particles of tremolite which
11
are -- may have an aspect ratio of three or five to one, which
12
could be viewed as fibers under such things as the asbestos
13
standards that OSHA has, or other people might argue. And
14
certainly I think the Vanderbilt Talc Company argues that these
15
kinds of things are not asbestos, shouldn't be in any way
16
covered by any standards relating to asbestos, and that they
17
are not in the same category as far as the health hazards they
18
may pose.
19
Q.
Do you have a position on that one way or the
20
other?
21
A.
My position is that unless these fiber shaped
22
particles can be shown to be less harmful than comparable, or
23
unless a real strong case can be made, that there really is a
24
difference in the harmfulness or lack of harmfulness posed by
25
these materials, but they have to be presumed equally harmful.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
21A
1
Q.
Do you know whether or not the tremolitic content
2
in the Georgia Talc in Dreessen's article was identical to the
3
tremolitic content in the talc he described as tremolitic?
4
A.
Well, I thought I made it clear that he refers to
5
two types of talc, one of which had ten percent tremolite, and
6
one of which had about four times that, and he calls the
7
latter, he calls that tremolite talc,
8
Q.
Listen carefully to my question. Do you know
9
whether or not the tremolite, the ten percent tremolite in the
10
Georgia Talc is identical to the 40 percent tremolite in the
11
talc he calls tremolitic, do you know?
12
A, No, I don't.
13
Q. All right.
14
A. In terms of the morphology, for example, the
15
amount of fibers that might be found, no, I don't know.
16
Q.
What other epidemiological studies have you seen
17
that deal with the possible hazards of inhalation of fibrous
18
talc?
19
A. Fibrous talc?
20
Q. Yes, sir, that was the question.
21
MR. HAYS: Mike, we might interject here that
22
it's 12:28. Did you want to stop for lunch?
23
MR. HINKLE: Ho, we can't stop for lunch. We need
24
to press right on and do as much as we can. we will eat
25
whenever he has to leave.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
225
1
HR. HAYS: I think we're entitled to a lunch
2
break.
3
THE WITNESS: I have been instructed by the judge
4
to stay here today, so I am not going to be able to go
5
to Washington.
6
HR. HAYS: He's not going to Washington. We're
7
here for the rest of the day and tomorrow from 9:00 to
8
5:00. You didn't hear that?
9
MR. HINKLE: I possibly misunderstood. That is a
10
pleasant surprise to me, if I have. That being the
11
case, then probably, if everyone agrees --
12
HR. HOOD: Why don't we get a sandwich brought in
13
for the witness?
14
HR. HAYS: Why don't we just take a 45 minute
15
break.
16
MR. HOOD: The problem we found yesterday, it's
17
so hard to find a place to serve us quick. The only
18
person that needs to be taken care of is the witness,
19
and if he will tell us what he wants, we'll take a
20
recess --
21
HR. HAYS: Well, you're not going to control his
22
eating habits, I assure you. We're taking a 45 minute
23
break. If you want to call the magistrate on it because
24
you feel some how it impedes your time we'll do that,
25
but we're going to take a 45 minute break. And I
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
226.
1
am going to get some things copied for Owens-Corning,
2
so I'm going to be working during this break, you
3
understand?
4
MS. SIEGEL: Can we return at 1:00?
5
MR. HAYS: That is fine.
6
MR. CROSBY: That's a little less that 45 minutes
7
by my watch.
8
MR. HAYS: Yes, let's say 1:15 and we will start
9
exactly at 1:15. Everybody will be here, if they are
10
not here, start anyway.
11
MR. CROSBY: Are you going to copy the OCF file
12
for us?
13
MR. HAYS: That is what I am taking to be copied.
14
I don't know how long it's going to take, because I
15
haven't seen the file.
16
MR. CROSBY: Vie* re just going to use the OCF file
17
itself. And the 01 is not much, you might take both of
18
those. And Kinko's can copy the rest of them, we will
19
have enough to ask questions with today if we need them,
20
until Kinko's gets the rest of it back.
21
MR. HAYS: Just so it's understood, I am
22
anticipating a continuance because the documents aren't
23
available, and if we can use the originals for
24
questioning, we don't need to use the copies. So if
25
the copies are gone, I want to talk to the magistrate if
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
223-
1
we're going to use that as a basis for some sort of
2
continuance.
3
MR. CROSBY: Not planning on doing it. We have
4
made arrangements with a copying company they will stay
5
open tonight and copy these documents so we will have
6
them back in the morning, and if we have the 01 and the
7
OCF files, in the event we have questions this
8
afternoon, that will take us to 5:00, and as I
9
understand it we're adjourning at 5:00; is that right?
10
MR. HAYS: Adjourning at 5:00, and the magistrate
11
ordered this deposition to conclude tomorrow at 5:00.
12
MR. CROSBY: Vie will undertake to do precisely
13
that, Mr. Hays. And I appreciate your assistance.
14
(Whereupon, a lunch break was taken.)
15
MR. CROSBY: Can we let the record reflect that
16
we have just turned the documents that were Exhibits 86
17
to Kinko's Copy Service, and they will return those
18
documents to us in the morning at 9:00, original and two
19
copies. And Mr. Hays has the 01 and OCF files getting
20
them copied somewhere, and they will be back, we hope,
21
this afternoon.
22
MR. HAYS: Let the record reflect that we have
23
had some conferences concerning the copying of the
24
documents, and I have asserted that if there is a
25
question in any one's mind about having the copies back,
r q o JCSfirTiTPO
222.
1
that the originals be retained for the purposes of
2
questioning the witness, and then that they be copied
3
at a later time. Vie do not want the copying to be a
4
basis of a continuance, and we asserted that before the
5
documents were delivered to Kinko's, and I have been
6
assured that is not going to be a problem. That's my
7
position.
8
MR. CROSBY: Vie have been assured by Kinko's that
9
they'll be here at 9:00, and assuming they don't have
10
problems, we will go forward at 9:00. One of the
11
attorneys, who is an officer of this court, Mr. Goss,
12
offered to have the copies made and returned here this
13
afternoon, but plaintiff refused, so we have had no
14
choice but to have Kinko's do it. And to expedite
15
matters in order to try to comply with the Court's
16
request we adjourn tomorrow at 5:00 we're going through
17
Kinko* s.
18
MR. HAYS: Just to make it absolutely clear,
19
there is no prohibition from using the original
20
documents to do your questioning. Copies are not
21
necessary for you to continue your questioning at any
22
time. And so we did not agree to have the defendant
23
Vermont Talc copy these documents, we think that is
24
probably not a good procedure, and we agreed to work
25
with you in any way to get the copying expedited, and
r
A.QsnrTA'TR:
222
1
Kinko's has got it, and it looks like they are going to
2
be here tomorrow and all this discussion may be moot.
3
MR. CROSBY: We hope it is. Counsel, just so
4
you'll know, several lawyers are here for several
5
companies, and often I would need some of the files to
6
question the witness that they would need so that they
7
would be prepared. And that is why the copies ate
0
necessary, and hopefully to expedite.
9
I suggest we go ahead.
10
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Dr. Castleman, let me ask you if
11
you would, please, to summarize the opinions that you intend to
12
In the trial of these Oklahoma Tire Worker cases.
13
A. With respect to talc?
14
Q. That would be fine.
15
A.
The opinions I will offer are that there is a body
16
of literature to the effect that inhalation of talc, as well as
17
other types of exposures to talc in which people get talc
18
inside -- in their bodies, but primarily by the route of
19
inhalation, that this body of literature is extensive. That
20
this body of literature was in a large part published in the
21
English language. That a lot of this information was published
22
in the United States. And that this body of literature
23
primarily dating from the 1930s forward indicates that people
24
breathing the dust of materials generally identified as talc in
25
the industry had sustained lung damage of various kinds.
r c o ICC/VTiltPO
230
1
And reports are -- have a wide range of the extent of
2
damage reported from relatively minimal damage to total
3
disability and death. And that a manufacturer or a seller of
4
industrial talcs, a seller of talc that was mined and sold in
5
the channels of commerce should in my opinion have known that
6
talc was a suspect, at least a suspect cause of lung disease if
7
not a proven cause of lung disease, certainly a very strongly
8
suspect cause of lung damage by the 1950s, if not earlier. And
9
should have taken appropriate steps, and perhaps this goes
10
beyond the type of opinion I would be called upon to render in
11
a court, but that such a manufacturer or seller should have
12
taken appropriate steps to both test and inspect the product
13
for potential hazards through animal studies for example, as
14
well as through medical monitoring of their employees, and that
15
such vendors should also have provided some warning to the
16
users of the talc that they were putting into the channels of
17
commerce where it would be used in industries such as the
18
rubber industry where cases of disease have been reported since
19
the 1930s.
20
Q. You are not an expert on warnings, I take it?
21
A. Well, I haven't made any special studies, I
22
suppose, that would qualify me as an expert on warnings, but I
23
think that when I say a warning, that the warning should be
24
based on what is known about the hazards of the product and
25
couched in language that will be understandable to people who
n e Rcen/'T *wpo
234 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
1
were using the product who don't necessarily have any advanced
2
education or training.
3
Q.
I mean in terms of your qualifications, your own,
4
you are not trained in the area of warning design or warning
5
communication, are you?
6
A.
No, I am not.
7
Q. _And you haven't had any experience in the design
8
of warnings?
9
A.
No, I haven't.
10
Q.
And --
11
A.
Although I have advocated the use of warnings on
12
various products which did not carry warnings, no, I haven't
13
been involved in the intricacies of how such warnings might be
14
designed.
15
Q.
Have you done any studies or done any training or
16
had any experience in the question of efficiency or efficacy of
17
warnings?
18
A.
No.
19
Q.
I asked you earlier today to tell us about
20
epidemiological studies relating to the possible health hazards
21
of fibrous talc, and you referred me to Exhibit 15,
22
Dreessen's article.
23
A.
Well, yes, to the extent that they talk about a
24
tremolitic talc, and with the understanding that they did not
25
use designations like fibrous in regard to the tremolite in the
n e d AocnrT
222
1
talc.
2
Q.
Do you read Dr. Dreessen's article as an article
3
dealing with the possible health hazards of exposure to fibrous
4
talc?
5
A.
It's just hard to say. I mean, he doesn't say
6
whether it's fibrous or not. And so it's hard for me to go
7
further than the author himself does categorizing materials
3
with regard to whether or not they contain fibers. He does
9
says they contain tremolite, one can infer from this that there
10
could well and probably was some fiber in it, but Dreessen
11
himself doesn't provide that information.
12
Q.
Again, I am interested in what you as a
13
bibliographer glean from a reading of this article. When I am
14
asking you whether or not you read this as an authority on
15
the -- as an authority on the possible health hazards of
16
exposure to fibrous talc, you can say that you read it that way
17
or you don't read it that way, or you have no opinion about it.
18
A.
I just feel that the article itself provides
19
insufficient information on the basis of which to give you an
20
answer as to how I would read it.
21
Q.
You don't know whether it does or not deal with
22
fibrous talc?
23
A.
I don't know the extent to which fibers were
24
present in the talc involved, because the authors themselves do
25
not refer to it.
r >3 d iccnTTSfue
2Z2.
1
Q.
Do you know whether any fibers were involved?
2
A.
I don't know for sure.
3
Q.
Then I want you to listen carefully to the
4
question that I posed to you earlier, and I am going to pose
5
again. In the studies that you have before you or in your
6
review of any materials, have you seen any epidemiological
7
studies which indicate that there are health hazards associated
8
with exposure to fibrous talc?
9
A.
Let's get to the next one.
10
Q.
Well, let's get to the first one. Evidently you
11
are not satisfied that Exhibit 15 falls within that category;
12
true?
13
A.
It may or may not. But it's not absolutely clear
14
from the article. The next article --
15
Q.
Just a minute, before we go on. what I want you
16
to tell me about is whether or not in the articles that you
17
have reviewed you find an epidemiological study which relates
18
to dangers allegedly occurring as a result of exposure to
19
fibrous talc. Just tell me whether there are any in there or
20
not.
21
A.
Well, I know there are by the time we get to the
22
New York State studies of Kleinfeld and his co-workers.
23
Q.
What I want you to do now is thumb through those
24
and find me the earliest epidemiological study there that
25
relates to the alleged hazards associated with exposure to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
234.
1
fibrous talc.
2
A.
First, this study clearly does deal with that, and
3
it is an epidemiological study.
4
Q.
Which study, please?
5
A.
Humber 24.
6
Q.
Exhibit Ho. 24.
7
A.
This is an article of Siegal and his co-workers in
8
1943.
9
Q.
How, what leads you to believe that that
10
particular article deals with the alleged hazards associated
11
with exposure to fibrous talc?
12
A.
Under the type of talc involved on Page 15 it says
13
that, "The type of talc produced in St. Lawrence County is of
14
the fibrous variety known as abestine. With it is found
15
tremolite, a similar appearing material occurring in a fibrous
16
or asbestiform state which in the course of time changes over
17
to talc." So the article states.
18
There is also a picture on Page 16 which Figure 1,
19
"Tremolite Talc, Bundle Like Arrangement of Fibers", is the
20
caption. And there are other pictures describing "needle-like
21
fibers" on that page. And so I think i t 's very clear here that
22
we are dealing with a fibrous talc.
23
The fact that it is an epidemiological study is derived
24
from the fact that they have examined a defined population, in
25
this case, 221 tremolite talc miners and millers. And they
2ZS
1
found disease in these people including advanced fibrosis in 32
2
raen giving an incidence of 14 and a half percent according to
3
the conclusion, No. 4 in summary on Page 28.
4
They further state that this tremolite talc is capable
5
like asbestos, they say, of causing a disabling pneumoconiosis,
6
that is under the heading "Conclusions" on Page 28. So here we
7
have an epidemiological study implicating fibrous talc as a
8
cause of very serious lung disease.
9
Q.
The population was 221 workers; is that right?
10
A. That is what is discussed in Summary No. 4, yes.
11
Q. What was the level of concentration of exposure?
12
A.
Dust counts are reported under No. 3 on Page 28 as
13
ranging from six to five thousand million particles per cubic
14
foot in mining and in milling from 20 to 250 million particles
15
per cubic foot.
16
Q.
So the least concentrated exposure appears to be
17
20 million particles per cubic foot; correct?
18
A. Six million.
19
Q. Look at that again, if you would, please.
20
A. I am looking at it.
21
Q. Do you know whether that is six or 6,000 million?
22
A. I read it as saying six million particles per
23
cubic foot, 5,000 million particles per cubic foot or five
24
billion particles per cubic foot.
25
Q.
Would you agree with me that that might also be
a n k nn
mnM
21&
1
six billion particles?
2
A.
It reads to me as six million. The literal text
3
is "Dust counts in mining range from six to 5,000 million
4
particles per cubic foot." I think it's pretty clear. The
5
lowest count involved are six million particles per cubic foot.
6
Q.
So you are pretty satisfied that that is six
7
particles per cubic foot?
8
A.
No, six million particles per cubic foot.
9
Q.
All right. So you are satisfied that's six
10
million particles per cubic foot?
11
A.
That is right.
12
Q.
Do you agree with the findings and conclusions a
13
set forth in Hr. Siegal's, Ms. Smith's and Hr. Greenburg's
14
article that we have been discussing, which is Exhibit No. 24?
15
A.
I see no reason to doubt their conclusions, if
16
that is what you mean.
17
Q.
And you have, I take it, reviewed their review of
18
the literature concerning talc in the body of the article?
19
A.
I have looked at it, yes.
20
Q.
Do you agree with their review of the literature
21
as it relates to talc which is contained in the body of the
22
article?
23
A.
I don't really know in every single detail whether
24
what they are reporting as being in the literature is exactly
25
true. They make reference to articles about talc and in some
n o n xoooo*r umpo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- 23-7-
1
cases about other things which in some cases I think I may not
2
have even seen. They make reference to an article, for
3
example, Reference 19, which appears in a German publication,
4
and it is about talc. But I haven't actually seen that
5
article, so I don't really know, and I haven't seen certainly
6
the English translation of it. So I don't really know for a
7
fact that their accounts of what that 1938 or '39 article
8
contains is correct. But generally what I do see here comports
9
with what I understand the articles they cite to say.
10
Q.
Do you have any reason to quarrel with -- do you
11
have any reason to suspect that these authors would in any way
12
misstate any of the facts that they have set out in the
13
subtitle body, under the subtitle review of literature on the
14
effects of talc dust?
15
A.
I don't have any reason to expect that they would
16
have shaded things one way or the other. I would assume that
17
these people approached this -- they were state and government
18
officials that the State Health Department in New York, at
19
least one of them, Greenburg I have heard of, and you know, so
20
I have no reason to question the scientific quality of the
21
report, or its reference to earlier literature.
22
Q.
So the answer to my question then is no, you have
23
no reason to believe that they would have misstated anything in
24
there. Is that true?
25
A.
Yes. But I mean these things can happen, but I
C.S.R. ASSOCIATE?
23-8
1
have no reason to believe that it was done intentionally or
2
that it was done out of incompetence based on what I can see
3
they did write.
4
Q.
What other epidemiological studies have you
5
reviewed which indicate or which deal with the possible health
6
hazards of exposure to fibrous talc?
7
A.
I just put aside the report of Parmeggiani, an I
8
Italian journal, No. 33, because it would take me a little bit
9
of time to try and pour through that and see what the Italian
10
talc, whether it was a fibrous talc, et cetera.
11
Q.
You are not, you wouldn't say that an Italian
12
medical journal would be something necessarily that American
13
talc manufacturers would be on notice of, would you?
14
A.
Not necessarily, but possible.
15
Q. All right. Go ahead. Tell me --
16
A. The Italian literature is cited in the U.S.
17
literature.
18
Q.
Tell me, if you would, please, the next
19
epidemiological study that you can find that deals with the
20
possible health hazards of exposure to fibrous talc.
21
A. You are still asking for an epidemiological study?
22
Q. Yes, sir. We will talk about the other types of
23
studies in a little while.
24
A.
I supposed the next one is Exhibit 49. This is an
25
article by Kleinfeld and his co-workers in New York State
n n riiA/T*mnn
34
1
again, published in 1955 in the AHA Archives of Industrial
2
Health.
3
Q.
Exhibit 49?
4
A.
Yes. That is the next one. Do you have any
5
questions about it?
6
Q.
Yes, I do. Did you give me the date on that
7
exhibit?
8
A. 1955.
9
Q.
All right. And what was the type of talc dealt
10
with?
11
A.
This is the New York State talc, the fibrous talc
12
that Siegal and co-workers had described. And this is a
13
follow-up study on some of the people that they had examined.
14
Q.
How many people were involved in that study?
15
Excuse me. How many subjects were in that study?
16
A. Thirty-two patients. Nineteen had died by the
17
time of follow-up. And four of those causes of death was
18
believed to be due to pulmonary failure associated with talc
19
pneumoconiosis, according to Page 66.
20
Q.
Did you tell me the type of fiber again that was
21
involved, the type of talc?
22
A.
Tremolitic talc which had been described earlier
23
by Siegal and co-workers according the these authors.
24
Q.
What were the conclusions in that article?
25
A.
Well, they are reported -- they are called summary
r .c p accnr,Ta,rPc
-------------------------------------------------- --------------- 2AL
1
and conclusion, and it's more just an accounting of the
2
findings than any conclusive statements.
3
Q. Hay I see the exhibit, please?
4
A. Sure.
5
Q.
Do they not observe in Exhibit No. 49 that there
6
are improvements being made in the workplace which reduce the
7
exposure to talc?
8
A.
They did so report. They report that in the 1940s
9
between 1943 and 1948 the talc mines and mill operators had
10
instituted corrective measures, and the corrective measure are
11
at least in general terms enumerated on Page 66 "Measures which
12
were taken to reduce the dust concentrations in workers exposed
13
to the dust in the mining and milling of this material.
14
Q.
And do they appear to be successful to some
15
degree, the efforts being made?
16
A.
Yes, they do.
17
Q.
What is the next epidemiological study? And
18
before we go to that, you might tell us, Dr. Castleman, what is
19
your definition of an epidemiological study?
20
A.
In this context it's a study of a defined
21
population of people at risk, and the morbidity or the
22
mortality of that group sometimes with reference to a
23
controlled group, sometimes not.
24
Q.
Tell us the next epidemiological study, please.
25
And with this limitation, the next epidemiological study
241
1
dealing with possible health hazards associated with exposure
2
to fibrous talc.
3
A.
I think the next one would be the report in the
4
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
5
Q.
Would you give us an exhibit number, please?
6
A.
58, this is 1959. This appears to be from the
7
ACGIH annual meeting in 1959 and the authors are the same
8
folks from the New York Department of Labor, Messite and
9
Kleinfeld and one other individual.
10
Q.
All right. What type of talc were they dealing
11
with?
12
A.
Same stuff. The New York State fibrous talc.
13
Q.
Tremolitic talc?
14
A.
Yes.
15
Q. How many subjects were there in that study?
16
A. Well, the St. Lawrence County, overall in two
17
counties they looked at 97 people, and the St. Lawrence County
18
I know we were dealing with fibrous talc, at least that is my
19
recollection from the earlier reports.
20
Q. What were their conclusions in that article?
21
A. Well, at one point they say on Page 70 that "The
22
wet method of drilling may in time eliminate the problem of
23
disabling pneumoconiosis in these talc miners." They also go
24
on to say the absence of pulmonary fibrosis in miners of the
25
Lewis County where a natural form of dust suppression has been
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
242
1
provided by the wetness of the rock tends to support this
2
belief."
3
Summary and conclusions on Page 71 says, Although the
4
incidence of pulmonary talcosis in the miners has not changed
5
appreciably, the severity and the progression of the disease
6
has been diminished. The reduction in the dust exposure in the
7
mines has a lower incidence of pulmonary fibrosis among the
8
talc miners is primarily due to the institution of wet
0
drilling."
10
Q.
This adds again, I take it, support to the earlier
11
conclusion that improvements in the mining and milling process
12
are reducing the dangers associated with inhalation of talc?
13
A.
Well, reducing the amount inhaled, and therefore
14
extent of the hazard that workers face.
15
Q.
As a matter of fact, they suggest there that with
16
the advent of wet drilling they might eliminate talc
17
pneumoconiosis all together?
18
A.
I read their exact language. I am not sure that
19
that is a perfectly correct characterization. But anyway,
20
whatever they said is in the record.
21
Q.
How does what they said differ from my statement?
22
A.
i suppose your characterization is reasonable,
23
looking at it again.
24
Q.
How, do you agree or do you disagree with the
25
conclusions reached by the authors of Exhibit No. 58?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3-4-3
1
A.
I think that I can agree with their -- I think I
2
would agree with their conclusions.
3
Q.
All right. What is the next article that you find
4
that deals with an epidemiological study related to the
5
possible health hazards associated with exposure to fibrous
6
talc?
7
A.
.We have gotten a few more articles today. I
8
guess --
9
Q.
Excuse me. 3efore you go on, are these the
10
articles that we have already marked, or are these something we
11
haven't seen before?
12
A.
These were marked this morning. I just wanted to
13
see if any of them -- this particular group is not a marked
14
set, but you know the ones I mean, about half a dozen of them
15
that Mr. Hays brought in.
16
Q.
Let's get them in front of you. I want to make
17
sure that we cover all this.
18
A.
I am trying to keep the chronology straight,
19
that's why this looks like this. The last one I said was 1959.
20
I was just about to mention one in 1964.
21
Q.
Exhibit number, please?
22
A.
That was No. 61. Let's go back in time to 1959,
23
if you think that would make more sense, if you agree.
24
Q.
I am perfectly satisfied with a chronological
25
order, what is the next one in chronological order?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1AA
1
A.
That appears to be another study by --
2
Q.
Exhibit number, please?
3
A. 92.
4
Q.
This is one that you really haven't had a chance
5
to look at until just this moment. Is that true?
6
A.
That is about right. But this is another study,
7
another report, I should say, on the Hew York State of talc
8
mining mill workers in St. Lawrence County --
9
Q.
Again, this is a tremoiitic talc?
10
A. Yes.
11
Q.
Who were the authors of that article?
12
A. Kleinfeld, Hessite and Readen. Messite is the
13
first author.
14
Q. Do the authors modify the conclusions that they
15
reached in that earlier 1959 study?
16
A.
No. I think this is another report in another
17
journal about basically the same material, same data base.
18
Q.
All right. So that would have been the 32 talc
19
mine workers that we discussed earlier in Exhibit 49?
20
A. Yes. And this is -- I mean it seems to me the
21
main finding here is that they are keying in on fibrous or
22
tremoiitic talc as the more pathogenic in comparison with what
23
they call a non-fibrous variety of talc in another region of
24
Mew York State.
25
Q.
Do they make any statements at all about the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-245
1
alleged danger of exposure to non-fibrous talc?
2
A.
They say that the incidence and severity of the
3
talc pneumoconiosis was considerably less where the exposure
4
was to the non-fibrous variety. And I believe elsewhere in the
5
article they indicate that the concentrations of dust counts
6
were comparable.
7
Q.
Do they talk about the constitution of the
8
non-fibrous variety of talc?
9
A.
I don't see anything on that. The authors of this
10
article are all physicians, and I don't think that they had --
11
they talk about microscopic appearance, the presence or absence
12
of fibers, but --
13
Q.
Do they talk about any of the mineralogical
14
components of this non-fibrous talc that they compare?
15
A.
I don't think so. Not in this article I don't
16
think they do.
17
Q.
What is the next epidemiological study that you
18
find that relates to the alleged or possible health hazards
19
related to the exposure to fibrous talc?
20
A.
I don't think that No. 97 qualifies as an
21
epidemiological study.
22
Q.
All I want to know now, you don't need to tell me
23
which ones are not, I want to know which ones are.
24
A.
Yes.
25
Q.
Dr. Castleman, I don't mean to rush you, but as
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2AS.
1
you know, we're on kind of a tight time schedule, and you have
2
been taking a good deal of time from article to article to look
3
through and read. So in order for us to keep with the time
4
table set up by the Court, I am going to ask you to hasten your
5
review, if you can.
6
A.
I am hastening it as much as I can. And we are
7
almost through. There won't be many more. I think basically
8
dealing with the reports of Kleinfeld and co-workers again and
9
again, whether each report constitutes an epidemiological study
10
is what's problematic. If you want me to skip Kleinfeld --
11
Q.
No. I want you to tell us about every
12
epidemiological study that you have reviewed that deals with
13
the possible health hazards of exposure to fibrous talc.
14
A.
I suppose this would qualify as an epidemiological
15
study also. This is from the Journal of Occupational Medicine,
16
No. 62, published in 1965 by Kleinfeld.
17
Q. What's the exhibit, please?
18
A.
62, published by Kleinfeld and co-workers. And
19
here they report on having examined 16 workers.
20
Q. What's the date, please?
21
A.
1965.
22
Q. How many workers?
23
A. Sixteen.
24
Q. What wastheir trade?
25
A. They were engaged in milling of talc for more than
nconrT mupp
347
1
ten years.
2
Q. What was the talc to which they were exposed?
3
A* 1 believe this is the same stuff we have been
4
talking about, the St. Lawrence County tremolitic talc.
5
Q.
Any other kinds of talc?
6
A.
I don't believe so. It says on Page 15, "Talc
7
dust to which these individuals were exposed was predominately
8
talc as mixed with tremolite, anthophyllite, serpentine and
9
small amounts of free silica. All the talc workers had a
10
weighted average exposure to talc dust above 20 million
11
particles per cubic foot, the present threshold for talc dust
12
as recommend by the American Conference of Governmental
13
Industrial Hygienists.
14
Q.
So anthophyllite and serpentine were also included
15
in the material inhaled?
16
A.
Yes.
17
Q. All right. Go ahead.
18
A.
I would have to study this a little more carefully
19
to see whether technically it falls in as an epidemiological
20
study or case report. But this is No. 96, it's another study
21
by Kleinfeld and co-workers published in 1964, "Lung Function
22
in Talc Workers". And they do talk about having examined --
23
Q. Again, is this tremolitic talc?
24
A.
Talkingabout nine people exposed to fibrous talc
25
from 13 to 26 years. And also workers exposed to granular
C-S.R- ASSOCIATES
2AR
1
talc, two workers. That probably wouldn't be quite an
2
epidemiological study. But again, I would have to look at it
3
more closely.
4
Q.
Let me ask you a question about the nine people
5
exposed to fibrous talc were exposed to tremolitic talc; is
6
that right?
7
A.
Yes.
8
Q.
What were the conclusions with regard to the two
9
workers exposed to quote "granular talc" close quote?
10
A.
The abnormalities were more pronounced in the
11
workers exposed to fibrous talc than the workers exposed to
12
granular talc.
13
Q.
What abnormalities did they find in the workers
14
exposed to granular talc?
15
A.
Their words are "In the majority of instances, the
16
percentage of abnormal values for each parameter of pulmonary
17
function was appreciably greater in those exposed to fibrous
18
talc than those exposed to the granular variety." So
19
specifically the distinction made between the two types of talc
20
and the workers exposed to them is in terms of pulmonary
21
function.
22
Q.
Do they say that there is any pulmonary disability
23
to workers exposed, the two workers they looked at exposed to
24
granular talc?
25
A.
Let's see. They say, "Predominent symptom in the
n o d TiOor\nr
2Aa
1
groups-- ", referring to both groups of talc exposed workers,
2
"-- the predominent symptom is dsypnea." So I read that as
3
meaning that there was disability.
4
Q.
Does it say that either of the workers that they
5
looked at that was exposed to granular talc had any pulmonary
6
disability at all? Or is that something that you would just
7
simply infer from the article?
8
A.
Well, this is one of the articles that I am seeing
9
carefully for the first time, because it was just brought here
10
this morning. This is one of the late numbered exhibits.
11
Q. By Mr. Hays, by the way; correct?
12
A. Mr. Hays was kind enough to go get it in the
13
library after I gave him the reference citation.
14
Q.
When you tell us they had dyspnea, that means
15
what?
16
A. Shortness of breath.
17
Q.
Does the article say that there was any pulmonary
18
disability associated with exposure to the granular talc in the
19
two workers they looked at?
20
A. They have --
21
MR. HAYS: I'm sorry. What is dyspnea, by the
22
way? Are we saying that is shortness of breath, or
23
are we saying that is not a lung dysfunction?
24
MR. HINKLE: I didn't say anything like that.
25
THE WITNESS: L e t 's look further what the authors
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
25a
1
themselves say. On Page 565 they say, "Since there
2
were only two with symptomatic talcosis in the granular
3
group."
4
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) How many were looked at in the
5
granular group total?
6
A.
I think it was just two people, but the way that
7
sentence reads does make you wonder whether there were more
8
than two.
9
Q.
You don't really know how many were in the
10
granular group. Is that true?
11
A.
I am pretty sure it was just two people, and it
12
was the twist of the word in that language that makes your eye
13
brows go up and wonder are they talking about two out of a
14
larger group, or are they just talking about the same two
15
people.
16
Q.
It's hard to tell, isn't it?
17
A.
It's hard to tell when you are trying to read
18
these things --
19
Q.
Tell me what their conclusions are with regard to
20
exposure to granular talc.
21
MR. HAYS: Did you complete your statement?
22
You said it's hard to tell.
23
THE WITNESS: Yes. It's hard to tell when you
24
are reading these things for the first time and trying
25
to deal with time pressure, which is very reasonable.
-25-1
1
I'm not saying you're being unreasonable.
2
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Believe me, we had every
3
expectation that you would have already done all of this before
4
you got here, and I know it's not your fault either. But tell
5
us, go ahead and answer the question about the conclusions.
6
A.
I have been doing a lot of trial and deposition
7
work as well jas ray other work lately, and it does kind of keep
8
me office balance.
9
Q.
Just see if you can answer the question. I would
10
appreciate it.
11
MR. HAYS: Didn't you all request these article
12
be brought to this deposition?
13
MR. HINKLE; We requested all the articles that
14
he looked at and relied upon and that served as a
15
foundation for his opinions in the case.
16
MR. HAYS: Aren't you requesting him to go
17
through them at this point?
18
MR. HINKLE: Well, we've got them in front of us,
19
we might as well.
20
MR. HAYS: It's your choice.
21
THE WITNESS: What they say is that the exposure
22
to fibrous talc dust is more hazardous than to granular
23
talc. That is the last sentence.
24
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Do they make statements about
25
whether or not granular talc, exposure to granular talc is or
n c o aconoT
252
1
is not a hazard?
2
A.
Well, I read this to say that it is, but it's less
3
of a hazard than exposure to fibrous talc based on pulmonary
4
function findings.
5
Q.
Do they talk about the pulmonary function findings
6
in the individuals, the two that they looked at that were
7
exposed to granular talc, whether they were normal or abnormal,
8
does it say anything about that?
9
A.
I think they indicate that they are abnormal.
10
They describe them as having had symptomatic talcosis. And
11
they indicate that -- they say "The pulmonary function data
12
show that like fibrous talc, prolonged exposure to a granular
13
type talc can produce in certain number of individuals an
14
impairment in ventilatory function and in diffusion capacity."
15
Q.
what's the next epidemiological study that you
16
find that relates to the possible danger of exposure to fibrous
17
talc?
18
A.
That v/ould be --
19
Q.
By the way, before we go on, what is granular
20
talc, do you know?
21
A. I am not real clear on that.
22
Q. Does it deal, does it say what granular talc is in
23
the article?
24
A.
Mainly is I think described as to the relative
25
absence of fibers, as opposed to what it is, more what it
C .S.R- ASSOCIATES
25a
1
ain* t.
2
Q.
So anything that ain't got fibers in it is
3
granular?
4
A.
Not necessarily. But I think that is what these
5
doctors making this report are saying. They are not
6
mineralogists, and I don't think they go into that very much.
7
Q.
Is that what they indicate, that if it's got no
8
fiber in it, then to their thinking it's granular?
9
A.
Well, which one was I just talking about?
10
Q.
Exhibit 96, 1964 study.
11
A.
I don't think they really characterize the
12
material in here.
13
Q.
Any other epidemiological studies that relate to
14
the possible hazards of exposure to fibrous talc?
15
A.
This is No. 95 published in the Archives of
16
Environmental Health in 1965. And here they talk about the
17
study of 43 talc workers with exposure to talc dust and milling
18
operations for more than ten years, and no previous
19
occupational dust exposure.
20
Q. What type of talc are they exposed to?
21
A. "The talc dust to which millers were exposed was
22
predominately talc mixed with tremolite, anthophyllite,
23
serpentine and less than five percent free silica." According
24
to Page 434. So it's the same work force that we have been
25
talking about, that they have been talking about for years.
.n . a.qsnrTa t r .q
25A
1
Q.
All right. Were there concentrations of exposure?
2
A.
The concentrations that the workers were exposed
3
to exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial
4
Hygiene threshold limit value of 20 million particles per cubic
5
foot in all cases but one exposures to talc dust exceeded the
6
recommended guideline.
7
Q.
All right.
8
A.
And then they go on and get more specific and
9
point out that some of the individuals had exposures, weighted
10
average exposures as high as 60 to 120 million particles per
11
cubic foot.
12
Q.
So all of the work sites at which these exposures
13
took place were operating in violation of the regulations
14
concerning the work environment. Is that true?
15
A.
I am not sure that we could characterize the
16
guidelines as regulations, but in any event they were
17
guidelines that were widely known in industry that this ACGIH
18
group published, and exposures on average did exceed those
19
guidelines.
20
Q. Any other epidemiological studies related to
21
possible health hazards associated with exposure to
22
non-fibrous -- excuse me, to fibrous talc?
23
A.
I think the next one would be No. 65 by Kleinfeld
24
and co-workers.
25
Q. The year?
r c p AoenrTA'Ppe
255-
1
Pi, 1967, Archives of Environmental Health.
2
Q.
What type of talc are we concerned with?
3
A. Same stuff.
4
Q. Treraolitic talc?
5
A. Yes.
6
Q. Is there any distinction made between health
7
hazards associated with fibrous versus non-fibrous talc in the
8
course of that article?
9
A.
I don't think that they have any data that
10
reflects on fibrous versus non-fibrous. What this is is a
11
mortality study on people exposed to fibrous talc, and I don't
12
think there is any corresponding data to the workers exposed to
13
less fibrous or non-fibrous talc.
14
Q. Without regard to data, is that something they
15
discuss in the article, or do you know, the relative hazards of
16
exposure to fibrous versus non-fibrous?
17
A.
I think they comment on the fact that fibers,
18
asbestiform fibers have been by this time implicated in causing
19
a number of cancers, including --
20
Q.
All I want you to do is answer that question so we
21
can move on. Do you know whether or not they make any
22
statements in that article with regard to the difference in the
23
suspected danger exposure to fibrous versus non-fibrous talc,
24
do you know?
25
A.
Well, I don't think they put it in those kind of
2
1
terms, that is why I am having trouble giving you a short
2
answer, but they imply at least it's the asbestiform fibers
3
that are present in the talc that these miners and millers were
4
exposed to that accounts for their accessive incidence of
5
cancer of the lung which is demonstrated in this study.
6
Q.
As long as we're on that subject, Dr. Castleman,
7
are you aware of any medical literature which associates
8
exposure to fibrous talc with the development of lung cancer?
9
A.
Well, this study represents itself as being the
10
first such study, and I --
11
Q.
Are you aware of any others?
12
A.
I believe there were subsequent studies published.
13
Q.
Well, we will cover that in a moment then. Let's
14
go back to where we were. That was a cancer study you say,
15
Exhibit 65?
16
A.
That was a study whose findings showed that in
17
addition to Cor pulmonale as a major complication of death of
18
these workers, that also lung cancer was demonstrated in this
19
study
20
Q.
What kind of workers were they?
21
A.
Talc workers and miners in New York State.
22
Q. All right.
23
A. After that were into the 1970s.
24
Q.
Any epidemiological studies in the 1970s which
25
relate to the possible danger of exposure to fibrous talc?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2S2
1
A.
Yes. Kleinfeld, Messite and Zaki.
2
Q.
Exhibit number, please?
3
A. Number 71.
4
Q. What type of talc are we dealing with?
5
A.
we're dealing with the same stuff.
6
Q. Tremolitic talc?
7
A. Tremolitic talc mined in up state Mew York.
8
Q.
How many people were involved in the study or how
9
many subjects?
10
A.
Two hundred and sixty workers.
11
Q.
And what were the concentrations of exposure?
12
A.
I don't think they have any information on the
13
concentration that these workers -- Oh, here. No, they are
14
taking about concentrations in other people's studies, but not
15
in this work force, I believe.
16
Q. That was 1974?
17
A. That's correct.
18
Q. All right. Any other epidemiological studies
19
relating to possible hazards associated with exposure to
20
fibrous talc?
21
A.
By this time we're up to 1979. And I do not
22
represent that by this late date I have collected every study
23
that was published.
24
Q.
Let's just talk about the ones that you have seen
25
before today or the ones that were provided to you today which
C-S.R- ASSOTTATES
.25-8.
1
serve as the foundations for the opinions you are going to
2
offer today and at trial. Have you seen any other studies
3
following Exhibit No. 71 that relate to epidemiological studies
4
associated with possible health hazards of exposure to fibrous
5
talc?
6
A.
I think these studies are relating to
7
non-asbestiform talc.
8
Q.
We're going to get to those in just a moment.
9
A.
I think that's all that I have here regarding
10
asbestiform talc. There were probably others in this volume
11
called "Dusts and Disease" which we didn't get to photocopy
12
which was published in 1979.
13
Q.
You didn't see those though, did you?
14
A.
I saw them, but I only photocopied the ones
15
relating to, I think relating to non-asbestiform talcs, because
16
I figured that Kleinfeld had done a pretty thorough job
17
regarding asbestiform talc by the late 1970s, that there was no
18
basis for doubting the gravity of that risk, and that -- but
19
there were papers and interest focused in the 1970s on work
20
forces exposed to non-asbestiform talc, and that is indicated
21
in Exhibit 72 and 74 and 75.
22
Q.
We will be talking about those in just a few
23
moments. I have counted up, Dr. Castleman, ten epidemiological
24
studies associated with the possible health hazards of exposure
25
to fibrous talc.
r .e o aosoTTATF;
1
A.
Yes.
2
Q.
Does that soundaboutright to you?
3
A.
Yes.
4
Q.
Every one ofthose has to dowith tremolitic talc;
5
correct?
6
A. Yes.
7
Q. _And those ten studies span a period of time of
8
approximately 40 years; correct?
9
A.
Or less than that. Anyway, they start in --
10
Q.
Start in '35 and go to *74.
11
A.
That is right, that is about 40 years.
12
Q.
Just about 40 years. So on the average that would
13
be approximately one every four years if you average it out;
14
right?
15
A. Yes.
16
Q. Do you have any idea concerning the total number
17
of medical articles, journals, periodicals, textbooks, so
18
forth, that were published over that 40 year period?
19
A. No, Idon't.
20
Q.
Now, what I would like for you to do is go back
21
now, and let's talk about epidemiological studies related to
22
possible health hazards associated with exposures to
23
non-fibrous talc. Before we do that, let me ask you a question
24
about the fibrous talc studies. Every one of those was a
25
retrospective study, is that true?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2611
1
A.
NO.
2
Q.
Was there a prospective study done in those
3
epidemiological studies that we have discussed?
4
A.
Well, there were studies in some cases that were
5
cross-sectional studies, looked at what kind of shape are
6
people in now.
7
Q.
But those reviewed past history; right? They did
8
not set a control group and follow them from a point forward;
9
true?
10
A.
They did that too. I mean in some cases they have
11
groups of subgroups of one study followed up five, ten years
12
later by the same New York State officials to see the mortality
13
experience, if you will, sometimes of the group which was
14
previously reported as having developed pneumoconiosis.
15
Q.
Go ahead and tell me.
16
A.
In that sense that the literature is prospective
17
as well as retrospective.
18
Q.
Go ahead and tell me about any epidemiological
19
study that you have that relates to dangers of exposure to
20
non-fibrous talc.
21
A.
We have already discussed the problem of analyzing
22
Dreessen in that regard because Dreessen doesn't talk about
23
whether it's fibrous or non-fibrous, but he does say one group
24
has four times as much tremolite in the talc than the other
25
group.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2&1
1
Q.
Well, do you read that as a discussion of health
2
hazards associated with exposure to non-fibrous talc?
3
A.
I think that it's -- I read that as something that
4
came out in 1935, and would have put anyone reading it on
5
notice that non-fibrous talc could well be bad for you to
6
breathe.
7
Q.
Well, do you read Dr. Dreessen's article, Dr.
8
Castleman, to be an article dealing with possible health
9
hazards of exposure to non-fibrous talc?
10
A.
Yes, I read it as dealing with both the hazards of
11
non-fibrous and fibrous talc, given that the information
12
provided as to fibers is almost completely lacking, except for
13
the reference to tremolitic and less tremolitic talc.
14
Q.
What you're saying is that any article that you
15
see that does not make a clear distinction should be read as
16
one that deals with fibrous as well as non-fibrous talc; right?
17
A.
Right. I think it has to be read with prudence by
18
people who are concerned about public health. That is the way
19
a public health person would read it.
20
Q.
Do you consider yourself to be a scientist,
21
Dr. Castleman?
22
A.
Yes, sir, I am a public health worker.
23
Q.
And do you agree with me that scientists often
24
disagree with one another with regard to the significance of
25
certain data?
C.S.R. ASSOrtATES
22
1
A.
Well, certainly it occurs, it is a common
2
phenomenon in science.
3
Q.
In fact, science doesn't progress without that
4
kind of disagreement; do you agree with that?
5
A.
That is part of the process of the development of
6
knowledge; that's right.
7
Q.
Would you agree with me that a manufacturer who
8
reviews scientific literature has the same right to agree with
9
one group of scholars as with another, would you aqree with
10
that?
11
A.
I wouldn't put it in those terms.
12
Q.
Would you agree with me that if you have two
13
respectable schools of scientific thought with regard to a
14
subject, that a manufacturer is free to choose which of those
15
two schools of thought the manufacturer will agree with?
16
A.
No.
17
Q.
All right. You think then that a manufacturer
18
should be placed in the position of having to anticipate which
19
school of scientific thought will ultimately prevail?
20
A.
No. But I think that the manufacturer has to
21
exercise prudence in the sale of products that are put in the
22
channels of commerce the same as engineers design bridges
23
assuming the worst case scenario. Manufacturers putting
24
products into the channels of commerce, given incomplete
25
knowledge about the health effects of those products have to
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2&Z
1
assume the worst until there is proof that the people -- that
2
the respectable body of science with the more serious
3
apprehensions about the product, until there is proof that
4
those people are wrong, because human live's depend on it.
5
MR. CROSBY: Move to strike the answer as
6
non-responsive.
7
MR. JAMES: I'll join in that motion.
8
MR. PIERCE: I'll join in that motion also.
9
Q. (By Mr. Hinkle) Do you believe, Dr. Castleman,
10
that common sense plays any role in regard to how a
11
manufacturer conducts his or her business?
12
A. Yes.
13
Q* Go ahead and tell me if you can find any
14
epidemiological studies that relate to alleged health hazards
15
associated with exposure to non-fibrous talc?
15
A. You are asking for an epidemiological study,
17
right?
18
Q. Yes, sir.
19
(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)
20
Q.
Doctor, during the break have you had a chance to
21
find all of the articles that relate to epidemiological studies
22
as to the possible health hazards of non-fibrous talc?
23
A.
During the break which lasted less than five
24
minutes, I have not done that.
25
Q.
Well, have you found any of them during the break?
r.S-R. assnrTiTPs
2SA
1
A.
About the only thing I found during the break was
2
ray lunch.
3
Q.
We did take a 45 lunch break to accommodate you,
4
Dr. Castleman, in hopes that you would get your lunch.
5
A.
It w a s n 't your fault, but I didn't get my lunch.
6
MR. HAYS: That was ray error. I misunderstood.
7
He thought I was going to order him a sandwich, and
8
I failed to do so. If it's five minutes that you feel
9
you have been cheated out of some way by a five minute
10
break, we will add the five minutes on the end of the
11
deposition so you all won't be too upset.
12
MR. HINKLE: Mr. Hays, you are, as always, a
13
gentleman and a scholar, and we appreciate that.
14
MR. HAYS: My momma trained me to be that
15
way. I sometimes disappoint her, but I try hard.
16
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) The question is on the table,
17
Dr. Castleman.
18
A.
So far all I see are case reports that might
19
relate to hazards of non-fibrous talc.
20
Q.
We will get to those in a little bit. I want to
21
know now about epidemiological studies.
22
A.
Here we have got -- I am not sure if this quite
23
qualifies as an epidemiological study, but probably it does.
24
Q. what's the exhibit number, please?
25
A. Number 36.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----------------- -- -------------245--
1
Q.
All right. Who is the author, and what is the
2
year?
3
A.
Published in 1949 by Hogue and Mallette of the
4
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.
5
Q.
How many subjects were involved?
6
A.
Twenty.
7
Q.
And what was the material to which they were
8
allegedly exposed?
9 A. It's a Vermont Talc, which is described as a pure
10
talc from a deposit near Johnson, Vermont with no free silica,
11
tremolite, chrysotile, chrysolite or actenolite.
12
Q.
What were the conclusions with regard to that
13
article?
14
A.
These authors concluded physical examinations and
15
chest roentgenograms of a group of 20 men exposed to talc dust
16
for periods ranging from 10 to 36 years in rubber inner tube
17
production were normal for men of their age group in urban
18
industrial environment.
19
Q.
So this particular study follows by 14 years the
20
Dreessen study, and indicates that workers exposed to
21
non-fibrous talc have normal chest X-rays, even though they
22
worked in the industry from 10 to 36 years. Is that true?
23
A.
That is what these authors say.
24
Q.
All right.
25
A.
I assume that the question is still pending,
C.S.R. assort
266
1
what's the next epidemiological study --
2
Q.
Yes, please. Yes, let's move on, let's get it
3
done.
4
A.
-- relating to a non-fibrous talc.
5
Q.
Yes.
6
A.
So we will skip the case reports on people exposed
7
to non-fibrous talc for now.
8
Q.
We will come back to them.
9
Again, Dr. Castleman, I know you are not delaying on
10
purpose, but there is a good deal of time passing between our
11
discussion of these articles, and in view of the fact we're on
12
kind of a tight schedule, I am going to ask that you do all
13
that you can to hurry the process along.
14
A.
I am already doing that. I mean, I don't think
15
that I appear to be dawdling.
16
Q.
It is taking a good deal of time.
17
A.
Well, I guess it's a real contrast to me doing
18
something like this, as opposed to being asked the same
19
questions again and again in depositions about asbestos. I
20
will try to change gears.
21
22
witness.
MR. CROSBY: Move to strike the comments of the
23
MR. HOOD: I would ask that the witness not take
24
out time to read articles, and just answer the questions
25
posed.
c..s *r . Assort a t r .c
2Z2
1
MR. HAYS: Let the record reflect that the
2
questions posed by counsel require a review of the
3
documents. So if you want the deposition to speed up,
4
maybe we ought to go to a different line of questioning.
5
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) Again, I don't want to get
6
involved in this kind of discussion, but this should have been
7
done before we got here.
8
A.
I can't anticipate every question you are going
9
to ask.
10
Q.
You can anticipate that I am going to ask you
11
about these articles, Dr. Castleman.
12
A.
I can anticipate that you're going to ask me
13
whether there were articles showing people breathing different
14
types of talc that got sick.
15
Q.
Let's not fuss about it, let's just go ahead and
16
get the questions answered.
17
HR. HAYS: He's entitled to respond if you make
18
some remark.
19
Did you complete your response?
20
THE WITNESS: Yes.
21
I didn't think the industries involved conducted
22
epidemiological studies, nor were such studies
23
conducted by government officials in the case of
24
non-fibrous talcs.
25
MR. HAYS: Are you talking about a specific time
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2_a
1
period now?
2
THE WITNESS: Up until the 1970s I don't see
3
anything, except case reports.
4
HR. HOOD: Let the record reflect he's turning
5
over and looking through articles that have been
6
produced in the deposition.
7
THE WITNESS: Let the record so reflect.
8
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) You said that there were no
9
industry studies and no government studies, and I'm not
10
limiting it to industry and government. I want to know whether
11
anybody did epidemiological studies concerning the possible
12
health hazards of exposure to non-fibrous talc?
13
A.
Well, there's practically nobody aside from the
14
industries involved and the government officials who could have
15
conducted epidemiological studies. A doctor working in a
16
hospital isn't in a position to do an epidemiological study.
17
He might see a case and report it, but the only folks who would
18
have been able to conduct epidemiological studies, especially
19
back in the time before the 1970s, would have been people who
20
were placed either in the industry itself, or in a government
21
agency of some sort.
22
Q.
Dr. Castleman, you have told me about a number of
23
epidemiological studies that were done by Kleinfeld and others;
24
true?
25
A.
Yes, by state officials.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q*
A H right. I want you to look at those articles
2
and tell me -- and look at all of them, I want to be sure,
3
whether there are any other epidemiological studies done by
4
anyone insofar as the possible health hazards of exposure to
5
non-fibrous talc?
5
A.
I don't see anything until 1976 when the federal
7
government in the form of the National Institute for
8
Occupational Safety and Health.
9
Q.
Are you looking at an exhibit?
10
A. I am looking at Exhibit 72.
11
Q* All right. Was that an epidemiological study of
12
possible health hazards associated with exposure to non-fibrous
13
talc?
14
A. This is a report of an epidemiologicalstudy.
15
This isn't the primary study.
16
Q.
What type of material -- excuse me. The year for
17
that again was?
18
A. 1976.
19
Q.
All right. What type of material are we dealim g
20
with?
21
A.
What is called "Relatively Pure Talc".
22
Q.
What --
23
A.
That is what it's called by the researcher
24
Q.
Who is the researcher?
25
A.
Sherry Selevan, epidemiologist with NIOSH.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
-22.Q
1
HR. HOOD: That is a misstatement. The summary
2
he's looking at has the quotation "Relatively Pure"
3
end of quotation.
4
HR. HAYS: Wait a minute. Excuse me. If you are
5
going to make an objection, make an objection. Just
6
don't be making comments on the record.
7
HR. HOOD: Let's read it correct.
8
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) What are the conclusions with
9
regard to that 1976 NIOSH study as it relates to exposure to
10
non-fibrous talc?
11
A.
It says that NIOSH -- this study, and this is in
12
quotes "clearly demonstrate" end quote, that non-malignant
13
respiratory diseases such chronic emphysema and bronchitis are
14
associated with exposures to quote "relatively pure" end quote,
15
talc, according to NIOSH epidemiologist Sherry Selevan.
16
Q.
Does the report speak to the concentration,
17
exposure concentrations?
18
A.
No.
19
Q.
The report does indicate, does it not, that --
20
A.
I mean not quantitatively.
21
Q.
It does indicate that thereappears
to be no
22
relation between non-fibrous talc and cancer; right?
23
A.
It says that more information needs to be
24
considered on the issue of cancer, that the findings are not
25
clear cut. They found some lung cancer deaths, but they -- the
C.S.R. AssortATES
--------- -- ---------------------------------------------------------- 4 -
1
last paragraph reads as follows: "Investigators discovered six
2
lung cancer deaths, four among miners and two among persons who
3
were both miners and millers during the 30 year period. Eleven
4
workers died from chronic emphysema, bronchitis and other
5
non-malignant respiratory diseases. Five were millers, one was
6
a miner, and the rest worked at both jobs. Researchers said
7
the 17 deaths^greatly exceeded cancer and respiratory disease
8
death rates for both Vermont and the nation.
9
Earlier it does say that on the cancer correlation
10
epidemiologist Selevan cautioned that other factors such as
11
smoking and mine environment need to be taken into account
12
before conclusions can be drawn.
13
Q.
Could I see the exhibit, please?
14
Is this the last epidemiological study that you are
15
aware of that deals with possible health hazards associated
16
with exposure to non-fibrous talc?
17
A.
Selevan*s work was published in the next year, it
18
was announced at the conference in 1977, which I attended and
19
made a presentation at, and which was published in 1979.
20
MR. HOOD: I would like the record to reflect
21
what he was referring to and reading from is not the
22
NIOSH study, but a summary that was marked Exhibit 72,
23
the source of which has not been designated or
24
determined.
25
MR. HAYS: I'm going to object once more to
r.s.n. AssrirTafPRS
222
1
Counsel's remarks on the record that are not objections.
2
We have a lead counsel that is fully capable of taking
3
care of this.
4
MR. HOOD: This apparently is a NIOSH study,
5
it's a summary of it. We have asked him to produce it,
6
he has not produced, but he has produced this one page.
7
THE WITNESS: I am looking at it right now,
8
Mr. Hood. I have produced it.
9
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) On the same exhibit there is
10
another summary that deals with benzene, hexavalent, chromium,
11
moca.
12
A.
Right. Very bad chemicals.
13
Q.
Those are all bad chemicals, aren't they?
14
A. (Jh-huh.
15
Q.
They all pose -- When you say uh-huh, I realize
16
you have got your mouth full. Is that yes?
17
A. Yes.
18
Q.
Do those all pose health hazards to anyone who
19
works around them; correct?
20
A. A lung cancer hazard.
21
Q. Any other hazards that they pose that you know of?
22
A. Some of the substances cause -- Did I say benzene?
23
Benzene doesn't cause lung cancer, it causes leukemia. But
24
they cause occupational cancer, and in some cases these cause
25
other kinds of non-malignant disease such as arsenic causing
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
27a
1
skin ulceration and so forth.
2
Q.
Does benzene pose a health hazard apart from the
3
development of leukemia?
4
A.
Yes, it causes -- I believe it causes other forms
5
of cancer.
6
Q.
What other forms of cancer are you aware of caused
7
by benzene?
8
A.
Cancers of the blood forming organs. But I forget
9
the exact names of them. Look, this isn't a deposition on
10
benzene, and I am not an expert on benzene. It's just
11
something I happen to know.
12
Q.
All right. So if I understand it then, there are
13
two epidemiological studies that relate to possible dangers
14
associated with inhalation of non-fibrous talc, one of them,
15
the early one in 1949 finds no radiographic evidence of injury,
16
and the other one in 1976 ---- Oh, and by the way, do you know
17
whether or not that 1976 NIOSH report was ever formally
18
published?
19
A.
Well, I don't know of other places where it may
20
have been published, and it may have been published elsewhere,
21
but I know it was published in the proceedings of this
22
conference. And like I say, by the time we get to the late
23
'70s I didn't keep looking for each and every article on talc,
24
although I know there were a number of such articles.
25
Q.
Well, you didn't produce any epidemiological
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2ZA
1
studies relating to possible health hazards of exposure to
2
non-fibrous talc from 1949 to 1976; true?
3
A. Right. I don't know of any such studies.
4
Q. All right.
5
A. At this time.
6
Q.
Are you aware of any epidemiological studies that
7
relate to possible health hazards associated with inhalation of
8
non-asbestiform fibrous talc?
9
A. Non-asbestiform fibrous talc?
10
Q.
Yes. Are you aware that there is such a
11
substance?
12
A.
I haven't seen that kind of description in the
13
literature that I have read.
14
Q.
So that particular term is a term that is unknown
15
to you then?
16
A.
Right.
17
Q.
All right. So I take it then that we would be
18
safe in saying that you have found no epidemiological studies,
19
no case studies, no animal studies dealing with possible health
20
hazards of exposure to non-asbestiform fibrous talc; true?
21
MR. HAYS: By that name you mean?
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Or any description that might
23
parallel that name.
24
MR. HAYS: Let's just be fair if you want to put
25
it in quotes. He says he hasn't seen that word, that
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
21S
1
was his testimoney. He hasn't seen non-asbestiforn
2
fibrous talc. That is not to say that some expert or
3
physician wasn't referring to that type of talc,
4
whatever it is, by another name. Go I just don't
5
want to get caught in a semantics trap here.
6
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Do you know, Dr. Castlemn, what
7
non-asbestiform fibrous talc is?
8
A.
Ho.
9
Q.
So I take it then that you would not be prepared
10
to offer any testimony with regard to that substance; true?
11
MR. HAYS; Once again, unless it's known by
12
some other name.
13
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle)
Well, that is the name that I
14
know it by. And if that is the name I know it by, and if that
15
is the name I am advancing to you, you are in no position to
16
make testimony about it by that name. Agreed?
17
A.
All I can say is I have never heard of this
18
entity. It's possible that that kind of characterization
19
appears in some article of some sort or another, perhaps
20
mineralogical article, perhaps another one, but I haven't seen
21
it.
22
Q
All right. That 1949 article, epidemiological
23
study, Exhibit No. 36, do you agree with me that manufacturers
24
f talc have as much right to place credence in that article as
25
in any of the other articles that you have spoken of?
----------------------------------------------------------- 2I
1
A. The 1949 article by the Firestone doctors?
2
Q.
Dy whoever they were, Hogue and Mallette, I think
3
you said.
4
A.
Yes. I mean that is part of the total body of
5
medical knowledge.
6
Q. All right.
7
A.
And as such could certainly be accorded some
8
weight.
9
Q.
How, you have not produced nor reviewed, I take
10
it, any animal studies relating to the possible health hazards
11
associated with exposure to talc. Is that true?
12
A.
I have looked at some animal studies, and I think
13
I have produced some animal studies.
14
Q.
Let's talk about the animal studies then. How
15
many have you produced?
16
A.
I think Schultz and Williams did some animal work
17
in 1942.
18
Q.
Get that exhibit and let's talk about it.
19
A.
(Witness produces document.)
20
Q.
Can you not tell by looking at the abstract,
21
Dr. Castleman, whether it's an animal study or not?
22
A.
I can tell it's an animal study. But I expected
23
your question was going to go beyond that.
24
Q.
Well, when you find one, let me know, so I can
25
start framing some questions. Have you found one?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2
1
A.
I have been looking at one for the last two
2
minutes.
3
Q.
That is true. What is the exhibit number?
4
A. Schultz and Williams, 1942.
5
Q. The exhibit number?
6
A. 22.
7
Q. What were the conclusions?
3
A.
They said, "The greatest amount of fibrous tissue
9
was developed in the presence of two talcs which contained the
10
least carbonate. Talcs of this ^ype should be avoided whenever
11
possible."
12
Q.
What types of talc are they talking about?
13
A. Talcs which contain the least carbonate.
14
Q. Is that all we know about them, that they contain
15
the least carbonate?
16
A. Yep.
17
Q. Any other animal studies?
18
Q.
This is one by Policard published in a French
19
journal.
20
Q. Exhibit number?
21
A. 19.
22
Q. You can skip the French journal. Any others?
23
A.
This is another study by a French author, a
24
separate one.
25
Q. You can skip the foreign periodicals.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2ZR
1
A.
That was No. 25. This is a review of the
2
experimental studies in the report of Siegal, and co-workers.
3
Q.
Exhibit number?
4
A.
Number 24, this report published in the United
5
States by New York state officials describe experimental work
6
by a number of authors, Haynes in 1931; Stuber in 1934; Fossel
7
in 1935; Bethune in 1935. So while we do not have the primary
8
articles, some of which were written in other languages here,
9
we do have a nice little summary here.
10
Q.
All I want to know is whether or not there are any
11
articles that deal v/ith animal studies in front of you?
12
A.
Yes, there are. And like I say, this one --
13
Q.
You have told us about article 24, Exhibit 24.
14
Any others?
15
A.
It contains both review of the animal studies, as
16
well as clinical material.
17
Q.
Let me ask you a question. From the standpoint of
18
making general statements, is it more helpful to the scientific
19
community to have epidemiological studies or case studies?
20
A.
It's helpful to the scientific community to have
21
both kinds of studies.
22
Q.
Which is generally regarded as the most helpful in
23
terms of reaching conclusions by the scientific community?
24
A.
I don't think there is a simple answer to that
25
question. A case report can provide you with information that
n
-- ----------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 275-
1
an epidemiological study cannot provide you with. Pathological
2
information is an extremely important type, and that kind of
3
information is simply not available in morbidity studies of
4
workers, we d o n 't go and chop peoples lungs out to see what
5
their lung tissues look like. All you can tell is what the
6
X-ray films show you, and the pulmonary function tests and
7
clinic examinations show you.
8
Q.
So it's your position that an epidemiological
9
study is no more helpful to the general scientific community in
10
framing general scientific principles than a case studies is?
11
A.
Well, I am just saying there are no simple
12
answers. A lousy epidemiological study or a poorly constructed
13
one can be very misleading and can be extremely unreliable.
14
Q.
Let's assume a competent epidemiological study and
15
a competent case study.
16
A.
Again, they are different types of information
17
imparted by both.
18
Q.
All right.
19
A.
And I don't think that the comparisons of that
20
kind are the sorts of comparisons that scientists would make
21
unless they were being deposed by lawyers.
22
Q.
Are they the kinds of comparisons that are made in
23
the literature, Dr. Castleman, or do you know?
24
A.
No, I can't recall seeing those kinds of
25
comparisons where a scientist says that epidemiological studies
n c t> AOOAPT AfHCe
-------- ------------------------------------------------ 280
1
give us information, more information, or give us information
2
that is -- or case reports give us information -- I mean, it's
3
known that case reports give information that is not contained
4
in some epidemiological studies, and epidemiological studies
5
contain information unavailable from case reports.
6
Q.
Listen to the question, Dr. Castleman. Whether or
7
not epidemiological studies are more helpful in making general
8
statements of scientific principal, that's all I want to know.
9
A.
They may be, but that is not guaranteed.
10
Q.
I am not talking about guaranties, I am talking
11
about what is generally regarded in the scientific community.
12
A.
I don't think that, you know, that the question
13
lends itself to a simple answer.
14
Q. Fine.
15
A.
It really depends on specific studies that you are
16
trying to compare.
17
Q.
If you can't answer then, you can't answer.
18
A. Well, thenI can't answer.
19
Q. Thank you. Now, do you find that animal studies
20
are in any way helpful in regard to making general statements
21
of scientific principal?
22
A. Sure. All these kinds of studies contribute
23
information.
24
Q.
All right. Now, I want you to go back through and
25
find for me all of the case studies that deal with possible
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2B1
1
hazards of exposure to fibrous talc.
2
A.
Do you want me to skip the initial study on rubber
3
workers published in Italian?
4
Q.
Yes, skip that one.
5
Q.
I tell you what, let's save a little tine,
6
Dr. Castleman. As you come across a case study, let's talk
7
about it as it comes up rather than get them segregated out of
3
fibrous and non-fibrous.
9
A.
That is a great idea.
10
Q.
And keep them separate, by the way, when you stack
11
them up so we can have them.
12
Do you have one in front of you?
13
A.
Well, I am looking at the -- this is China clay.
14
Here is talc. This is a 1936 report by Middleton.
15
Q.
What's the exhibit number, please?
16
A.
16. I think Middleton is just talking about the
17
work of others, so we will skip that.
18
Q.
Is there a case study involved in there?
19
A.
He reports on cases of talc pneumoconiosis.
20
Q.
What does he say about them?
21
A.
He doesn't say anything about whether the talc was
22
fibrous or non-fibrous, which is what I am trying to find,
23
assuming that is what you're mainly after.
24
Q.
What does he say about exposure to talc and its
25
possible hazards?
r c d Ko r mco
--------------- -------------------------------------------------- -- ----- ------------------2.S2
1
A.
Summarizing Merewether's report, he says, "That
2
the suggestion is that the radiological appearances seen really
3
reflect the actual dust in the lungs together with any
4
associated congestion rather that the presence of a diffuse
5
fibrosis. The few examinations made so far did not disclose
6
any appreciable disablement after exposures ranging from 9 to
7
32 years."
8
Q.
What is the year on that?
9
A.
1936. This is describing research conducted in
10
Great Britain.
11
Q.
And so --
12
A.
The source of the talc is not indicated.
13
~
Q.
So this is one year after the Dreessen study?
14
A.
Yes.
15
Q.
And we haveconclusions that there is no
16
disablement associated with breathing talc for periods of 9 to
17
32 years?
18
A.
Right, as had been reported by Ilerewether at least
19
as Middleton sums it up. And then he talks about other cases
20
that other people have reported.
21
Q.
Do you believe that areasonablemanufacturer
22
would be justified in relying on the work of Merewether and
23
these others?
24
A.
i think a reasonable manufacturer has to rely on
25
the total body of knowledge to the extent that that information
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
is obtained.
2
Q.
Including this?
3
A.
Including everything.
4
Q.
All right.
5
A.
You don't get to pick and choose
6
include everything. That is the way I look at it. I mean you
7
pick and chose on the basis of the quality of information from
8
a scientific point of view, not from an economical pecuniary
9
point of view, if you get my meaning.
10
Q.
Please go on and tell us the next case study that
11
you find.
12
A.
I have passed over the reports of Porro up until
13
now.
14
Q.
Exhibit number, please?
15
A.
This is Exhibit No. 23. I have not counted Porro
16
among the epidemiological studies, because my reading of this
17
was that the population base from which these workers came was
18
not so well defined.
19
Q.
All right. Which Porro --
20
A.
Number 23.
21
Q.
I have got the exhibit number, but I don't have
22
those exhibits in front of me, so tell me which Porro article
23
you are talking about.
24
A.
1942.
25
Q.
Is that the American --
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
22S
1
New York mined talc, but let me make sure. He starts out with
2
reviewing earlier work before he gets around to describing his
3
case. I am quite sure, knowing the rest of the literature,
4
that this is a talc miner who mined fibrous talc, but it
5
doesn't say that in the article.
6
Q.
So you are assuming that we are talking about
7
tremolitic talc then; right?
8
A.
Yes, but I am assuming, as you might say, material
9
not in evidence here in this article. I am assuming things
10
based on a larger knowledge in time than would have been
11
available to someone reading this in 1946. Someone reading
12
this in 1946 wouldn't have, I think -- these doctors just don't
13
make the distinctions that we maybe wish they would have made
14
when they wrote about the medical condition of their patients.
15
They don't make the kind of mineralogical distinctions that
16
your questions are directed toward. And so someone reading the
17
article I think simply would not know whether this is fibrous
18
or non-- fibrous talc unless they knew a little bit more about
19
what kind of talc came from St. Lawrence County, New York. But
20
even there it doesn't say that this guy work in
21
St. Lawrence County. It says there have been earlier reports
22
from St. Lawrence County. Maybe if you went back and looked at
23
Porro's earlier work you could maybe at least infer that that
24
is where this fellow came from. But it doesn't say it here.
25
Q.
So the answer to my question is yes, that is your
ARSnrTATP.C!
--------------- ----------------------- ---------------- ---------- 2 M
1
assumption?
2
A.
My assumption is someone reading the article
3
simply wouldn't know.
4
Q.
I'm not asking about anybody else, lm asking
5
about you, Dr. Castleman. Are you making the assumption that
6
Exhibit Mo. 27 deals with a worker exposed to tremolitic talc;
7
yes or no?
8
A.
That is my best guess.
9
Q.
Thank you. Dr. Castleman, have you yourself ever
10
conducted an epidemiological study?
11
A.
No.
12
Q.
Have you yourself ever done a case history work--up
13
on a patient?
14
A.
No, I do n 't practice medicine without a license.
15
Q.
You're not qualified to supervise a case history
16
work-up; is that true?
17
A.
I am not a physician, so I don't go around
18
examining people.
19
Q.
Whether you do or not, I'm asking --
20
A.
At least not for medical purposes.
21
Q.
Please, Dr. Castleman. Whether you do it or not,
22
do you consider that you are qualified to do that if you want
23
to?
24
A.
NO.
25
Q.
Do you consider that you're qualified to supervise
P C T5 sccnrTJU'PC
44
1
epidemiological studies from a medical perspective?
2
A.
No. I don't supervise those kinds of studies, but
3
I read them and understand them, and I've examined and
4
critically reviewed hundreds if not thousands of
5
epidemiological studies over the last 20 years.
6
Q.
I didn't ask you about reading, reviewing or
7
criticizing., I asked you about supervising. Do I understand
9
that the answer to my question is: No, you are not qualified
9
to do that; right?
10
A.
(No
response.)
11
Q.
Dr.
Castleman?
12
A.
I'm thinking about it. It just depends on the
13
nature of the study. I am not qualified to do it to the extent
14
that the qualifications needed would be in the area of
15
medicine, but a lot of epidemiological work is simply a matter
16
of statistics, and I am trained in the area of epidemiology and
17
the statistics, so it really would depend on more of the
18
specifics of the data base under consideration.
19
Q.
So you may be qualified, but you have never been
20
called upon to do that. Is that an accurate statement?
21
A.
Right.
22
Q.
Have you done any follow-up research to determine
23
whether or not the -- strike the question.
24
Have you done any follow-up research to determine how
25
the various articles that we have made exhibits and have
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
288
1
discussed were received by the medical community?
2
A.
The only way I would really have of knowing that
3
is by reading the articles themselves, looking at the way that
4
the different writers evidenced an awareness of writing by
5
others in their own country and in other countries. So in that
6
sense, I can see the kind of cross-- fertilization of knowledge
7
that occurs across international borders.
8
Q.
Are you aware, for example, whether or not any of
9
the articles that we have discussed have been criticized in
10
terms of their methodology or conclusions?
11
A.
They have been, but I am not aware of the details.
12
I haven't been involved in controversies over talc that much.
13
I know that the health research group in Washington has very
14
vigorously criticized the Vanderbilt Talc Company, and has
15
written about that, and that is one of the documents in the
16
file I brought here today.
17
Q.
Apart from the Vanderbilt Talc Company, are you
18
aware of any of these articles that have been criticized by
19
subsequent authors or researchers with regard to methodology
20
and/or conclusions?
21
A.
No. But there may be such controversy to which I
22
am unaware.
23
Q
Would that be something that would be necessary
24
for you to know in deciding how this material was received by
25
the medical community generally?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------- ------------ --- -- ---------------------------------- 2-83-
1
A.
it might be relevant. But again, I think it would
2
be reflected in the medical literature if substantial
3
controversy existed.
4
Q.
You are not suggesting to anyone here that you
5
have an exhaustive collection of the literature relevant to the
6
topic in front of you?
7
A.
i believe I have a representative collection of
8
the literature which is illustrative of the way knowledge
9
emerged about talc.
10
Q.
Dr. Castleman, did I ask you about a
11
representative sample?
12
A.
I believe you used the word exhaustive.
13
Q.
That is exactly the term that I used.
14
A.
when I say exhaustive, I am talking about the kind
15
of research I have done on asbestos. Now, that is exhaustive.
16
Q.
That is what I'm thinking too, and that is why I
17
asked. Are you suggesting that you have done and you have in
18
front of you and exhaustive compilation of the work that is
19
done in this field?
20
A.
It's not exhaustive in the sense that it is all
21
inclusive. And I believe that the work that I have done on
22
asbestos comes close to that, at least with respect to the
23
historic literature. But the work on talc, there could be a
24
few things missing here, probably are.
25
Do you want to continue going through case reports, or
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2 3 .Q
1
do something else?
2
Q.
Are you qualified to criticize the methodology and
3
the conclusions of the various authors that we have been
4
discussing today?
5
A.
I think I am qualified to criticize, critically
6
review some of the stuff. I am not a pathologist. If you get
7
into the fine points of what pathologists write about what they
8
see or think they see, you might be getting into an area where
9
I would feel uncomfortable. But for the most part, the
10
information reported here is information which I feel that I am
11
competent to critically evaluate.
12
Q.
Have you been asked to make any criticisms of the
13
methodology and/or the conclusions of any of these articles
14
that we have discussed today?
15
A. No.
16
Q.
Go to the next case study, if you would, please.
17
A.
This is No. 29. This is a 1947 publication in the
18
AMA journal called Occupational Medicine. The author is a
19
physician in New York City.
20
Q.
What type of substance, what type of talc is he
21
dealing with? I am assuming that he's dealing with talc;
22
right?
23
A. Yes.
24
Q. What type of talc is he dealing with?
25
A.
I believe that this is a case in which the author
iVS-P. AQCrv'Ta'PPO
------------------ -- ---------- ---------------------------- 291
1
says, The elements of silica and asbestos have been eliminated
2
as a cause of the pneumoconiosis in this case since the patient
3
was never exposed to these substances in any industry prior to
4
his exposure to talc in the cosmetic industry, and since the
5
chemical analysis of the talcum powder revealed less than .05
6
free silica." So here it appears that we're talking about a
7
non-fibrous, -talc which is also low in free silica, which has
3
nonetheless caused pneumoconiosis, and which was being used in
9
the cosmetic industry.
10
Q.
Prior to that time is there anything in the
11
medical literature indicating that exposure to non-fibrous talc
12
might result in injury to the lungs?
13
A.
I think this is the first -- this may be the first
14
study, I hesitate to say it definitely was, but this certainly
15
may have been the first report where the author focused in on
16
the presence or absence of asbestos fibers and talc in trying
17
to ascertain what components -- I am sorry asbestos fibers and
18
silica, in trying to figure out just what it was that was
19
causing pneumoconiosis in the talc exposed worker.
20
Q.
May I see the exhibit, please, while you are
21
looking for the next case study?
22
A.
Sure.
23
Q.
Do you have it in front of you, Dr. Castleman?
24
A.
I am examining an Italian report, because I think
25
the later literature shows that the Italian talc was not
n co
t *moo
1
fibrous. If you want to just skip the Italian work --
2
Q. Yes.
3
A.
we can do it. I am now looking at a German
4
publication in 1950. Di Biasi's case I believe I have seen
5
referred to by others as being a low or as to a fiber free
6
talc.
7
Q. What'sthe exhibit number?
8
A. 39.
9
Q. Do you knowwhether or not it deals with fibrous
10
versus non-fibrous talc?
11
A.
i believe I have seen this referred to in
12
subsequent literature as a non-fibrous talc.
13
Q.
What are the conclusions? oh, by the way, what
14
year is it?
15
A.
This is 1950 to '51. Let me just -- that
16
particular issue isn't addressed in the conclusions, at least
17
not that I could tell.
18
Q.
So you are unable to tell us what the conclusions
19
are in that article?
20
A.
I will tell you what the conclusions are, but I
21
don't think they have a whole lot to do with whether it's
22
fibrous or non-fibrous. They're talking about a man who had 17
23
years exposure to talc dust.
24
Q.
What was the outcome of that exposure?
25
A.
This is written in German.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
233.
1
Q.
If you can't make any sense out of it,
2
Dr. Castleman, that is all right, we will move on.
3
A.
It's recorded as a case of talcosis, but the
4
details of the whole thing are expressed in the terms of a
5
pathologist, and it is in the German language.
6
Q.
Let's go to the next case study then.
7
A.
i think were up to Friedman, pneumoconiosis,
8
reported a case.
9
Q. Exhibit number, please?
10
A.
1952, No. 43. This is in JAMA.
11
Q. Uhat type of talc?
12
A.
They say the free silica contents of talc is half
13
a percent or less. Let me make sure we're talking about the
14
same, because sometimes they go back and forth between
15
reviewing past studies and telling you what they have seen
16
themselves. I am afraid this is another case of a doctor not
17
being terribly attentive to mineralogic details.
18
Q.
Do you know whether or not that deals with fibrous
19
versus non-fibrous talc?
20
A.
It doesn't say anything about whether there are
21
fibers in this talc or not.
22
Q.
All right.
23
A.
The next case report is in the AMA Archives of
24
Industrial Hygiene, 1952, and this is No. 44. Forty-two year
25
old man at the time of his death. He had worked in a shoe
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
23A
1
factory cutting out shoe linings. And there was abundant
2
talcum powder used in this process.
3
Q.
What were the exposure levels?
4
A.
i am quite certain there is no data on that.
5
Q.
What was the type of talc involved?
6
A.
I would be very surprised if a doctor reported
7
that. This is one of those extraordinarily thorough case
8
reports.
9
Q.
It does not tell us what type of talc we're
10
dealing with?
11
A.
He is helpful though. On 461 the good doctor does
12
tell us the case reported by Di Biasi found only very
13
occasional asbestos bodies. The analysis of the talc inhaled
14
revealed a small fraction of asbestos. So that is the
15
reference I mentioned that said that Di Biasi's case was a
16
relatively non-fibrous talc.
17
Q.
But it did have asbestos in it?
18
A. Yes.
19
Q. What about Exhibit No.
44?
20
A. About his own case?
21
Q. Yes.
22
A. it's extraordinarilydetailed. This is the way
23
Germans write case reports.
24
Q.
Can you tell whether or not it's fibrous versus
25
non-fibrous talc?
C-S-R- a.Q.RnrraTPc
1
A. I don't think so.
2
Q.
All right. Let's go to the next one then.
3
A.
I don't think he indicates whether there were
4
fibers in this talc.
5
Q.
Let's go to the next one then.
6
A.
This is No. 45 by a Navy doctor called "Talc
7
Pneumoconiosis".
8
Q. What is the date?
9
A.
1953. He has been employed dusting life rafts
10
with talcum powder for a year.
11
Q. What type of talc?
12
A.
I very much doubt that the Navy doctor had any
13
information on that. It was a previous job that the individual
14
had held prior to going into the Navy.
15
The next one is No. 46 in the British Medical Journal by
16
Bertram Mann and Doctor or Mr. Deasy. This case --
17
Q. Year, please?
18
A.
1954. Points out that the bulk of the reports are
19
related to workers in talc mills or steatite mines, workers and
20
employees engaged in the rubber industry, and in the production
21
of cosmetics.
22
Q.
What type of talc is he discussing?
23
A. In this case he says, "Under Discussions
24
Petrographically talc consists of straight fibers, curved
25
fibers and shreds. These fibers measure up to ten microns in
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
22S
1
length."
2
Q.
Do you know what kind of talc it is?
3
A. Hot beyond what I just read you.
4
Q. Any discussion of any other substances included
5
with talc?
6
A.
No. These doctors are lousy mineralogists.
7
Q.
What were the conclusions with regard to that
8
particular case?
9
A.
In the end he says, "A survey of the literature
10
suggests that this condition is not a pure pulmonary silicosis,
11
but is rather a slowly developing fibrogenic disorder. And it
12
has been suggested that it may be allied to asbestosis. In the
13
above reported case talc pneumoconiosis manifested itself by a
14
very insidiously developing dyspnea associated with a mildly
15
productive smoker's cough."
16
Q.
Does it discuss in that article whether or not the
17
subject was a cigarette smoker?
18
A.
The words "smoker's cough" are in quotes. So he
19
might not have been a smoker, he might just have had a cough
20
that sounded like a smoker's cough. It doesn't say.
21
Q. Hay I see the exhibit, please?
22
A. Yes. I don't think it actually says whether or
23
not the man smoked.
24
Q.
Do you have the next case history in front of you?
25
A.
Yes.
C..s. r . A s s n r t s t r s
233
1
Q. What is the exhibit number, please?
2
A. I am not sure that these -- I am not sure if he's
3
reporting a new case here or not. This is McLaughlin, No. 50,
4
1955. Does look like McLaughlin is just reporting again on a
5
case that he's already seen. Which reminds me, there were a
6
few more articles brought in this morning, one of which was the
7
original McLaughlin report of 1949.
8
Q.
Well, was that 1949 McLaughlin report a case
9
study?
10
A.
It was, it was a case study.
11
Q. Exhibit No. 93?
12
A.
McLaughlin's report, the original one was
13
published in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine in 1949
14
reporting a fatal case of talc pneumoconiosis, and age 51, who
15
had worked in a rubber tire factory for 37 years.
16
Q. What kind of talc?
17
A.
The mineralogy of the particles in the lung
18
included some fibers.
19
Q. Yes. Concentration of exposure?
20
A.
Kind of interesting. The concentration of
21
exposure, I don't know if that is indicated. Let me just -- as
22
to whether they are fibrous or not fibrous, it says that talc
23
in this plant came from Norway initially, and then Canada.
24
Q.
Doctor, this is quite interesting to us, but I
25
need to know whether or not there is anything in there about
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2ia
1
concentration, exposure concentrations?
2
A.
Sorry. I don't see any numbers. I don't think
3
that they had any measures of concentrations to which the man
4
had been exposed. It says regarding fibrous, "Both varieties
5
of talc used are predominately platy in form, although each
6
contains a portion of fibers."
7
Q.
This is one of the articles that you did not have
8
a chance to look at until it was delivered this morning secured
9
last night by Hr. Hays. Is that true?
10
A. That's correct.
11
Q.
What is the next case study?
12
A.
I think McLaughlin returns to the discussion of
13
this case in this 1955 article.
14
Q.
Six years later he's discussing it again?
15
A.
He's still talking about that case in a more
16
general review on dust diseases. He was a British factory
17
inspector physician. So that is in No. 50. Now, on we go.
18
Animal study by Schepers. All right. Here is a case.
19
Q. What is the exhibit number,please?
20
A.
53, published in 1956, Thorax, by A.C. Hunt, the
21
London Hospital Medical College. Ten years exposure, 57 years
22
old at the time of death. Coating lead accumulator plates with
23
talc.
24
Q. What kind of talc?
25
A.
Clinical history, we do have some mineralogic
r..s .n . Assort a t e s
_________________________________________________________________ 2 05
1
examination from Dr. Nagelschmidt no less. "X-ray defraction
2
diagram shows strong talc pattern, and a few weak kaolin lines,
3
and very faintly the strongest quartz line at 3.34 A. This
4
indicates a sample contained, apart from talc, less than a half
5
a percent of quartz, and perhaps two or three percent kaolin.
6
There was no evidence of the presence of tremolite."
7
Q. .Do you know whether that was a fibrous or a
3
non-fibrous talc?
9
A.
He does indicate that he had seen some lung damage
10
that looked like asbestos bodies. He says "Curious bodies
11
similar but not identical to asbestos bodies have been
12
described in most cases of talc pneumoconiosis." He says
13
referring to McLaughlin. He says they consist of a single
14
fiber with terminal rosettes but without intermediate beading.
15
They were present in this case, although in small numbers." So
16
they didn't find any tremolite in the analysis of the talc by
17
Dr. Nagelschmidt, who Dr. Nagelschmidt was a world class
18
mineralogist.
19
Q.
But there were asbestiform bodies in the lung
20
samples?
21
A.
But he had a few asbestos bodies in the lungs, or
22
things that looked like them anyway.
23
Q.
All right.
24
A.
Subsequent studies have shown that urban dwellers
25
all over the world have the same kinds of forms in their lungs.
n c n AOCn/^T AfpfC
1
Q.
Is that discussed in that particular article?
2
A.
No.
3
Q.
This is just a gratuitous statement by
4
Dr. Castleman?
5
A.
No. That's a statement based on literature
6
published study in 1963, but since this was written in 1956
7
this gentleman didn't have the benefit of that knowledge.
8
Q.
I mean though, when you made that statement that
9
was not based on anything that you had in front of you; right?
10
A. Right.
11
Q.
Please, go on.
12
A.
So we're through with this case. Then there is
13
some textbooks. We have got three more cases by Dr. Seeler and
14
his co-workers in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
15
Q.
Exhibit number, please.
16
A.
57. This is published in the Archives of
17
Industrial Health in 1959. Layout men in a factory
18
manufacturing rubber-coated cable.
19
Q. What's the year? Did you say '59?
20
A. Yes.
21
Q. What type of talc are we dealing with?
22
A. Pretty clean stuff. Says "Talc used throughout
23
the years by the men whose cases we are reporting was all from
24
a single mine in Vermont, and presumably was a fairly uniform
25
composition. It varied in grain size from one to 150 microns,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- 301
1
90 percent of the particles less than ten microns. Analysis of
2
the talc below 10 microns in size was reported as eight percent
3
talc, 68 percent dolomite, three percent magnetite, 16 percent
4
serpentine, and five percent other minerals. The free silica
5
content was reported to be less than a half a percent." There
6
isn't any reference to asbestiforra materials or fibers, there's
7
no reference to tremolite or fibers that I can see.
8
Q.
What are the conclusions with regard to exposure
9
to this what you call clean stuff?
10
A.
Well, clean in the sense that it didn't appear to
11
have any reference to asbestiform fibers in the part that I was
12
looking at.
13
Q.
What are the conclusions?
14
A.
They found needle-shaped particles in the areas of
15
fibrosis. "X-ray defraction studies in our two case indicated
16
that doubly refractile needle-like particles were talc." And
17
they make reference to the fact that a number of authors remark
18
on the presence of asbestos-like bodies in the tissues which we
19
did not observe in our material." On Page 27. So that anyway
20
you can read this at your leisure.
21
Q.
May I see it please?
22
A.
(Witness produces document.)
23
Q.
Your understanding is that this deals with
24
non-fibrous talc, Exhibit No. 57?
25
A.
As far as I can tell. But I mean, you know, I
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
202
1
haven't looked at it as thoroughly as I might like to.
2
Q.
It makes reference to the fact that talc merely
3
produces inert reactions? Is that comment made in the comment
4
in that particular article?
5
A.
I am sorry, where are you reading from?
6
Q.
I will just come around and look at it with you,
7
if I m a y .
8
A.
Sure. Seems like they describe it in other terms.
9
Oh, yes. They are making reference to an earlier short term
10
animal study conducted by Miller and Sayers in the injection of
11
talc into peritoneal tissue, which unfortunately wasn't allowed
12
to stay in the tissues long enough to produce peritoneal
13
mesotheliomas. And these were studies that were conducted in
14
the 1930s. But as to their own findings, they say that, "Talc
15
must be regarded as a material which will cause pneumoconiosis
16
if a high concentration of the dust is inhaled for many years."
17
And they go on to reiterate that in a summary saying that,
18
"Lungs in both cases showed extensive fibrosis which did not
19
however show a specific pattern that might be of diagnostic
20
value." Apparently referring to the chest X-ray.
21
Q.
Any other case studies?
22
A.
I think the rest of this stuff is from the New
23
York State people.
24
Q.
And those are studies that we have already
25
discussed?
n o o Ar?A/*Tnmfff
ZQ2-
1
A.
Kleinfeld and co-workers, yes.
2
Q.
All right.
3
A.
Of course, we haven'tdiscussed everything here.
4
Q.
We will cover that.
5
To summarize, you have at least in English two studies
6
which deal with non-fibrous talc, one in 1947 and one in 1959;
7
right?
8
A.
I can certainly recall two which were explicit on
9
that point. And there were others which we simply do not know.
10
Q.
Mow, the study in 1947 which is Exhibit 29,
11
indicated that the subject had minor symptoms; correct? Look
12
at Exhibit 29, please.
13
A.
I don't haveit here.
14
Q.
Exhibit 29 is not there?
15
A.
Here it is.
16
Q.
Did you find it?
17
A.
Yes, I have it here.
18
Q.
The very tail end of the --
19
A.
That is right. This individual, this individual
20
is mainly referred for evaluation because of the abnormal chest
21
X-ray picture, but the individual did not have, certainly
22
didn't have seriously overt symptoms of disease.
23
Q.
So prior to 1959 we have no case studies of any
24
non-fibrous talc which appears to be causing problems in the
25
subject. Is that true?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3J14
1
HR. HAYS: Have we been distinguishing in
2
the early studies between fibrous and non-fibrous?
3
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) The only studies that we can find
4
that make the distinction are the ones that I am talking about.
5
A.
The problem is, of course, the doctors in many of
6
these cases simply didn't provide the information that we would
1
at this particular time like to look back and find. So, you
8
know, in a lot of cases incomplete information exists as to
9
whether or not it was fibrous or non-fibrous. And my
10
admonition that the worse case situation has to be taken into
11
account would apply. That is that someone reading it would
12
have to assume that unless it's very clear, that the case
13
reported does not result from a product similar to the one that
14
you are selling, you have to assume that maybe it has some
15
import for your product.
16
MR. PIERCE: Move to strike as unresponsive.
17
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) If you would, please, show me any
18
article that you have in front of you that says that inhalation
19
of non-fibrous talc may be disabling in any way.
20
A.
Again, they don't really put it in those terms in
21
most of these articles. They say inhalation of talc may be
22
disabling. In some cases they say inhalation of talc
23
containing fibers or tremolite may be disabling, or quartz.
24
Q.
Is there any medical literature that you are aware
25
of, Dr. Castleman, that would say to a manufacturer of
r .s _R _ iRsnrTa t e s
35
1
non-fibrous talc it has been proven to the scientific community
2
that your product can cause disability in people who breathe
3
it?
4
A.
I don't think there is anything that absolute in
5
the early literature.
6
Q.
Well, in anywhere that you know of?
7
HR. HAYS: He's been confining his testimony
8
to early literature, and has not researched the later
9
literature. He stated that on the record.
10
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) That is fine. Whatever you have
11
looked at anywhere, any time that would say to a manufacturer
12
or distributor of non-fibrous talc, your product may cause
13
disability. Do you see that anywhere?
14
A.
If not earlier, certainly the report of Seeler and
15
his co-workers say that to me.
16
Q.
What's the year on that?
17
A.
This is the 1959 report where -- because others
18
had pointed out that fibers or fibrous talc might be worse than
19
non-fibrous talc, this researcher looked into that question
20
with respect to his own case, whereas had he seen the case 20
21
years earlier, he probably wouldn't have done so.
22
Q. You are talking now about Exhibit 57?
23
A. Right.
24
Q. Does Exhibit 57 indicate that the subject is
25
disabled?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3H
1
A.
We're talking about pathological findings.
2
Q.
Is there any statement in there that the subject
3
is disabled?
4
A.
I think these subjects were dead. But let me make
5
sure.
6
Q.
All right. Is there anything in there that
7
indicates that the subject ever suffered from any disability by
8
reason of inhalation of talc?
9
A.
Maximum breathing capacity in one case is given as
10
66 percent of a predicted value.
11
Q.
Does it say whether the subject was a cigarette
12
smoker, Dr. Castleman?
13
A.
No, I didn't see any reference to that.
14
Q.
Does it say whether he was exposed to any other
15
chemicals or any other substances that might compromise the
16
lungs?
17
A.
It doesn't indicate that he had -- Oh, hold it.
18
He worked as a coal miner in West Virginia for about four
19
years.
20
Q. That mightaccount for lungimpairment, might it
21
not, Dr. Castleman?
22
A. It might.
23
Q. All right.
24
A. I am not sure itwould account for the type of
25
lung impairment that they found.
n o nepA/Tnmnn
ZQ7-
1
Q, What kind of lung impairment did they find?
2
A.
Well, after they get through the fine print, it
3
says "Summarizing both the gross and histological findings in
4
this case, the pattern is one of a chronic, crippling
5
progressive disease of the lungs by scar tissue, injury and
6
distruction of blood vessels, dilatation of bronchi and alveoli
7
and slighter degrees of fibrosis and atelectasis throughout the
8
rest of the lung. The presence of large quantities of doubly
9
refractile material, except in the centers of oldest and
10
largest of scars, which appear to be the etiologic agents
11
responsible. Our diagnosis of the lymph nodes was one of
12
talcosis, anthracosis and benign reactive hyperplasia.
13
Q.
What's anthracosis?
14
A.
What you get from mining coal.
15
Q.
That is what you get from mining coal. All right.
16
Go ahead.
17
A.
Hard coal. Case two. And again, there is a lot
18
of medical information of very detailed nature. "In summary,
19
the pattern of the lung in the second patient was much like the
20
first, characterized by a progressive replacement of normal
21
lung parenchyma by scar tissue. There was narrowing and
22
ocollusion of the bronchi and bronchioles, and an obliteration
23
of large portions of both vascular and lymph channels."
24
Q.
Does it say whether or not that particularpatient
25
was a smoker, for example?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
ana
1
A.
He had a chronic cough since 1910 when he had
2
pneumonia and emphysema. Doesn't sound like a smoker, but it
3
doesn't say.
4
Q.
Excuse rne, Dr. Castleman --
5
A.
Doesn't say anything about whether he smoked.
6
Q.
Pneumonia and emphysema doesn't sound to you like
7
conditions associated with smoking?
8
A.
Well, he had pneumonia and emphysema, he had a
9
mild chronic cough since 1910 when he had pneumonia and
10
emphysema, which I think would have been when the man was quite
11
young.
12
Q.
That doesn't sound like something associated with
13
smoking to you?
14
A.
Well, the context is he had had a mild chronic
15
cough since 1910 when he had pneumonia and emphysema until
16
about 1954.
17
Q.
I am trying to follow up on a comment that you
18
made gratuitously as you read that, that it doesn't sound like
19
a smoker to you.
20
A.
I'll take that back. The more I look at this the
21
more I feel like that was not justified. I am not saying he
22
was or wasn't. I will take a neutral position on the subject
23
since the case report doesn't say anyway.
24
Q.
Thank you, Dr. Castleman.
25
A.
You wanted to know if he was a smoker. I don't
n co
1
see anything about that. Was there anything else you wanted to
2
know?
3
Q.
Do you know whether he was exposed to any other
4
agents that might have compromised his lungs?
5
A.
Doesn't indicate that he was.
6
HR. HAYS: Can't we just let the article
7
speak for itself about agents?
8
THE WITNESS: Says, "He was engaged in various
9
unskilled occupations not involving unusual dusty
10
exposure for several years, and for 34 years in the
11
rubber plant." And then it goes on to make more
12
comments about --
13
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) By the way, do you know what all
14
chemicals are involved in the manufacturing of rubber tires?
15
A. No, I don't.
16
Q.
Do you know all of the dusty agents to which
17
workers are exposed in the manufacturer of rubber tires?
18
A. No, I don't.
19
Q. Go ahead.
20
A. Describing a condition they say, "The pulmonary
21
pathology in the two patients that we studied and those
22
previously reported is characterized by what is presumably a
23
progressive replacement of normal lung tissue by fibrous tissue
24
without any specific pattern that could be regarded as
25
diagnostic for talc pneumoconiosis."
llfl
1
Q.
And to go back to the point that we were making
2
earlier, prior to 1959, there is no case history reporting any
3
disability associated with the inhalation of non-fibrous talc
4
that you have found and reviewed. Is that true?
5
A.
I haven't found any article that is explicit on
6
that point until this one in terms of saying, you know, as I
7
have tried to indicate, relatively few of the articles give us
8
the kind of information we would like to have as far as whether
9
it's fibrous, whether it has tremolite. These doctors are not
10
mineralogists, not very many have had the benefit of Dr.
11
Nagelschmidt to help them examine the material that caused the
12
disease.
13
Q. All I want to know, Dr. Castleman is, there is one
14
case history that you find prior to 1959 that deals with
15
non-fibrous talc; right?
16
A.
That explicitly deals with non-fibrous talc.
17
Q.
That deals with talc to the degree that we know
18
whether or not it's fibrous or non-fibrous?
19
A. And which caused very serious disease, yes.
20
Q. Well, the one that we know before 1959 says that
21
the symptoms are minor; right?
22
A.
Right, says that it did cause an abnormal chest
23
X-ray, but up until the time of the report no really serious
24
symptoms.
25
Q.
All right. Do you know whether or not there are
r c n accrtrt j t p c
------------------------------------------------------------------ aii
1
articles concerning the health hazards associated with the
2
breathing of flour, for example?
3
A.
I have heard of baker's asthma. J
4
Q.
You have heard of that then?
5
A. Yes.
6
Q. Do you know whether or not there are reported
7
articles concerning the health hazards associated with the
8
breathing of sugar?
9
A. I can'trecall. Sugar cane, yes, I've heard
10
something about sugar, maybe it's not the sugar, but some of
11
the other waste material that is associated with the processing
12
of the sugar plants.
13
Q.
Have you heard that there are health hazards
14
associated with the breathing of the dust in a cotton gin for
15
example?
16
A.
Yes.
17
Q.
You have heard that there are health hazards
18
associated with breathing the dust in a wheat bin, for example?
19
A.
Farmer's lung, yes.
20
Q.
Heard about that?
21
A.
Well, I don't know about wheat, but I have heard
22
of farmer's lung.
23
Q.
Well --
24
A.
Generally things that are stored in silos can be
25
composed and cause high presence of nitrous oxides and stuff,
ASSnrTATP;
312
1
if the farmer walks in and doesn't realize it he can really get
2
clobbered.
3
Q.
Are you generally familiar with the fact that any
4
kind of dust can be concentrated to the degree that if you
5
breathe it it will hurt you?
6
A.
I think that that's been a general assumption in
7
the field of industrial health, that some dusts are more
8
pernicious than others, but almost any dust can cause ill
9
effects if exposures to it are sufficiently gross.
10
Q.
Do you know of any substance, any material that
11
you would say is less pernicious that can be employed in the
12
rubber industry to do the same job as talc?
13
A.
I am not here as a technological expert on the use
14
of talc and similar agents in the rubber industry. I think you
15
need to consult with, you know, rubber processing engineers to
16
get answers to questions like that. I don't even know what the
17
alternatives to talc that would be available are.
18
Q.
I take it then that the answer to my question is
19
no, you don't know of anything?
20
A.
I am just not the right guy to ask. I don't know
21
what the alternatives to talc are in that kind of a process,
22
much less how safe or unsafe they are. Are you telling me that
23
the things you have just listed are the alternatives that could
24
be listed instead of talc?
25
Q.
Doctor, it's a wise man who knows what he doesn't
r e n _ aecnrtater
---------------------------------------------------- -- ------------ 343-
1
know. And if you don't know whether there is anything that can
2
be used as a substitute for talc, you can say that.
3
A. I have.
4
Q. Thank you.
5
A. I don't know what is available as a substitute in
6
talc and rubber processing. I am not here as a rubber
7
processing technology authority.
8
Q.
Thank you, Dr. Castleman. Now, have you disclosed
9
to us all of the opinions that you have with regard to talc?
10
A.
I think so.
11
Q.
All right.
12
A.
Or at least, I mean, it's always possible somebody
13
would ask me a question that would elicit an opinion that I
14
haven't given you, but I have in good faith tried to tell you
15
what I think would be asked of me in connection with these
16
cases.
17
Q.
Now, I understand that you are going to be asked
18
some questions concerning asbestos. And with the exception of
19
questions concerning asbestos, have you complied with the
20
request made upon you by plaintiff's counsel with regard to
21
expressing opinions in this case?
22
HR. HAYS: There are a couple of documents on
23
clay that are involved in this.
24
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Well, let me ask, Doctor, are you
25
holding yourself out today as an expert in the development of
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
medical and scientific knowledge concerning the possible
2
hazards of exposure to clay?
3
A.
I have seen reference to hazards of clay and clay
4
products in the literature, but I do not consider myself an
5
expert on that.
6
Q.
All right. Then having made that statement, do
7
you agree that with the exception of the questions that you are
8
about to be asked about asbestos that you have stated the
9
opinions that you intend to offer in the trial of these cases
10
in Oklahoma?
11
A.
I believe I have.
12
MR. HAYS: We will ask him some questions on clay
13
probably at trial.
14
MR. HINKLE: Well, I will tell you, if he is not
15
an expert and he's not prepared to testify to it today,
16
then we're going to strenuously object to it. These
17
cases have been on file now for two years, and the
18
plaintiffs have had every opportunity in the world to
19
locate experts and cultivate those experts and prepare
20
those experts, and we have come a thousand miles to take
21
this man's deposition, and if plaintiff's intend to
22
try to create an expert in a field where he's not an
23
expert at some later date, we are going to strenuously
24
object to it.
25
MR. HAYS: Well, he does have information about
O.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J1 S
1
talc literature.
2
MR. HINKLE: Well, I have got information about
3
the Shah of Iran too, but that doesn't make me an
4
expert.
5
MR. HAYS: That is what he's here for, to tell
6
you when the literature was there and what was there.
7
MR. HINKLE: I am not going to inquire into all
8
the areas where he's not an expert. If he is not an
9
expert as he says, there is no need for us to waste all
10
this time.
11
MR. HAYS: His definition of v/hat an expert is
12
and mine are two different things, and I think he is
13
an expert in clay.
14
MR. CROSBY: We will stipulate to that.
15
MR. HINKLE: I think that the court will be
16
in a pretty good position to decide.
17
MR. HAYS: Well, I intend to ask him some
18
questions on clay on my cross about the articles you
19
requested that were brought here, may be not you, but
20
one of the counsel requested that. They are here, and
21
I am going to inquire about them.
22
MR. CROSBY: Before you go into something else,
23
let me adopt your statement about opinions of this
24
witness in all matters, but particularly that relating
25
to matters that he is not prepared to opine on at this
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
time.
2
MR. HOOD: We join in that.
3
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Before I yield the witness, let
4
me ask the witness whether you agree with this statement as of
5
1976. "Possible adverse health effects from intermittent use
6
of these product-- " talking about talc products, especially
7
those that contain asbestiform and fragmented anthophyllite and
8
tremolite, chrysotile, quartz and trace metals are presently
9
unknown and warrant evaluation." Do you agree with that?
10
MR. HAYS: Show him what you're referring to.
11
MR. HINKLE: I just want know if he agrees or
12
disagrees with that statement.
13
MR. HAYS: Show him the article and let him take a
14
look at it.
15
MR. HINKLE: All I want to know is whether he
16
agrees with that statement.
17
THE WITNESS: The statement sounds like the
18
ultimate product of timidity and bureaucracy, and
19
could very well have come from some government report.
20
MR. HAYS: I want him to look at the article. I
21
request that he be allowed to look at the article and
22
review it, and not be required to agree to something
23
taken out of context, read in the record to be pulled
24
out for a motion for summary judgment.
25
MR. HINKLE: I am not going to ask him to comment
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
on the article. I just want to know his thoughts with
2
regard to that statement. And if he is taking the
3
position that that is a timid and bureaucratic
4
statement and he doesn't agree with it, that is all
5
right with me.
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) Is that your position?
7
A
Is that supposed to be something that was said in
8
1976?
9
Q. Yes, sir, 1976.
10
A*
It just sounds like whoever wrote that was writing
11
with what would have to be described as an abundance of caution
12
in attributing health hazards to talc, given the body of
13
knowledge that existed, by 1976 which was really substantial.
14
Q.
So you disagree with that statement then?
15
A. I've answered your question.
16
Q.
I am not sure that I heard that. You said that he
17
was acting with an abundance of caution which may mean he's
18
right or wrong, or you are not willing to take a position. Do
19
you agree? Disagree? Or just not going to take a position?
20
A. I have answered your question.
21
Q.
Dr. Castleman, I don't think you have. I am going
22
to read the question to you again.
23
MR. HAYS: I want to request he be allowed to
24
look at the article.
25
MR. HINKLE: He doesn't need to look at the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
article.
2
MR. HAYS: Yes, he does.
3
MR. HINKLE: No, he doesn't, not to answer
4
that question. Listen to this question, Dr. Castleman,
5
and tell me whether you can agree with this or disagree
6
with it, or whether you refuse to take a position on
7
this. _
8
MR. HAYS: Why are you hiding the article from
9
him.
10
MR. HINKLE: I've got my reasons.
11
MR. HAYS: Let's hear the name of it. What's the
12
article?
13
MR. HINKLE: You don't need to know. All I want
14
to know is whether he agrees with that statement.
15
MR. HAYS: Who is it from? What's the big secret?
16
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) I am going to read this to you,
17
and you tell me what your response is. "Possible adverse
18
health effects from intermittent use of these products -- "
19
referring to talcum powders, "Possible adverse health effects
20
from intermittent use of these products, especially those that
21
contain asbestiform and fragmented anthophyllite, and
22
tremolite, chrysotile, quartz and trace metals are presently
23
unknown and warrant evaluation.
24
A.
Absent any context, I don't know that I could
25
agree or disagree or otherwise comment on it, because the word
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
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1
intermittent there is -- well, it's, you know, it just leaves
2
the whole thing hanging. And I don't know with what it's
3
hanging from. If I can't see the context, I've got no idea
4
what those authors or that author possibly means by
5
intermittent. Does he mean an hour? A month? Or do they mean
6
three hours a day?
7
Q.
So I take it you're just not able to say I agree
8
or disagree; correct?
9
A.
I am not able to answer a question posed in the
10
manner that you have posed it to me, no.
11
Q.
I don't know that I would -- let me conclude with
12
this, Dr. Castleman. With regard to the state of the medical
13
knowledge concerning the dangers of talc and exposure to talc,
14
would you agree that practicing physicians would be as able as
15
you to make statements in that regard? If you could find it,
16
they could find it; right?
17
A.
About the history of the knowledge?
18
Q. Yes.
19
A.
Or about what isknown
today?
20
Q.
Yes.
21
A. Certainly practicingphysicians are capable of
22
reading the same information or finding the same information or
23
using medical libraries, looking stuff up in medical textbooks.
24
Q.
As a matter of fact, you yourself did not assemble
25
the materials we have been discussing. Those were assembled
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
32
1
for you; correct?
2
A.
Well, I have really directed the assembling of all
3
this material.
4
Q.
You sent someone to the medical library and told
5
them what to get for you?
6
A.
I told them to get specific references, and I told
7
them exactly how to use those references in a very
8
straightforward manner, looking into bibliographies of those
9
articles and getting other references. And then I have gone
10
and additionally looked at additional material that that person
11
didn't bring back. I mean the whole thing has really been
12
directed by me. It's not as if somebody served this stack of
13
articles up to me on a silver platter. I am sure you realize
14
that.
15
Q.
The sources that you went to to get this
16
information, they are readily available to any physician who
17
cares to look. Would you agree?
18
A. Any physician, businessman, sure.
19
Q. Lawyer?
20
A. Medical libraries are open. I can't imagine a
21
medical library turning anyone away who has a legitimate reason
22
for going to them.
23
Q
A lawyer or a high school student, if they know
24
where to look, can go get this information?
25
A.
I don't know -- a high school student might need a
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
22i
1
little bit of help. But yes, the information has been publicly
2
available. Most of these articles are in the English language
3
and come from journals and textbooks that are available in
4
major cities across this country.
5
Q.
You wouldn't quarrel with a physician, in fact a
6
physician who has published in this area, that is the effects
7
of talc in the chest, you wouldn't quarrel with a physician who
8
said that there was no consensus in the medical community until
9
at least 1984 with regard to the effects of talc in the chest,
10
would you?
11
A.
Well, I guess it really depends exactly how he
12
says that.
13
Q.
Let me phrase it to you as close to his words or
14
as close to his response to the question as I can. The
15
question was put to him: "Was there a consensus in the medical
16
community prior to 1984 concerning the effects of talc in the
17
chest?" And his answer was: "No."
18
MR. HAYS: I am sorry. Would you restate that
19
for me again?
*
20
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Sure. The question was --
21
MR. HAYS: To who?
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) To a physician who has written on
23
the subject, your witness, a witness for the plaintiff.
24
MR. HAYS: Which witness?
25
MR. HINKLE: Dr. Feigin.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
222.
1
MR. HAYS: Said what?
2
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) The question was put to him:
3
"Prior to 1984 was there a consensus in the medical community
4
concerning the effects of talc in the chest?"
5
MR. HAYS: lie couldn't speak to the medical
6
community. He limited it to radiologists, and he said
7
1950. _I am going to challenge -- in the early 1950s.
a
I'm going to challenge your statement on that.
9
MR. HINKLE: If I am wrong, I'm wrong.
10
MR. HAYS: Well, you are wrong.
11
MR. HINKLE: I may be.
12
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Assume for purposes of this
13
question that I'm correct.
14
A.
I'll assume there is some doctor who has published
15
some article on talc who has said whatever you are going to
16
say. Go ahead.
17
Q.
Are you going to quarrel with that doctor's
18
conclusions, if that's what he says?
19
A.
Well, again, I would want to know the context. Is
20
he talking about talc as a mineralogically pure substance which
21
may or may not have ever been used in a factory in the United
22
States? Or is he talking about the kind of materials that have
23
been used in industry and have been the subject of many medical
24
and scientific reports? First of all, the reason I have to ask
25
you this is because the question itself doesn't include that
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
Z2Z
1
information.
2
Q.
Let's me put it to you this way then, what talc
3
products would we be discussing in order for you to agree with
4
that statement?
5
A.
Talc products generally used in industry which
6
have been the subject of the medical literature on talc, I
7
would think.
3
Q.
Meaning that there was no consensus in the medical
9
community prior to 1984?
10
A.
On what?
11
Q.
Concerning the health hazards, the effects of talc
12
on the chest?
13
A.
I think that, you know, there was something at
14
least approaching a consensus of the people writing on this by
15
the 1950s that talc exposed workers sustained lung damage, and
16
some of them sustained a little bit, and some of them get
17
killed. And the dispute since that time has been, well, how is
18
it that some of these people get really hurt much worse than
19
others, even though they seem to be exposed to comparable
20
concentrations of dusts which are generally referred to as
21
talc.
22
Q.
So I take it that you would not then agree with
23
that statement?
24
A.
The statement, by the time we get through defining
25
terms, maybe I could agree with it.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3.2A
1
Q.
Well, then I gave you the opportunity to tell me
2
any talc product about which that that would be true.
3
A.
The only talc product about which such a statement
4
might be approaching true would be something that would be like
5
a mineralogically pure talc of a type which had not been the
6
subject of medical reports previously where this material is
7
looked at for its own effects independent of other types of
8
minerals with which talc is usually found.
9
Q.
And then any other type of talc, you would not
10
agree that that statement would be true for any other type of
11
talc?
12
MR. HAYS: I am not going to let him be sucked
13
into answering a question that is set up like that.
14
First of all, he had stated that he did not do an
15
exhaustive research of later articles on talc. He
16
did early articles in order to establish the
17
availability of literature at an early point in time
18
beginning back in the '30s, I believe.
19
MR. HINKLE: Are you instructing --
20
MR. HAYS: I am clarifying what's happened here.
21
You are saying some doctor has made a statement, and
22
he's my witness, that nobody knew about pure talc and
23
its causing any problems until 1984. And I am telling
24
you that is not so, and he's not testified about that.
25
MR. HINKLE: Are you done?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 325.
1
MR. HAYS: Maybe, maybe not. Let's see what you
2
continue with. I don't think that is fair.
3
MR. HINKLE: Well, Jim, I really don't care
4
whether you think it's fair or not, because I do think
5
it's fair.
6
MR. HAYS: You have got to make a fair
7
representation of what a witness said. And I don't
8
think that's accurate.
9
MR. HINKLE: Well, then you and I can discuss
10
this in more detail when we get the transcript back.
11
But let me make sure that the Doctor understands my
12
question.
13
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) That the statement made that
14
prior to 1984 there was no consensus in the medical community
15
concerning the effects of the talc in the chest. That
16
statement might be true about some theoretically absolutely
17
pure talc, which has never been dealt with in the literature
18
before; right? Is that what you said?
19
A.
In terms of human case report data.
20
Q.
Okay.
21
A.
I think that that might conceivably betrue,
22
because the types of talc that have been the subject of all
23
these reports were, mineralogically speaking, different types
24
of mixtures.
25
Q.
Now, with reference to that statement again, that
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
11&.
1
is that prior to 1984# there was no consensus in the medical
2
community concerning the effects of talc in the chest, that
3
statement would not be true as to any other type of talc that
4
you know of; right?
.
5
A.
I really do find it hard to follow some of these
6
questions you are asking me, I realize you have got something
7
in mind, but I can't for the life of me even follow what it is
8
you are asking me.
9
Q.
Try to just listen to the question.
10
A.
I am trying.
11
Q.
And frame your response to the question. Here is
12
the statement. Prior to 1984 there was no consensus in the
13
medical community concerning the effects of talc in the chest.
14
That's the statement.
15
MR. HAYS: That is your hypothetical statement?
16
MR. HINKLE: That is my hypothetical statement.
17
MR. HAYS: And you are saying it is a fact, but
18
you're saying it is a hypothetical, and you're asking
19
him to respond to a hypothetical?
20
MR. HINKLE: This is something that I have
21
been told.
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) I understand that you would agree
23
to that statement with referrence to some theoretical talc that
24
has never been dealt with in the literature before that is
25
absolutely pure and so forth and so on. Right? That might be
222
1
true about such a product if one existed; right?
2
MR. HAYS: I can't follow that line of
3
questioning. I don't know if the Doctor can or not.
4
Are you still dealing with a hypothetical?
5
Q.
(3y Mr. Hinkle) Isn't that what you said,
6
Dr. Castleman?
7
A.
I am looking --
8
MR. HAYS: Only in response to a hypothetical
9
did he answer that question. I don't want that
10
boot strapped into something that is not a hypothetical,
11
and I get a feeling that it's kind of fudging over
12
the edge a little bit. I may be wrong, but there seems
13
to be a fudge factor I'm picking up on.
14
MR. HINKLE: You are too sensitive, Jim.
15
It's a straightforward question.
16
MR. HAYS: Boy, if that is straightforward,
17
you have got a new definition of straightforward.
18
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Did I or did I not accurately
19
paraphrase your response to that question, Dr. Castleman?
20
A.
I believe that you have done a reasonable job of
21
that.
22
Q.
Let's move to the next one.
23
MR. HAYS: Let him finish his answer.
24
THE WITNESS: I do not see in the scientific
25
literature any cases of individuals -- I don't know,
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
222.
1
I don't think I see, maybe there is some.
2
HR. HAYS: Are you distinguishing that from
3
pure talc that's been discussed earlier in the
4
literature which we've commented on?
5
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Will you now respond to this
6
question? with the exception of the theoretically pure talc
7
that has never been dealt with in medical literature, will you
8
agree or disagree with this statement: Prior to 1984 there was
9
no consensus in the medical community concerning the effects of
10
talc on the chest?
11
MR. HAYS: I am going to object to that question.
12
That is impossible to answer. A hypothetical and a
13
hypothetical. It's too complex.
14
MR. HINKLE: It's a statement. He can agree with
15
it, or not agree with it. That's all I'm asking, Jim.
16
MR. HAYS: He can say he has no opinion, or
17
doesn't understand the question or whatever he wants to.
18
I just think that is unfair. A hypothetical and a
19
hypothetical is the way I see that. You are asking if
20
somebody has said that there was a talc that we really
21
don't think exists, that might exist --
22
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) Let me do it this way. I am
23
making the statement, Dr. Castleman, today, that prior to 1984
24
there was no consensus in the medical community concerning the
25
effects of talc in the chest, d o you agree with me? Or do you
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
----- ------------- -- ---------------------------------------433
1
disagree with me?
2
A.
I would say yes and no. I would say yes, there
3
was a dispute about how harmful talc in a mineralogically pure
4
sense how harmful it was; but no, there was not that much of a
5
dispute about the fact that talc as used in industry has caused
6
disease in a number of countries, and quite a bit of it in the
7
United States. And that that has been reported both for
8
fibrous -- has been reported for both fibrous and non-fibrous
9
talcs, and certainly before 1984.
10
Q.
With regard to the way that these medical articles
11
are received by the medical community, would you defer to the
12
opinions of a board certified radiologist?
13
A.
Maybe, maybe not.
14
Q.
What type of board certified radiologist maybe
15
might you defer to?
16
A.
Well, I mean I've been asked questions like that
17
in the context of asbestos, for example. And I honestly don't
18
believe that there is a doctor living who is more qualified to
19
talk about, or at least certainly not on the basis of board
20
certifications, no doctor on the basis of qualifications and
21
certifications would be more qualified than I am to talk about
22
how the literature on asbestos was received, because I have
23
written my doctoral thesis about that, and I've investigated
24
that for a number of years.
25
Q.
I am not asking you about asbestos. There are
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
33n
1
plenty of people who are going to ask you about that.
2
A.
Let me just finish.
3
MR. CROSBY: I move to strike the initial response
4
as nonresponsive, and in a continued effort to
5
volunteer information that is nonresponsive.
6
Let's move on to something that is being asked.
7
THE WITNESS: I am answering the question, and
8
I'm going to finish my answer.
9
MR. HAYS: That was responsive, and you answer the
10
question the way you feel you need to.
11
THE WITNESS: This is simply not a matter
12
that is simply measureable in terms of credentials
13
and board certifications. Board certifications don't
14
make a doctor an authority on the history of how medical
15
information was received on the hazards of talc. No
16
board certification is going to impress me at all about
17
whether a doctor was aware of that. I would be as much
18
impressed if that doctor was a participant in the arena
19
of the development of medical and scientific knowledge
20
like Dr. Kleinfeld was for years. That is the kind of
21
person who would probably be able to give us the best
22
insite on how a lot of this information was received,
23
not only by the scientific community, but by the medical
24
and industrial community. And that is not a matter of
25
board certification. That is a matter of being active
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
--------- -------------------- -- --------------------------------------
1
in the field that we're talking about.
2
Q.
(By Hr. Hinkle) So if someone were active in the
3
field and had contributed to the development of the scientific
4
knowledge and had made notable contributions to the literature,
5
you might be willing to defer to that board certified
6
radiologist with regard to how these medical articles were
1
received by the medical community. Is that a fair statement?
8
A.
Yes, certainly covering time that the individual
9
was involved in the research, not necessarily the time
10
preceeding it. I mean, if this is somebody who came along in
11
the 1980s, that doesn't necessarily give them tremendous
12
insites about what was going on in the 1930s and '40s.
13
Q.
Would you agree with me that a board certified
14
pathologist who has made significant contributions to the
15
medical literature and to advancement of knowledge in this
16
field would be someone who would be in a better position to
17
evaluate the pathological evidence than you would be?
18
A.
Again, are we talking about the history of the
19
development of knowledge about talc as a hazard? Or are we
20
talking about the pathology of an individual case?
21
Q.
Both.
22
A.
In the latter case, I would defer to a pathologist
23
in an area which is purely a matter of pathology.
24
In the former case, again it just depends on the nature
25
and extent of the person's involvement in being involved in the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
332
1
field and reading about the kinds of stuff that was going on
2
over a period of history that we're interested in.
3
Q.
Would you agree with me that a pathologist would
4
be in a better position to evaluate the merit and shortcomings
5
of these various studies that we have been discussing?
6
A.
In the case of some of the studies, a pathologist
7
who has contributed in the field of talc pneumoconiosis
8
certainly might be able to pick up shortcomings and limitations
9
in some of these articles that I might not see.
10
Again, I am not here to testify about the truth
11
contained in the articles themselves. I am here to testify, as
12
I understand it, about the notice to manufacturers and sellers
13
of talc, that people back in the '30s and '40s and '50s and
14
'60s and '70s that thought talc was deadly stuff, or at least
15
dangerous stuff.
16
Q.
You have been working since Friday to perfect your
17
expertise in the field of the development of medical and
18
scientific knowledge as to the hazards of talc?
19
A.
I have been working since 1970 and '71 off and on
20
to perfect my knowledge in the field of the hazards of talc.
21
And one of the exhibits here is a 1972 letter to the Food and
22
Drug Administration to try and limit the use of talc in certain
23
kinds of products.
24
Q.
These articles that you have been referring to as
25
the basis for the notice that you mentioned to the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
223-
1
manufacturers was assembled and delivered to you some Friday
2
and some today; correct?
3
A.
Some of it's been accumulating on my desk for some
4
time. Hr. Edholm has been sending me things over a period of
5
weeks, if not months. But it's true, I haven't sat down and
6
examined the material, and I am making no, you know, I am not
7
disputing that. I haven't really sat down and tried to examine
8
this as a continuous body of knowledge in the manner that we
9
have been discussing today until the last week or so.
10
Q.
You are aware that there are individuals in this
11
country who have been spending years and years to follow,
12
document and contribute to the development of scientific and
13
medical knowledge as to the effects of talc, you are aware of
14
that?
15
A.
Yes, sure.
16
Q.
You were asked to do a survey concerning the early
17
knowledge of the dangers associated with exposure to talc?
18
A.
Yes.
19
Q.
What does that mean in terms of years?
20
A.
Well, in my mind it would mean prior to the late
21
1970s.
22
Q. All right.
23
A. Particularly prior to 1970.
24
Q. Have you seen any medical literature which
25
establishes a definite link between inhalation of fibrous
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
2ZA
1
Well, let me ask it this way first. Have you seen any
2
medical literature which in your mind establishes a definite
3
link between inhalation of non-fibrous talc andcancer?
4
A. Not cancer, I don't think.
5
Q. Okay.
6
A. Again, I really feel that I have not done an
7
exhaustive review of the literature that would deal with that.
8
I had only begun to look at that when I quit my review on
9
history of knowledge about the hazards of talc. I think the
10
information you are asking about would mainly be the subject of
11
publications over the last 12 to 13 years.
12
MR. HAYS: And again, you are dealing with a
13
definition, that as I understand it, was not available
14
at certain periods of time in the history of the
15
literature of talc.
16
MR. HINKLE: Is that a statement by you or an
17
inquiry by you?
18
MR. HAYS: We discussed it before, and you say
19
non-fibrous talc, and the import of your question is
20
there was nothing dealing with that particular product
21
in the literature pertaining to cancer prior to a
22
certain time when the distinction between fibrous
23
and non-fibrous was not made at a certain time. It was
24
not made until later in the history of medicine
25
concerning talc disease. So it's misleading from that
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3^5-
1
standpoint.
2
MR. HINKLE: You may be surprised when you take
3
some of the experts of some of the defendants in
4
this case.
5
MR. HAYS: I won't be surprised at anything your
6
experts say.
7
Q.
(By Mr. Hinkle) So do I understand then that the
8
answer to the question is that you are not aware of any medical
9
literature which links in your mind inhalation of non-fibrous
10
talc and cancer; true?
11
A.
That is true. And with the caveat that I haven't
12
really looked for information that would cover the period of
13
the late '70s onward.
14
Q.
Are you aware of any information, medical
15
information, which makes to your mind the link between
16
inhalation of fibrous talc and cancer?
17
A.
Oh, sure. Kleinfeld studies
18
Q.
The year, do you recall?
19
A.
The first one was 1967.
20
Q.
Anything prior to 1967?
21
A.
I don't think so.
22
MR. HINKLE: I believe, Dr. Castleman, that
23
is all that I have at this time.
24
THE WITNESS: I am glad we may be finished
25
with talc today.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
MR. CROSBY: Before we get to the next talc
2
person, I've look for the Pood and Drug letter, can
3
you give me an exhibit number so I can pull that and
4
be reading it if there are other talc questions?
5
MR. HAYS: I have 4:57.
6
MR. WAGNER: I just a few questions.
7
THE WITNESS: Let's have it.
8
9
10
BY HR. WAGNER;
CROSS EXAMINATION
11
Q.
First of all, you have testified with regard to
12
reviewing literature with regard to certain subjects. Is there
13
medical literature pertaining to the exposure of workers in
14
rubber or tire plants with regard to the exposure to carbon
15
black?
16
A.
There probably is, but I haven't looked for it.
17
Q
All right. You stated earlier you are not
18
familiar with the major components or major products that go
19
into making tires?
20
A.
Well, I'm not familiar with all the components in
21
the products, I think is what I said. I have certainly heard
22
of carbon black being used in tire manufacturing.
23
Q.
Sure. My question, sir, is: Have you made any
24
inquiry or has anyone ever advised you with regarding to what
25
type of products workers in tire plants may be exposed to on a
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
W-
1
more frequent or a greater degree than they are to talc?
2
A.
I think it just depends on where in the plant the
3
worker is employed. That some workers are going to be more
4
exposed to some things, and others are going to be more exposed
5
to others. It just depends on their particular job and
6
classification and location in the factory.
7
Q.
I take it that prior to -- let me ask you
8
directly, sir. Prior to the start of this deposition had you
9
ever held yourself out to be an expert with regard to talc?
10
A.
No. Although I have been involved in trying to
11
get government regulations of talc exposure to the public
12
controlled since 1972.
13
Q.
Would it be a fair statement to say you have been
14
involved in quite a few different products, types of things
15
with regard to trying to get the government to control it?
16
A.
Right, yes I have, primarily carcinogens.
17
Q.
In this regard, how many -- or can you tell me
18
about what types of products you have testified with regard to
19
as being an expert that we know that you have testified in the
20
past with regard to asbestos material, and likewise that we now
21
know that you are testifying here as an expert with regard to
22
talc, have you testified with regard to other such products?
23
A.
No, not in civil proceedings. Perhaps with the
24
possible exception of dye intermediates in one case, in a case
25
involving DuPont. But it was also an asbestos case.
r c o accnrT yvrntrc
------------------ --------------------------------- -------------- aaa.
1 All right. As far as you recall, you have never
2
held yourself out to be an expert except in the items we have
3
just mentioned here; is that right?
4
A.
Yes^ that's correct. Well, in civil proceedings.
5
I mean, obviously I have been involved in administrative rule
6
making and federal regulations of a whole host of chemicals and
7
other products". But in terms of civil litigation the
8
limitation would be as you have expressed. There are experts
9
and experts, and it's just a question of what you mean by an
10
expert, and I just want it to be clear that we're talking about
11
experts in the context of expert witnesses in civil litigation.
12
MR. HAYS: I have got 5:01.
13
MR. WAGNER: I thought you meant I had three
14
minutes rather than three questions.
15
MR. HAYS: You did have three minutes. Have you
16
got another question?
17
MR. WAGNER: I'll pass the witness. Thank you,
18
Doctor.
19
20
(Whereupon, the deposition proceedings were concluded
21
for the day, to resume at 9:00 on July 7th.)
22
23
24
25
1
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
2
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA
3
4
5
vs.
)
No. M-1417
)
6
ARMSTRONG WORLDINDUSTRIES,
)
INC., VERMONT TALC COMPANY, )
7
Gt al.,
)
Defendants.)
3 *******************************
D
VOLUME II
10
OF THE DEPOSITION OF BARRY CASTLEMAN
11
on behalf of the
12
Defendants
13
on July 5th, 6th and 7th 1989
14
in Baltimore, Maryland
15
*******************************
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
REPORTED BY: Marjorie Parker Miller, C.S.R.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
340
1
2
BY HR. G O S S ?
CROSS EXAMINATION
3
Q.
Dr. Cast1 eraanf you had testified yesterday when
4
you gave us a summary of your opinion that by the 1950s talc
5
manufacturers should have taken certain steps to inspect for
6
potential hazards, as I recall, was a portion of your summary.
7
What were those steps that a manufacturer of talc should have
8
taken to inspect for hazards?
9
A.
Well, they could have used the means at their
10
disposal to determine whether their product was a health
11
hazard, and that would be by conducting animal studies such as
12
had been done at the Saranac Laboratory in the late 1930s and
13
the early 1940s.
14
They certainly could have done medical monitoring of
15
their longest exposed employees. They could have gotten in
16
touch with some of their customers who had been purchasing
17
their material for a long time and engaged in the discussion
18
about whether medical monitoring of workers in those plants was
19
showing any lung disease. That sort of thing.
20
Q.
You had also mentioned in your earlier testimony
21
that a mineralogical analysis of talc should have been
22
performed. Is that also one of the things that should have
23
been undertaken by a manufacturer of talc?
24
A.
Yes, I think so. Although one would assume they
25
that in the normal course of business for reasons having
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J 41
1
nothing to do with health effects, nut sure, they could
O
certainly have looked at their products in the light of
3
developing medical knowledge that was pointing to certain
4
constituants of industrial talc being more worrisome.
5
Q.
So they should have analyzed their talc to
6
determine whether it contained substances such as tremolite?
7
A.
Yes, substances such as those which were being
3
name in the literature as more worrisome aspects of industrial
9
talcs.
10
Q.
Those substances included tremolite, and what
11
other substances were named in the literature?
12
A.
Well, the literature named tremolite, the
13
literature named fibers or abestiform fibers generally, and the
14
literature referred to silica.
15
Q. Anything else?
16
A.
Those are the things that stand out in my memory
17
as the things that were mentioned, to the extent that attention
18
was called to specific constituants of the talc, aside from the
19
so-called pure mineral talc itself.
20
Q.
I would like for you to enlighten me about these
21
animal studies that you say should have been performed. What
22
type of animal study would you have conducted had you been a
23
talc manufacturer in the 1950s?
24
A
Product manufacturers could have exposed animals
25
to inhalation of the talc, sufficient numbers of animals
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3 42
i
exposed for basically lifetime inhalation studies.
2
Q.
Perhaps you didn't understand my question. I am
3
not asking what they could have done. I am asking what you
4
would have done had you been a talc manufacturer in the 1950s,
5
what type of animal study would you have performed?
6
A.
That is the kind of study that I would have
7
performed.
8
Q.
How many animals -- Well, first of all, what type
9
of animal would you choose?
10
A.
I would have consulted with the experts at Saranac
11
Lab or some other comparable institution and asked them what
12
they thought was the most appropriate animal model.
13
Q.
And how many animals would you expose the product
14
to?
15
A.
I would have consulted the experts on that as
16
well, if i were a talc manufacturer.
17
Q.
Do you know if any experiments on talc were ever
18
done by any laboratories such as the Saranac Lab on talc?
19
A.
Yes, there were some studies done.
20
Q.
When did those studies begin?
21
A.
The Saranac Lab did some studies between 1937 and
22
1941 according to Dr. Scheper's report.
23
Q.
But you are stating that as of the 1950s the talc
24
manufacturers should have conducted additional studies because
25
those were not conclusive?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A.
Well, the studies that were done by Schepers were
2
for one talc, and different manufacturers were selling
3
different products called talc, so I don't think that the
4
studies that were conducted would have necessarily told you
5
everything you wanted to know about all the talcs that were
6
being sold in this country.
7
Q.
What type of medical monitoring would you have
3
performed had you been a talc manufacturer in the 1950s?
9
A.
Well, a standard sort of thing for industries
10
handling potentially hazardous dusts was first of all, a
11
pre-employment physical. This was done as a business matter to
12
prevent the hiring of people who already had sustained lung
13
damage from dust and who might in the course of time file
14
compensation claims. And then periodic medical monitoring
15
including chest x-ray, clinical examinations, pulmonary
16
function tests, such as were reported in the literature in
17
describing adverse effects of talc during the period of time of
18
the 1950s.
19
Q.
How often would these periodic medical
20
examinations be done?
21
A.
Every two years, or every two or three years. The
22
railroad medical doctors had their own protocol for doing that
23
with fibrogenic dusts which were published in the proceedings
24
of the medical section of the American Association of Railroads
25
in the early 1950s.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q.
Do you know whether the tire plants had any such
2
protocols for periodic medical exams?
3
A.
I don't know.
4
Q.
Well, you are aware of the Firestone study that
5
was done in 1948 or 1949, are you not?
6
A.
Yes, well, the one we discussed yesterday.
1
Q.
The Hogue andMallette study?
0
A.
Yes.
9
Q.
So Firestone didundertake to determine the effect
10
of talc on its workers, did it not?
11
A.
Evidently they did conduct one study.
12
Q.
Dr. Castleman, are you familiar with the term
13
"platy talc"?
14
A.
Yes, I have seen it in the literature.
15
MR. HINKLE: Excuse me. Dr. Castleman, I am
16
sorry to interrupt you. Would you be kind enough to
17
speak up so those of us at the end of the table could
18
hear you?
19
THE WITNESS: I would suggest that two or three
20
seats that are closest be occupied by those of you who
21
are having any trouble hearing me. I am not feeling
22
terribly well this morning, and it's a little hard to
23
speak up.
24
MR. HAYS: We have four chairs down here, and
25
there is another one right there. You all can move
3 47
1
Q.
And you believe it is important for any scientist
2
who holds himself out as an expert witness in the area of
3
asbestos and health hazards of asbestos to keep current with
4
the scientific knowledge dealing with asbestos, do you not?
5
A.
Well, I do that mainly because I am active in the
6
arena of regulation of asbestos today, and so my activities,
7
which go far beyond civil litigation on asbestos, obligate me
3
to try and keep up with the latest things that are being
o
discussed, different types of controversies, the latest flock
10
of red herrings being published in the scientific literature
11
and so forth that one has come to see over the years in dealing
12
with asbestos and health.
13
Q.
In any type of science, no matter what type of
14
science you are dealing with, it's important if you are an
15
expert in the area to keep up with the current development of
16
the knowledge in that particular science, is it not?
17
A.
Well, it is if you are going to be currently
18
active in current disputes and current controversies over the
19
current state of knowledge. The reason I haven't tried to
20
thoroughly familiarize myself with current articles on talc is
21
that my role in the area of talc is much more limited than it
22
is in the area of asbestos and health. And I have simply
23
agreed to look into the history of knowledge on talc, and so
24
it's for that limited purpose that I am still working on talc
25
today, although I had an interest in it since around 1972 or
a m
* mvin
348
1
so.
2
Q.
Well, Dr. Castleinan, I think you anticipated my
3
next question, because I really did not ask you about talc, I
4
had really asked you about asbestos in other areas of
5
scientific development. But as far as talc, you are not
6
familiar, as I understand it, with the current state of
7
scientific literature; is that correct?
0
A.
well, I have looked at some such literature, and I
9
have an idea what the current state of knowledge is on talc,
10
but I haven't done the kind of thorough and extensive reading
11
that I would do if I were engaged in controversies over, you
12
know, the current need to regulate talc as, you know, some kind
13
of a consumer product or other. Then I would need to be able
14
to discuss the fine points of medical and scientific literature
15
relating to the state of current knowledge on the hazards of
16
products.
17
Q.
Do you draw a distinction between current
18
regulation and current litigation?
19
A.
Yes, in the sense that I am involved in litigation
20
as a state of the art witness as something of a historical
21
witness rather that someone who's a medical witness testifying
22
about the current state of medical knowledge on the subject.
23
Q.
You had made the statement on our first day of
24
testimony that you are doing the same thing with talc as you
25
did with asbestos. Essentially that statement is not entirely
349
1
correct, is it? You have not done the same thing with talc as
2
you have with asbestos in that you have not kept up to date
3
with current literature concerning talc?
4
A.
Well, I don't recall the context of the statement,
5
but for the purpose of what we have been discussing the last
6
two days and what we're going to be doing today, my involvement
7
in the cases is parallel in the sense that I am presenting
3
information on what was historically available about the
9
hazards of talc in the scientific literature. And this is
10
analogous to the kind of presentation that I do on the state of
11
knowledge about asbestos I developed over the '30s, '40s, '50s
12
and '60s. The only difference, I suppose, is that I am also
13
engaged or have been engaged, continue to be engaged in
14
government regulation of asbestos in a current context separate
15
from civil litigation entirely, and this obligates me to have
16
rather fluent current knowledge about the literature on
17
asbestos.
18
Q.
You had made the statement earlier that talc had
19
been indicted, and I want to ask you about that term, because
20
quite often, you know, as a lawyer I may look at terms
21
differently from the way a scientist does. And generally the
22
word indicted to a lawyer means that someone had been charged
23
with crime. Are you aware that anyone, or that talc, or that
24
any talc manufacturer had been charged with any type of crime?
25
A.
Well, I wasn't using the word as a lawyer, I was
r* e n
350
1 using it as a layman. But talc has been charged with causing
2 illness and disease and lung damage, and in that sense it was
3
indicted in the literature by people who were writing articles
4 saying workers exposed to talc are suffering damage to their
5
health. That is the sense in which I used the word.
6
Q.
And the literature today is still changing, and
7
however you are not aware of any of the most recent changes in
8
the literature concerning talc and its possible health hazards?
9
A.
i wouldn't say that. But I am not as
10
knowledgeable as I might be if i spent a lot more time reading
11
current literature about the health effects of talc, and I am
12
not totally unaware of what is in the current literature. I
13
just don't -- haven't canvassed the current literature,
14
examined it the way I have with asbestos or the way I have even
15
with historic literature on talc.
16
MR. GOSS: I don't have any further questions.
17
MR. CROSBY: Mr. Hood has a scheduling problem,
18
and I have agreed to let him go head of me, if you
19
don't have any problems with that, he will go before I
20
go.
21
MR. HAYS: Anymore talc people that want to ask
22
questions? I think we ought to finish that up first.
23
MR. CROSBY: My understanding was that was the last
24
questioning for talc. I don't know whether I was wrong
25
or not.
PCD
a met*
3 51
1
MR. HAYS: Any further questions on talc from
2
anyone?
3
MR. HINKLE: Not that I know of, Mr. Hays. I
4
don't think all the talc people are present.
5
MR. GOSS: Not to say that questions may not
6
arise after further questioning today.
7
MR. HAYS: All right. Since no one has anymore
8
questions about talc, let's go ahead with asbestos.
9
CROSS EXAMINATION
10
BY HR. HOOD:
11
Q.
Dr. Castleman, you have been listed as a witness
12
as an environmental engineer who has been consulted, been a
13
consultant to the United States Counsel on Environmental
14
Quality, OSHA, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Are
15
you aware of that?
16
A.
Well, that is all true.
17
Q.
And it's anticipated that your testimony will
18
include, but will not be limited to the development of
19
scientific knowledge concerning the hazard of asbestos, talc,
20
soapstone and clay. Have you in the last two days told us all
21
opinions you have on those subjects and anticipate telling a
22
jury in these trials in Oklahoma?
23
A.
I think so. Again, it depends on what sorts of
24
questions I will actually be asked in trial.
25
Q.
Are there any other bases of your opinions other
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
than what you have given us here in your testimony in the last
2
two days?
3
MR. HAYS: I will be questioning Dr. Castleman
4
about clay later in the day. So other than that.
5
MR. HINKLE: In that regard, the attorney who
6
represented the clay manufacturer, based upon Dr.
7
Castleman's assertion that he was not an expert has
8
left us.
9
MR. HAYS: Well, he was here, and he heard me
10
state on the record that I would be questioning about
11
clay. If he wanted to leave, that's his option.
12
MR. HINKLE: Well, I just want it clear that he
13
was relying on the Doctor's statement that he was no
14
expert, and not on your statement.
15
MR. HAYS: I saw you all conversing about it
16
earlier during the deposition, I figured something like
17
that would happen, it doesn't surprise me a bit. But I
18
told him I was going to question on clay, and I gave him
19
the articles yesterday, the exhibits and had him look at
20
them, so he knows I am going to ask about it.
21
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) So then, Doctor, the answer to my
22
question is what?
23
A.
I don't remember your question.
24
Q.
Have you given us the bases of your opinions on
25
those subjects?
C .S.R- ASSOCIATES
353
1 0 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
A.
I think so. Again, a matter of clay being in the
literature, including some of the literature that is already
marked as exhibits, is something that we can certainly talk about a little bit more.
Q.
But other than the clay subject, we have heard
then, the bases of your opinions and your opinions as they
apply to these cases?
A.
Well, I don't know that we have said much about
asbestos, but you know very well what my opinions are in
connection with historical development of knowledge about asbestos.
Q.
All right, sir. Mr. Crosby had asked you about
your contact with Mr. Hays. Is he the only attorney in the
tire worker industry with whom you have had contact who has
brought tire worker cases?
A.
I have been in contact with the Casey, Gerry firm,
but I don't think about tire worker cases.
Q Any other lawyers?
A. i have met Gordon Stemple, but Idon't know that I have ever had any formal involvement with him in this litigation.
Q.
So you have not given any other attorney
permission to list you as a witness in any tire litigation?
A.
Stemple, you mean?
Q.
Anyone, any lawyer,other than Mr. Hays?
C.S.R. ASSOPT AVRR
1
A.
That Is the only one I can think of, although
2
there may be --
3
IIR. HAYS: Are you talking about ray firm in its
4
entirety? i think he's spoken with John Norman.
5
MR. HOOD: Sure. Thank you.
6
THE WITNESS: There may be firms with which
7
I've dealt in asbestos generally who also have some
3
tire worker cases, and they have listed me in them and
9
they haven't bothered to tell me, that wouldn't surprise
10
me.
11
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Now, we were trying to find out
12
when you were first contacted. Can you look back at a bill to
13
determine, based on hours spent, when you were first contacted
14
by Mr. Hays?
15
A.
I don't know.
16
Q.
There is no way you can tell us the answer to that
17
question?
18
A.
No, because, you know, billing doesn't start until
19
the work starts.
20
Q.
And the work started a day before the deposition
21
which you have given in this case?
22
A.
No, the gathering of the materials started some
23
months before.
24
Q.
Your actual review of those materials started the
25
day before?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
3 55
1
A.
Didn't start then, but finished, largely
AJ*
concluded.
3
Q.
Do you keep a record of time spent on the
4
telephone, time spent talking to consultants and so forth, so
5
you can charge Hr. Hays for that?
6
A.
No. I just estimate that kind of time if I think
7
it comes to anything significant.
3
Q.
And you charge him for Mr. Holm's time based on
9
what Mr. Holm's charges you?
10
MR. HAYS: Mister Who?
11
MR. HOOD: Ed Holm.
12
MR. HAYS: That is his last name.
13
Q. (By Mr. Hood) Whatever his name is?
The
14
researcher in Washington.
15
A.
Right. I either pay Mr. Edholm myself and bill
16
it, or I get Mr. Edholm to deal directly with Mr. Hays.
17
Q.
You have not asked him nor have you yourself
18
conducted any research on the health hazards to tire workers
19
specifically from asbestos?
20
A.
You mean Edholm. Edholm has simply been going to
21
the library.
22
Q. Getting what you've asked him to get?
23
A. Yes.
24
Q. Has he or have you conducted any specific research
25
concerning health hazards to tire workers from asbestos
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
O DO
1
exposure?
2
A.
no.
3
Q.
Have you in fact found anything in the world
4
literature which suggests a health hazard to tire workers from
5
asbestos exposure?
6
A. The literature on asbestos indicates that people
7
can get exposed to asbestos and get asbestos diseases whether
8
they work in tire plants or elsewhere. But I don't recall
9
specific literature focused on asbestos hazards in tire plants.
10
It's well known in the industry generally when there is a lot
11
of insulation material available and used, there are going to
12
be exposures to asbestos, or least there have been in past
13
years.
14
Q.
Have you reviewed the Harvard studies of tire
15
workers?
16
A.
I have seen some such studies. I remember --
17
these are studies that were done in the mid '70s, mid '70s and
18
maybe even into the late '70s, Peters and others.
19
Q.
I am asking you if you have heard of them, if you
20
have, if you have read them?
21
A.
I recall that the rubber workers were interested
22
in having some studies done, and they engaged some people at
23
Harvard sometime in the mid '70s, I guess it was.
24
Q.
Who were those people engaged? What were the
25
names of the doctors or researchers that conducted those
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
studies?
2
A.
I think that Peters was one, Wakeraan may have been
3
involved. This is just from memory.
4
Q. Have you ever read any of their works?
5
A. I have looked at these things, and I've seen some
6
publications along these lines, but I can't really remember
7
much about them.
8
Q.
And you have not produced any here today on your
9
deposition?
10
A.
No. I think that their focus was not so much on
11
asbestos for one thing, but on, as I recall, more on the
12
different types of chemical exposures that took place in these
13
plants.
14
Q.
Have you reviewed the works of tire workers and
15
health hazards done at Chapel Hill?
16
A.
I can't offhand think of such studies. Can you
17
give me the name of an author?
18
Q.
You have not produced any. If you have not, does
19
that mean you have not reviewed them?
20
A.
No. I mean, I have been reading medical and
21
scientific literature on this kind of thing for a long time.
22
Q.
Are you aware of specific studies done by the
33
ChaDel Hill qroup of scientists and doctors with regard to the
)A
health hazards of tire workers, yes or no?
25
A.
I might have heard about it if you give me the
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
names of the individuals who did the research. I don't always
2
notice the university affiliation the research was published
3
by.
4
Q. And if you have read it, and since you have not
5
produced it, you didn't find such works, if they exist, of
6
significance concerning your opinions in these cases?
7
A.
I haven't seen that stuff in years.
3
Q.
So who did them and what they concluded, you have
9
no knowledge?
10
A.
Right. As I sit here today, I am not aware of the
11
details of such reports or names of the authors, I don't think.
12
Unless of course if you tell me the names of the authors and
13
the studies that you are talking about, that might help me
14
remember.
15
Q.
And who the lead authors of works out of Chapel
16
Hill were, you do not know without me telling you the names of
17
the articles or the authors; is that correct?
18
A.
Well, that is mainly because I don't always keep
19
track of the university affiliation of researchers, although
20
the researcher's name may be very familiar to me.
21
A.
You have no future plans for conducting research
22
concerning the health hazards of either asbestos or talc to
23
rubber workers that will apply to your testimony in the
24
Oklahoma cases?
25
A.
I have no further plans of that kind.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q.
You do not plan to conduct a site inspection, nor
2
to review any records from the Oklahoma plant where these
3
plaintiffs worked?
4
A.
I have no such plans at this time.
5
Q.
Nor to inspect any other tire making facility?
6
A.
Again, I might availmyself of theopportunity, if
7
I could, but I haven't made any plans to do so.
8
Q.
You do not have any plans to inspect any talc
9
mines or talc manufacturing facilities?
10
A.
No.
11
Q.
Youare not going to be a witness on causation in
12
these cases, I believe you told Mr. Crosby that?
13
A.
That's correct.
14
Q.
And you have produced a list of articles, at least
15
the list that you gave to attorney Sutter, we have got that now
16
as one of the exhibits.
17
A. well, John Sutter's list of articles would
18
certainly be a --
19
Q.
Has that been marked as an exhibit, is my
20
question. Do we have that list?
21
MR. CROSBY: I believe it's No. 80.
22
MR. HOOD: Okay. Great.
23
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Were did those cases or where did
24
those articles coitie from that are on that list?
25
A.
I think that the list was originally prepared by
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
me, and then added to by me, and perhaps by Mr. Sutter as well,
2
over a period of time.
3
Q.
Your work as a consultant to the Environmental --
4
United States Counsel on Environmental Quality has been as an
5
environmentalist with an environmental group that you have
6
volunteered to do work for?
7
A.
I was hired by the White House counsel on
8
environmental quality to examine documents involved in the
9
reserve mining company water pollution case and Lake Superior
10
in 1973.
11
Q.
Okay. And other on than one occasion, have you
12
ever done any other work for them?
13
A.
Not paid consulting, no.
14
Q.
All right. As to OSHA, what has been your
15
involvement with that?
16
A.
As a consultant the Occupational Safety and Health
17
Administration employed me to look into the possibility that
18
OSHA regulations on hazardous substances may have caused
19
displacement of hazardous industries to developing countries.
20
Q.
When was that done?
21
A.
Ten years ago.
22
Q.
When was that work concluded?
23
A.
At that time.
24
Q.
And as to the EPA what has your involvement been?
25
A.
Well, OSHA and with the EPA I have been involved
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
extensively in different types of rule making as a participant
2
in the rule making, as a person who submitted information in
3
connection with the development of government regulations.
4
This is above and beyond my role as consultant to any of these
5
agencies.
6
Q.
This is something you have done on your own as a
7
volunteer?
8
A.
Or as an employee or consultant to environmental
9
groups like the Natural Resources Defense Counsel or the
10
Environmental Defense Firm. I have also been employed as a
11
consultant by the EPA for a period of about two years.
12
Q. When was that?
13
A. Between 1979 and 1981.
14
Q. In what capacity?
15
A.
The EPA was considering the possibility of banning
16
asbestos, and I was providing information to the EPA in support
17
of efforts to ban asbestos.
18
Q. What were the years again?
19
A. 1979 to *81.
20
Q. All right, sir. Now, this list, Exhibit 80, which
21
is your list of articles, when did you first prepare this list?
22
A.
Well, the original list of articles goes back to
23
something that was prepared around 1980 or 1981.
24
Q.
When did you add articles that pertain to these
25
cases?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
JO L
Xn
A.
Articles haven't been added for particular use in
2
these cases, in the rubber worker cases. They simply are an
3
accumulation of articles, that has, you know, that I have
4
become familiar with over the years.
5
Q.
Okay. What you basically have done is collect
6
materials relating to asbestos hazards dating back to the 19th
7
century?
8
A. Right.
9
Q. And you have produced thematerials and articles
10
that you have developed with regard to scientific knowledge
11
concerning the hazards of asbestos, talc, soapstone and clay?
12
A.
Yes, I have. I mean not every single article that
13
I have ever seen, but articles which constitute the basis of
14
any opinions I would offer.
15
Q.
The plaintiff's have listed Morris Kleinfeld as a
16
witness in these cases, did you knew that?
17
A. Yes.
18
Q. Have you had anycommunication with him?
19
A.
I don't think so. I may have written him a letter
20
once years ago. But I haven't in connection with this
21
litigation, I haven't had any contact with him.
22
Q.
Are you aware of what his opinions are as they may
23
apply to these cases based on what you have either been told by
24
plaintiff's counsel or learned yourself?
25
A.
No. All I have to go by or would have to go by
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
w v
1
are the articles that are published that bear his name.
2
Q.
You have no knowledge yourself of the uses of
3
asbestos in the B.F. Goodrich plant in Miami, Oklahoma?
4
A.
I don't have any specialized knowledge about how
5
asbestos was used. I assume it was widely used as insulating
6
materials in the plant.
7
MR. HINKLE: Let me interrupt for a moment.
8
This might be a time where we clear something up.
9
Jim, I have been told that Dr. Kleinfeld is not going
10
to be presented as a witness for the plaintiffs. Is
11
that true?
12
MR. HAYS: There is a possibility he may be
13
presented through deposition, but not live, we just
14
sent out a new witness list, so I will discuss this
15
with you off the record later.
16
MR. HINKLE: Let's get that cleared up. Because
17
I have been told unequivocally that he will not.
18
MR. HAYS: I will be glad to discuss it with
19
you later.
20
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Do you know how a radiologist can
21
differentiate between the effects of inhalation of talc versus
22
inhalation of asbestos when an x-ray is viewed?
23
A.
I know that the literature indicates that there
24
are similarities in the x-rays, but I think that this is a
25
question best posed to radiologists, not to me.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q.
You have never worked for nor have been a consult
2
to any rubber or tire manufacturing company?
3
A. No.
4
Q.
Can you give me a list of known carcinogens to
5
which workers in the tire manufacturing industry are exposed
6
to?
7
A.
I don't think I can give you a complete list. I
8
have heard of some chemicals that are used there.
9
Q. You are not an epidemiologist?
10
A. I am not an epidemiologist --
11
Q. You are not a respiratory --
12
A.
-- per se, although epidemiology is one of the
13
tools of my trade.
14
Q.
You have had no formal training in the field of
15
epidemiology?
16
A.
Yes, I have. I have taken courses in epidemiology
17
at Johns-Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.
18
Q.
when did you take those courses?
19
A.
In the early 1970s and early 1980s.
20
Q.
How many such courses did you take?
21
A.
Maybe seven or eight such courses. Maybe ten.
22
Q. You do not hold a degree in epidemiology?
23
A. No. My degree is in health policy.
24
Q.
You were in what school when you took those
25
courses?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
JO o
1
A.
Johns-Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.
2
Q.
You have never been trained as a respiratory
3
epidemiologist; is that correct?
4
A.
Never heard the term respiratory epidemiologist
5
before.
6
Q.
So whether there are people who are so
7
specialized, you have no knowledge?
8
A.
I suppose there are people who do epidemiological
9
studies on respiratory problems, but I have never heard them
10
called respiratory epidemiologists before.
11
Q.
Now, you have been excluded as a witness in how
12
many jurisdictions?
13
A.
I don't know, maybe three, maybe four, over a
14
period of ten years.
15
Q. Where are those jurisdictions?
16
HR. HAYS: You mean jurisdictions in their
17
entirety or particular judges? I think there is a
18
legal distinction here. The witness may not be
19
understanding. One judge limited him in his testimony,
20
not the entire jurisdiction.
21
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Let's say judges then.
22
A.
That is a very good point, because I have been
23
excluded by a judge in Chicago, but I have also testified in
24
Chicago in front of other judges.
25
Q. Which judge in Chicago?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
A.
I think his name was Grady.
2
Q.
Any other -- name the other judges and their
3
locations that have excluded you.
4
A.
I don't really keep track of the names of the
5
judges, but I can give you whatever I remember.
6
Q. Okay.
7
A.
Following Judge Grady's decision, a similar
3
decision was made by a judge in the Virgin Islands in St.
9
Croix. I think there was a state court judge that also
10
followed Judge Grady in Milwaukee where I had also testified in
11
front of other judges.
12
Q.
Okay.
13
A.
I think aside from that, there were just a couple
14
of old decisions, one in '79 which very much limited me, at
15
least, this is in Mobile, and, I mean I recall testifying
16
before the judge, but I also recall the judge making some
17
adverse ruling. I have forgotten exactly what went on there.
18
And in 1982 there was a ruling published in the Federal
19
Reporter by Judge Beckham which very much limited the scope of
20
testimony I would be able to offer, although he didn't
21
completely exlcude. And of course, since that time I have
22
testified numerous times in the State of California, both state
23
and federal courts. Those last two matters pre-date my
24
obtaining my doctorate from Johns-Hopkins School of Hygiene and
25
Public Health.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
jo o
1
Q.
You have had no training or experience in
2
industrial or occupational medicine?
3
A.
Again, it's all a question of what you mean by
4
that.
5
Q.
Other than what you have read in literature, you
6
have had no formal training certainly?
7
A.
I have contributed to the literature, educated
8
people in the field of industrial medicine.
9
Q.
That is on your book Asbestos that you are talking
10
about?
11
A.
No. I am talking about an article called
12
"Corporate Influence on Threshold Limit Values" that was
13
published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine that
14
was quite well received by the editor Dr. Selikoff and others
15
who commented on this article.
16
MR. CROSBY: Object to the response as
17
volunteering information not solicited by the question,
18
and move to strike it.
19
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) You have had no experience working
20
in a tire manufacturing facility?
21
A. No.
22
Q.
What is done by various employees in a tire
23
manufacturing facility in their daily occupation, you have no
24
personal knowledge of?
25
A. I have no personal knowledge of.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
JU 7
1
Q.
What a chemist would do in a tire plant, you don't
2
know?
3
A.
No, I don't know what a chemist would do in a tire
4
plant, although I can -- there are issues of quality control
5
and so forth that would be attended to by a chemist.
6
Q.
How a tire is built, the building process, you
7
have no knowledge of that?
8
A.
I have some knowledge, but it's limited. I
9
haven't made a study of the technology of tire manufacturing.
10
Q.
You don't hold yourself out as an expert in that
11
area?
12
A.
NO.
13
Q.
Youhave notraining
orexperience in the field of
14
psychology or psychiatry?
15
A.
No,aside from onecourse incollege.
16
Q.
As to the context of the articles that you have
17
read and their place in history, do you have opinions and
18
knowledge?
19
A.
Yes.
20
Q.
And that is based upon what you have read in the
21
literature; is that correct?
22
A.
Based upon what is in the literature, it's based
23
upon -- when we talk about asbestos, it's based upon a larger
24
review of corporate knowledge and actions, as well as what was
25
in the scientific literature. And it's based upon interviews
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
with people who were around at the time, as well as
well,
2
when I say corporate knowledge, I mean all the various types of
3
corporate knowledge evidence that has been developed in the
4
asbestos litigation.
5
Q.
So it's based upon documents that you have
6
reviewed?
7
A.
Primarily documents, and in some cases statements
8
of individuals that I have contacted.
9
Q.
Who are you talking about when you say
10
individuals?
11
A.
Dr. Hueper, Dr. Hardy, Dr. Mancuso, Dr. Angrist,
\7
|nr. warold Stewart, and some others like that,
13
o.
Several of whom are dead?
14
A.
Yes.
15
Q.
Have been for some while?
16
A.
Yes. I have been investigating this thing for
17
Isome while.
18
q.
But as to the times these articles were written,
19
|in the '40s, even the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s, you weren't
20
even an adult at that time, were you?
21
A.
Not until the '60s sometime.
22
Q.
What is your age?
23
A. Forty-two.
24
q . So then whether or not an article was well known
25
or obscure, or how an article was received by the medical
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
---------------------------- --------------------- ----------371
1
community when it was published, you have no personal
2
knowledge?
3
A.
I have no personal knowledge, although, as I say,
4
by reading the literature one does get an idea that some
5
articles were widely cited, achieved some prominence, other
6
articles appear not to have been noticed as much,
7
Q.
Your research methods, as you have identified
8
them, has been to go to the index medicus and attempt to obtain
9
a thorough list of articles on a given subject, and then to
10
review those articles; is that correct?
11
A,
That is what I did with asbestos. I haven't
12
actually done that with talc.
13
Q.
And you have never done anything as to a specific
14
group of workers known as tire workers or rubber workers?
15
A.
That's right, I haven't focused any research
16
efforts into looking at medical literature developed around
17
tire workers as an occupational group.
18
Q.
And you told us yesterday that you are not an
19
expert in the field of warning and warning labels or the
20
adequacy of the same?
21
A.
I feel that I am not a specialist in the field of
22
designing warning labels, if that is what you mean by an
23
expert.
24
Q.
And the same thing with regard to pamphlets
25
concerning the use of materials, this is not an area in which
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J 6
1
you are an expert?
2
A.
I have written materials for the purpose of
3
educating people about health hazards. I have written the
4
kinds of pamphlets that you're talking about, and I think my
5
experience is relevant in that regard.
6
Q.
What kind of pamphlets have you written?
7
A.
Circulars that we handed out to brake mechanics
8
trying to warn them about the hazards of brake repair back in
9
1972, 1973.
10
Q.
So that if we were defending a suit brought by a
11
brake mechanic and he had read your pamphlet and thereafter had
12
continued to work with materials containing asbestos, he would
13
have done so knowingly assuming the risk of danger and disease?
14
A.
That's a legal question, and I don't think I can
15
answer legal questions.
16
Q.
But I can ask you that question in that kind of
17
case, and you would agree that your phamplet would have
18
adequately and fully warned him of the health hazards to which
19
he subjected himself voluntarily? correct?
20
A.
It would have informed him to the the best of my
21
ability at that time about those hazards.
22
Q.
What is the history of the threshold limit value
23
for talc?
24
A.
Threshold limit value apparently was set at 20
25
million particles per cubic foot at some time, and I can't tell
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25
you when, but I noticed it referred to I think in some of these
articles in the 1950s.
Q.
Did it remain unchanged? Or has it been changed
at all? A.
I don't know whether it's been changed. I think
it's been changed for talcs that contain asbestos fibers,
tremolite fibers.
Q.
And what is the current TLV then?
A.
well, the TLV for that kind of talc would be the
same as for asbestos, so many fibers per cubic centimeter of
air. Q. A.
Which is what? Well, I think that right now there is some
litigation over that that has been brought by Vanderbilt Talc,
but the standard I believe is 0.2 fibers per cubic centimeters
of air equivalent to 200,000 fibers per cubic meters of air. A
fiber is longer than five microns in length.
Q.
How long has that been the standard?
A.
Since 1986.
Q.
Prior to that what was the standard?
A.
It was two fibers per cubic centimeters of air.
Q.
When was that adopted?
A.
That took effect in 1976 as part of a government
regulation published in 1972.
q#
Prior to that what was the standard?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
374
1
A.
For a short time it was 'five fibers per cubic
centimeters of air.
3
Q. When was that?
4
A. From December 7th, 1971 until June 7th or so,
5
1972.
6
Q.
And prior to that what was the standard?
7
A. Twelve fibers per cubic centimeter.
8
Q From when to when?
9
A.
From around April of 1971 when OSHA officially
10
went into business, until December when they issued the
11
emergency standard for asbestos.
12
Q.
Prior to December '71 what was the standard?
13
A.
Prior to then it was open season on workers in the
14
United States as far as the federal government was concerned,
15
unless they worked for government contractors doing $10,000 a
16
year in business or more, in which case they would have been at
17
least theoretically under the subject to the Walsh-Healy Act
18
Provision where the standard was 12 particles per cubic --
19
MR. HOOD: Move to strike the answer.
20
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Just tell me what the standard was,
21
please, prior to December '71.
22
A.
The federal standard applied only to government
23
contractors doing $10,000 of business a year or more, and that
24
standard was 12 fibers per cubic centimeters of air from around
25
1969 until 1970, '71.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
375
1
Q.
What was before that?
2
A.
Before that there were no -- there was no federal
3
regulation of general industries in the United States.
4
Q.
What about the American Conference of Governmental
5
Hygienists, had they adopted a threshold limit value for
6
asbestos prior to that?
7
A. Yes.
8
Q. What was that?
9
A.
That was five million particles per cubic foot of
10
air.
11
Q.
And that was the standard from when to when?
12
A.
1946 until about 1970.
13
Q.
And that standard remained uncriticized in the
14
medical literature during that period?
15
A.
it was not a standard, and it was criticized.
16
Q.
When was it first criticized?
17
A.
I've listed a number of examples of that in
18
Chapter 4 of my book. I can recall a few. It was criticized
19
in 1952 by May Mayers, it was criticized by Warren Cook in
20
1956. It was criticized by a number of speakers at the New
21
York Academy of Science Conference that was held in 1964,
22
published in 1965, among them Adding Ley from Great Britain who
23
worked for a British asbestos company and said that U.S. TLV
24
had absolutely no scientific basis whatsoever.
25
Q.
You have had no training yourself in the field of
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J/V
1
idustrial hygiene?
2
A.
Yes, I have.
3
Q. When?
4
A.
Among the courses that I took at Johns-Hopkins
5
chool of Hygiene and Public Health was a course in industrial
6
ygiene ventilation where I designed ventilation systems using
7
elatively simple engineering principles. I mean, they are
8
impie to cover background in engineering to apply to
9
echniques that are used in designing dust control systems. So
10
have some training in industrial hygiene.
11
Q.
You are not a certified industrial hygienist?
12
A.
No.
13
Q.
You have taken one course in ventilation
14
tpparently?
15
A.
I've taken one course that was specifically in the
16
iesign of industrial ventilation, and a number of other courses
17
Ln which various aspects of hygiene were discussed and
18
presented in the Johns-Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public
19
lea 1th.
20
Q. Have you seen anything in the literature
21
criticizing TLV for talc?
22
A.
I haven't really looked that carefully at
23
literature on talc, but off the top of my head, I can't say
24
that I have seen anything criticized in TLV for talc, except
25
perhaps people writing about asbestiform talcs saying that they
377
1
needed to be regulated like asbestos.
2
Q.
You have done no work for the tire, the tire
3
industries union, which is the International Rubber Workers
4
Union?
5
A.
No. I mean I have had correspondence or at least
6
met with Lou Beliczki over the years.
7
Q.
When did you meet with him?
8
A.
I don't know. I guess I have known Lou Beliczky
9
for about 15 years.
10
Q. And how many times have you met with him?
11
A. I usually run into him at some conference or
12
another.
13
Q.
You haven't discussed with him health hazards to
14
workers in the tire industry from asbestos?
15
A. Yes, I think so.
16
Q. Did he ever recognize such a hazard?
17
A. Yes.
18
Q.
When did he first do that?
19
A.
I don't know. I guess I met with him, maybe it
20
was a meeting of the American Public Health Association in Las
21
Vegas a few years ago, and we talked about the fact that there
22
were a number of lawsuits being filed over asbestos damage to
23
workers in the rubber industry.
24
Q.
Did he tell you he thought those cases were
25
frivolous and shouldn't have been brought?
378
1
^ forgst exactly what he told me. I remember him
2
feeling that there was -- he was a little apprehensive that
3
some cases might be filed.
4
Q.
Did he tell you he thought it was a disservice to
5
the union membership for lawyers to file cases about disease
6
that didn't exist in workers that he was monitor of health for?
7
A.
I don't recall him saying anything quite like
8
that.
9
Q.
If in fact the workers for whom suits were being
10
brought were not sick, would that be a correct statement in
11
your view?
12
A.
I just don't recall what Beliczky said about that.
13
Q.
Not Beliczky, I am asking you, Barry Castleraan?
14
A.
If people are filing lawsuits over claims for
15
disease when there really isn't any medical basis for saying
16
that these people have disease, and if large numbers of such
17
claims are being filed, it simply means the people who have
18
real problems are going to be waiting in line that much longer
19
to get their day in court, and that is a disservice.
20
Q.
Is it also a disservice to that individual to let
21
him think he has a claim, when in fact he medically does not in
22
fact; is that correct?
23
A. Yes, it would be.
24
Q.
Have you ever worked with an electron microscope?
25
A. No, I've never operated one.
379
1
Q.
Have you ever collected dust to determine the
2
levels of asbestos dust or talc dust in the work environment?
3
A.
I have assisted in setting up equipment to do
4
sampling on one occasion I can recall while I was a local
5
health official.
6
Q.
Where was that?
7
A. The Civil Defense Building in Towsonr Maryland.
8
Q. What were you testing for or assisting setting up
9
to be tested?
10
A.
They had sprayed asbestos ceilings and were
11
concerned about what might be in the air.
12
Q.
Did they determine that the ambient air was such
13
that the asbestos was not dangerous in that location?
14
A.
They found small quantities of asbestos in the
15
air, but nothing approaching the occupational standards.
16
Q.
What you would find in the ambient air in the
17
urban society?
18
A.
Probably a little more than that.
19
Q.
But not enough to cause concern so that it should
20
be removed?
21
A.
Well, we were concerned that we might be creating
22
more of a problem by disturbing that material than by leaving
23
it in place.
24
Q.
That is the current view as recently as yesterday
25
of the EPA, we shouldn't remove asbestos if it's not creating a
3 80
1
health hazard? correct?
2
A.
I am not sure that is what the EPA said yesterday
3
about removing asbestos.
4
Q.
That has been their view in the past?
5
A.
I think the government's view has been that
6
priorities need to be setf and the places where the material is
7
in bad condition or deteriorating or is creating a health
8
hazard, that that needs to be addressed first, and that other
9
places where the material seems to be reasonably in tact, the
10
material can be left there for at least some time because we
11
have limited resources to address that.
12
Q.
You are then of the view that if the asbestos is
13
not friable and not creating sufficient adverse levels in the
14
air within a building that it should be left alone?
15
A.
Well, at least for the time being. It doesn't
16
mean that it should be left alone in perpetuity.
17
Q.
That would apply in a tire worker facility where
18
tires are made?
19
A.
I am thinking more about building plenums and
20
things of that nature, that is very different than an
21
industrial facility.
22
Q.
How would you know if it's different if you have
23
never been in such a facility?
24
A.
Because an industrial facility contained -- the
25
asbestos material is in a more -- is much, it seems to me, is
3 81
1
likely to be exposed to impactr is going to require regular
2
maintenance, removal, repair. And thermal insulation on pipes
3
is subjected to heat stress which is very different than the
4
kind of conditions that exist inside of an air plenum where
5
recirculating air is being blown around for an office building.
6
It's a totally different situation.
7
Q.
Go back to the TLV for talc. Do you know of any
8
criticism in the literature which causes you to think that
9
industry was writing the talc standards like you think about
10
asbestos?
11
HR. CROSBY: Object to the form of that question.
12
THE WITNESS: I don't like it either.
13
MR. CROSBY: Move to strike the voluntary response
14
of the witness.
15
MR. HAYS: Are you sure you got that, since you
16
are reading the newspaper?
17
MR. CROSBY: I am reading what he called a
18
stuffed-shirt paper's account of the EPA ban, as he
19
called it, on abestos, Counsel. As and I take it, that
20
is part of my job. I am on Page B-4 of the wall Street
21
Journal, dated Friday, July 7th, 1989 in approximately
22
column three.
23
MR. HAYS: Strike all the self-serving comments
24
what he's reading as his duty as counsel.
25
MR. CROSBY: Counsel, I might introduce it. If
n o n *.oor\nvam
3 HZ
1
you want to help me practice law, I would be glad for
2
you to do that sometime on somebody's time besides
3
mine. L e t 's move on.
4
THE WITNESS: L e t 's take a break.
5
MR. HAYS: Yes, let's take a five minute break.
6
MR. HOOD: The witness would like to take a five
7
minute break. We will.
8
(Whereupon, a short recess was taken.)
9
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Do you know of any effort by the
10
talc industry to have any effect upon the standard TLV for
11
talc?
12
A.
No.
13
MR. HAYS: Let me ask you this, sir. We asked
14
if there were any further talc questions, and there
15
were no further talc questions, and we opened this
16
portion of the deposition to go into asbestos. It
17
seems to me you're reopening the talc area, which of
18
course will reopen the opportunity for talc people to
19
ask questions at a later time, it will be utilized as
20
an attempt to continue the deposition. I ask yon to
21
continue your questions as to asbestos, as the talc
22
questions have been exhausted, and in fact. I think you
23
asked some preliminary questions about talc to determine
24
that when you first started your questioning. So I just
25
ask that you stick to asbestos as you planned to.
* rA/iT t m n o
j uj
1
MR. HOOD: I have made no commitment to do
2
anything other than examine the witness.
3
MR. HAYS: Well, then if you are not going to talk
4
about asbestos, I change our agreement, and asked
5
Mr. Cosby to begin his questions.
6
MR. CROSBY: My name is Crosby, C-r-o-s-b-y.
7
MR. HAYS: Crosby, I'm sorry.
8
MR. CROSBY: You have already said Hood can go
9
now.
10
MR. HAYS: No. I thought that was with the
11
agreement that he was going to talk about asbestos.
12
MR. CROSBY: I certainly can't control what
13
Mr. Hood asks or does.
14
MR. HAYS: So the agreement is off, because
15
it's been breached by you all.
16
MR. CROSBY: I haven't breached anything,
17
Mr. Hays. I have been sitting over here because you
18
said he could go next.
19
MR. HAYS: You requested that he go next.
20
MR. CROSBY: I asked if he could.
21
MR. HAYS: Yes, based on the fact that it had
22
to do with asbestos.
23
MR. CROSBY: I didn't understand that to be the
24
basis of it.
25
MR. HAYS: I asked the question if there were
C.S.R- ASSOCIATES
J W f
1
any further talc questions.
tou
HR. HOOD: Let me proceed, please.
3
Q.
(By Hr. Hood) As to articles that you produced,
4
Hr. Castleman --
5
MR. HAYS: I asked everyone that question.
6
MR. CROSBY: Well, I'm going to have some
7
questions relating to talc. W e 're all in this lawsuit
8
together.
9
MR. HAYS: You don't have anything to do with
10
talc. Are you representing a talc
11
defendant?
12
MR. CROSBY: That is not any of your concern. I
13
am here to ask questions on behalf of my client.
14
MR. HAYS: Well, then I am going to ask that you
15
continue on with your line of questioning or you
16
waive it.
17
Mr. Hood: Can I proceed with questions --
18
MR. HAYS: I object to any questions on your
19
behalf at a later time.
20
MR. CROSBY: Well, just a minute.
21
MR. HAYS: If you are not going to go ahead and
22
ask your question the way you are supposed to --
23
MR. CROSBY: If that is your contention, then
24
if I now stop and interrupt Mr. Hood, are you going to
25
preclude him from finishing his line of questioning?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
385
1
MR. HAYS: No. I want talc finished up.
2
MR. CROSBY: I can't finish up talc, I can't
3
finish up asbestos if I start right now. This witness
4
has provided us documents that I have never seen in his
5
file in all my years. I have got lots of questions I
6
have to ask him, some of them are in the files of
7
asbestos that relate to talc.
3
MR. HAYS: I am sure you will try to continue this
9
deposition for a month, if you can.
10
MR. HOOD: Can I proceed, please?
11
MR. HAYS: Over my objection.
12
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) As to the documents that you have
13
produced, would you tell us first generally how these documents
14
in your opinion would have placed any manufacturer of asbestos
15
materials on notice of potential disease hazard to tire workers
16
in their work environment?
17
A.
Well, the medical literature of asbestos indicates
18
that people who do pipe covering who are exposed to insulation
19
products get asbestos diseases, and there is nothing in the
20
medical or scientific literature to indicate that people who do
21
that kind of work with those kind of products wouldn't get
22
those kinds of diseases if they were handing the materials in a
23
rubber plant.
24
Q.
So there is nothing then in those articles that
25
specifically refer to such a health risk to tire workers?
r e o Ree/VT urnwe
1
A.
Not as tire workers, no.
2
Q.
Have you contacted any industrial health official
3
or former official with the Goodrich, Goodyear, Firestone,
4
General Tire, Yates, Kelly Springfield or Michel in companies?
5
\
6
A. No.
Q.
So with regard to the known or suspected health
7
[problems in their companies at various times, you have no
8
knowledge?
9
A.
No.
10
Q. Have you contacted any officials with the United
11
Rubber workers union or their industrial health personnel about
12
known or suspected health problems at various times in history?
13
A.
Well, I have known Lou Beliczky for a number of
14
[years.
15
Q.
Specifically what, if anything, has he told you
16
concerning his knowledge of health hazards from exposure to
17
asbestos to tire workers?
18
A. I can't recall anything about asbestos. Our
19
initial concerns and contacts were about chemical hazards, I
20
think.
21
MR. RHODES: Excuse me, Mr. Hood. I'm sitting
22
right across from Mr. Castleman, and I can barely hear
23
you. It sounds to me like you are mumbling. Can you
24
enunciate a little bit better?
25
MR. HAYS: If there is a problem hearing,
C . S.R. A S S O C I A T E S
387
1
considering we're in a large room and at a large table,
2
why don't we get a microphone brought down if they've
3
got one here.
4
MR. RHODES: I am four feet away from him.
5
MR. HAYS: You are not four feet away, you're
6
eight feet away, eight to ten feet away.
7
MR. HOOD: Do you want to measure it, or can
8
I proceed, please?
9
MR. HAYS: Well, if they can't hear, let's get a
10
microphone down. Somebody can order that.
11
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Do you know who with that union was
12
responsible for its membership's health and safety?
13
A.
No.
14
Q.
Do you know if that union was ever concerned with
15
the health and safety of tire workers or rubber workers from
16
exposure to asbestos?
17
A.
I am sure they were at some point, but I don't
18
know when it started.
19
MR. GOSS: I didn't understand that answer.
20
MR. HOOD: "I am sure they were at some point, but
21
I don't know when it started."
22
MR. HAYS: There is a table down at this end
23
that is not in use. Four of you can sit around that,
24
if you would like to.
25
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Do you know of any complaints made
P C D iccnmippc
.JOB
1
by industrial health officials of the United Rubber Workers
2
Union, or the tire manufacturing companies regarding the
3
exposure of the employees to either asbestos or talc?
4
A.
No. I just don't know anything about the record
5
of such complaints that may or may not have been made.
6
Q.
Are you aware of any epidemiological studies of
7
asbestos health hazards in the tire worker industry?
8
A.
Well, I think the -- I think I mentioned that I
9
glanced at some kind of a NIOSH report, plant survey.
10
Q.
That was done in 1970 is what you said I think on
11
Wednesday?
12
A.
I thought it was more recent than that. But I
13
haven't seen it since. I thought it was in the '80s.
14
Q.
You never have produced that report here in this
15
deposition. Can you further identify it for us and can you
16
produce it to us?
17
A.
No. I think it must have just been thrown out.
18
Mr. Hays sent me materials, sent me a lot of articles from the
19
1980's and things about talc, and I just took one look at how
20
recent they were and excluded them from my review, because I
21
didn't feel like --
22
Q.
That NIOSH report did not reference any health
23
hazard to tire workers from exposure to asbestos?
24
A.
Well, I have forgotten exactly. I think they did
25
some chest x-rays on the guys. I just took a look at how
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
recent it was and put it aside. I was mainly interested in
2
earlier medical literature.
3
Q.
Are you aware of any case report where a doctor
4
attributes asbestosis to a building occupant, and that being
5
his sole exposure?
6
A.
well, if a person worked in an industrial
7
facility --
8
MR. HAYS: That is such an unfair question, I
9
started just to let it slide, because I am sure the
10
Doctor can handle it. But you are saying exposure in a
11
building? Mow, what does that mean? Does that mean an
12
industrial setting? A home? Does that mean a --
13
MR. HOOD: A building where -- I'll explain it
14
for you since you asked that.
15
MR. HAYS: All right.
16
MR. HOOD: Assuming the witness needs that.
17
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) In a non-asbestos manufacturing
18
building.
19
A.
You mean like a steel mill?
20
Q.
Yes, any kind of location.
21
A.
There is certainly plenty of cases of steel mill
22
workers and people like that who develop asbestos-related
23
disease.
24
Q.
Of those people have they been working as
25
maintenance or insulation people in those facilities?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
O
1
A.
well, they work -- certainly some of them have
2
worked as pipe fitters, people like that where they may have
3
actually touched the asbestos themselves, and others are just
4
working around it. And it's a well established risk to workers
5
in industrial settings generally where there is a lot of
6
asbestos insulation around. Some people are going to get
7
asbestos diseases.
8
Q.
And when was that first reported in the
9
literature?
10
A. Oh, in the 1930s.
11
Q. And what was that article?
12
A.
There were articles about clerks in asbestos
13
manufacturing plants, boiler riveters, 1934, 1935, Wooden
14
Glowing in '34, Page in *35. Chemical plant workers with
15
asbestosis in 1939.
16
Q. Who reported that?
17
A.
I think the author was named Arnold, British
18
Journal tuberculosis.
19
Q.
All of those are case reports. Are there any
20
epidemiological studies?
21
A.
Epidemiological studies started to come later.
22
There were studies of lung cancer access in workers who did,
23
who were described as boiler makers, steam fitters and asbestos
24
workers.
25
Q. When was that?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
.3 y x
1
A.
Breslow, American Journal of Public Health, 1954.
2
Q. What about non-asbestos workers?
3
A.
Well, i mean steam fitters are not asbestos
4
workers. Boiler makers are not asbestos workers.
5
Q. Okay.
6
A. Plumbers, other people have been reported as
7
victims of asbestosis in case reports as well.
8
Q. I'm asking about epidemiological studiesnow.
9
Were there any before 1980?
10
A.
Aside from Breslow? I am sure there were, but I
11
can't think of it off the top of my head.
12
Q.
What is your understanding of the asbestos
13
exposure history of the tire workers from the Miami, Oklahoma
14
pi ant?
15
A.
Well, I gather that there was a lot of asbestos
16
used as a thermal insulation material in the plant, both in
17
terras of specialized equipment used in rubber manufacturing, as
18
well as general pipe covering insulation that existed widely
19
throughout the plant.
20
Q.
Where do you generally gain this general
21
information?
22
A.
Just from conversations I have had with people.
23
Q.
Who are those people?
24
A.
I suppose I may have talked to Lou Beliczky about
25
that, but I am not sure. And I have read things about rubber
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
processing and rubber plants, tire plants, maybe some of those
2
articles by John Peters and other people that sort of describe
3
the way the plants are laid out. It's obvious that there is a
4
lot of heat involved, and a need for thermal insulation in an
5
industrial process like tire making.
6
Q.
Who is John Peters?
7
A.
He's one of the authors of medical studies of tire
8
workers.
9
Q.
Is he considered an expert in this area?
10
A.
I suppose so.
il
Q.
Has he written extensively in the area?
12
A.
He's written in the area.
13
Q.
Have you ever met with him?
14
A.
I don't think so.
15
Q.
Do you know what his opinions are concerning a
16
health risk from exposure to asbestos in tire workers?
17
A. No.
18
Q.
Who are some of the other scientists or authors
19
who you have conferred with that have written about the tire
20
worker or rubber industry?
21
A.
I can't think of anybody with whom I have
22
discussed the rubber industry. I sat through some
23
presentations back in 1976, some of the earlier -- I guess it
24
was some of the earlier studies that were being done.
25
Q. Who is Dr. Thomas Mancuso?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
J 7J
1
A.
He's a physician in the field of industrial
2
medicine.
3
Q.
Is he highly respected?
4
A.
I think so.
5
Q.
Has he written in the field of industrial health
6
hazards to workers in the rubber or tire industry?
7
A.
I don't know if he has or not.
8
Q.
Has he written in the filed of industrial health
9
hazards to workers from asbestos?
10
A.
Yes.
11
Q.
Is he an expert in those areas in your view?
12
A.
Well, he was -- yes.
13
Q.
And have you read his works?
14
A.
Some.
15
Q.
And the ones that you have read have dealt with
16
asbestos; is that correct.
17
A.
Well, they dealt with asbestos, chromates.
18
Q.
Are you aware of any reported health risk by
19
Mancuso from asbestos to tire workers?
20
A.
No.
21
Q.
Do you know who Dr. R.R. Monson is, M-o-n-s-o-n?
22
A.
I have heard the name.
23
Q.
Do you know if he's written anything in the
24
medical literature or scientific literature concerning the
25
health hazards to tire workers or rubber workers?
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
394
1
A.
I believe he has.
2
Q.
Have you cead any of his works?
3
A.
I may have. I think he and Peters were working
4
together.
5
Q.
Do you know if he or Dr. Peters ever concluded
6
that there was a health risk to asbestos or from asbestos to
7
tire workers or rubber workers?
8
A. I don't know whether they ever investigated that.
9
Q. Whether they investigated it or not, do you know
10
what they concluded?
11
A.
No, I don't know if they made any such
12
conclusions.
13
Q.
And you have not reviewed the literature to see
14
what they have written on this subject?
15
A.
No. Well, not on asbestos, no.
16
Q.
Nor have you read what they have written in the
17
field of health hazards to rubber or tire workers?
18
A.
I may have seen some things, but I mean I know I
19
have, but it's been years since I looked at that stuff, and I
20
was mainly looking at it with interest in chemical hazards.
21
Q.
Have you read works by Dr. McMichael, A.J.
22
McMichael?
23
A. I have seen the name.
24
Q. Do you know what he's written on?
25
A.
I can't remember.
C.S.R. ASSOCIATES
1
Q. Have you read any works by him concerning health
2
hazards to tire or rubber workers?
3
A.
I may have glanced at a couple of articles of that
4
kind, but I can't recall anything about it.
5
Q.
You haven't produced any yet?
6
A.
No.
7
Q.
What about Dr. H.A. Tyroler, T-y-r-o-l-e-r?
3
A.
I don't know.
9
Q.
You pronounce it Tyroler. Whatever he's written,
10
you don't know and you haven't produced?
11
A.
Correct.
12
Q.
Dr. Ted Williams, samething wouldbe true?
13
A.
Yes.
14
Q. Dr. Harris, R.L. Harris, Mr. Harris, same thing
15
would be true?
16
A. Yes.
17
MR. HAYS: Is he a Doctor or Mister?
18
MR. HOOD: I think he's an engineer, an
19
industrial hygienist. I think he's a Mister.
20
Q.
(By Mr. Hood) Do you know what asbestos materials
21
were actually used in the Oklahoma, Miami B.F. Goodrich plant?
22
A.
Only in a general sense.
23
Q.
So who the manufacturers of the materials were,
24
what types of materials, what the condition of those materials
25
were at the time various plaintiffs were employed at that
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location, you have no knowledge?
2
A.
I don't have specific knowledge. I have a fair
3
idea who some of the manufacturers were based on who was
4
represented at the deposition.
5
Q.
What the content of the dusting powder thrown by
6
workers on rubber to act as a detacifier were at that location,
7
you have no knowledge?
8
A.
That's correct.
9
Q.
And whether or not asbestos or talc or talc
10
tainted with asbestos was used, and whether it had tremolite,
11
you have no knowledge?
12
A.
You mean for the purpose of dusting the rubber?
13
Q.
Right, at that specificlocation?
14
A.
That is right, I don't have specific knowledge on
15
that.
16
Q.
Whether or not there were cleavage fragments in
17
the tremolite which caused disease, you have no knowledge of
18
that?
19
A. Right, that's correct.
20
Q.
Whether the talc was pure or not, whether it
21
caused disease or not you have no knowledge?
22
A.
Well, I don't know about the details of the
23
constituants of the talc that was used. Whether it caused
24
disease or not is not a question for me.
25
Q. The effect of exposure by given plaintiffs to
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carbon black you have to knowledge?
2
A.
That's correct.
3
Q.
To benzene you have no knowledge?
4
A.
That's correct. I don't get involved in the
5
details of the individual plaintiff's chemical exposure.
6
Q.
Polycystic aromatic carbon, a-r-o-m-a-t-i-c, you
7
have no knowledge? I am going to ask the same question as to
8
several substances.
9
A.
I have no specific knowledge as to any
10
individual's exposure to polycystic aromatic hydrocarbons or
11
any other thing you asked me about.
12
Q.
Would that also be true of anitoxidents?
13
A.
Correct.
14
Q.
Curing fumes?
15
A.
Correct.
16
Q.
Other solvents?
17
A.
Correct.
18
Q.
Naphthas?
19
A.
Correct.
20
Q.
Smog in the area from the ambient air?
21
A.
Correct.
22
Q.
Polyvinyl chloride?
23
A.
You meaning vinyl chloride?
24
Q.
P-o-l-y-v-i-n-y-1 chloride?
25
A.
No, I don't know what exposure they have to
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polyvinyl chloride.
2
Q.
Any additional medical problems they may have?
3
A.
No. This all goes beyond the area of my
4
testimony.
5
Q.
Whether or not there was a sufficient level of
6
airborne asbestos and/or talc particles to cause a high risk of
7
disease to any of the plaintiffs in these cases, you have no
8
knowledge?
9
A.
I don't know what the levels of exposure were, if
10
that is what you mean.
11
Q.
And whether or not there was air circulating in
12
these plants which was sufficient to eminatate enough asbestos
13
or talc fibers so as to cause disease, you have no knowledge.
14
A.
I don't understand your question. I mean the
15
fibers don't emanate by process of evaporation. The fibers are
16
released by abrasion, they may be released by air current, and
17
they may be recirculated that way.
18
Again, these details about industrial hygiene aspects in
19
the plant I am admittedly unfamiliar with.
20
Q.
And whether or not adequate ventilation existed in
21
that particular plant for this air circulation you have no
22
knowledge?
23
A.
Putting aside the use of the word adequate, I am
24
unfamiliar with the nature of the ventilation system that the
25
plant had.
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Q
And you have no knowledge of what the tire
2
companies or their employers/employees knew about the health
3
effects of asbestos?
4
A. That is also true.
5
Q. And/or talc?
6
A. Yes.
7
Q.
You have not talked with any of the plaintiffs in
8
these cases?
9
A. NO.
10
Q.
You have not read any depositions of any witnesses
11
in these cases?
12
A.
No.
13
Q.
Are you aware of any medical articles which deal
14
with the combined effects of asbestos or talc?
15
A.
What do you mean the combined effects of asbestos
16
or talc?
17
Q.
Well, are you aware of any medical articles which
18
report such a combined effect?
19
A.
Well, only insofar as the medical literature
20
contains reports on asbestiform minerals present in talcs.
21
Q.
And that would be the articles that you have
22
produced and we went over yesterday, the talc articles?
23
A.
Yes.
24
Q.
Do you know how the tire workers at the Oklahoma,
25
Miami plant compare to the blue collar workers in the United
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States as to mortality or morbidity ratios from disease?
2
A.
You mean overall life expectancy things like
3
that.
4
Q. That's right?
5
A. No, I don't.
6
Q. Are you aware of specific communications of a
7
health-related problem in the tire worker industry of any of
8
the following companies? Do you understand the preface to the
9
question?
10
A. I am not sure I do.
11
Q. Are you aware of specific communications of a
12
health-related problem in the tire worker industry?
13
A.
You mean to their employees?
14
Q.
No. To any of the following companies thatI'm
15
going to list. Some communication to these companies of a
16
health-related problem to persons working in the tire industry
17
or the rubber industry from exposure to their product. Do you
18
understand the preface to the question?
19
A.
I am having trouble understanding. You mean, are
20
they saying that the tires are dangerous?
21
Q.
No, that the work environment from these companies
22
products -- well, specifically, do you know of any specific
23
communication of that to the following companies?
24
A. I still don't understand you.
25
Q. Are you aware of any specificcommunications of a
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