Document ZJwY1dEv40jV1JDymwybZ77nL

I-iIHUTES OF THE ASBESTOS TEXTILE INSTITUTE AIR HYGIENE COIuilTTEE MEETING i rTmmFT i EXHIBIT f 7j-jy)3bt) ilarch 7, 1956 IN ATTENDANCE V/ERE: iiaiDERS GUESTS D. R. Holmes H. i-I. Jackson R, Smith J, Weber B, W. Lutt'enberger Frank T. Gatke, Asbestos Textile Co., Inc. . Chicago, Illinois i;r. Houghton, Garlock Packing Company Eli.iyra, New York Dr. Kenneth Smith, iiedical Director Johns-ilanville Corp, riew York, Hev York W, D, Shoemaker, American mutual Liability Insurance-Co. Philadelphia, Penna. The agenda for this meeting was a3 follows: irl, ASBESTOSIS AND CANCER - A discussion relative to compensation. Dr. Kenneth Smith, iiedical Director of Johns-iianville Corp., requested to be present at this meeting because of recent developments in the compensation field regarding Asbestosis and Cancer. Dr. S,,iith informed us that in his opinion, we have an epidemic of Lung Cancer in the world today. Death statistics are as follows: Heart . .37In Cancer................................ .16^ Nervous System,.................... .1155 All other Chest Diseases Less than ...............155 He also advised that the current rate of progress in Cancer shows three out of every 100 cases is Lung Cancer. One of his major reasons for asking to address us was that;there has been a case decided by the Pennsylvania State Compensation Board in which there was a decision against the Oompany involved. The finding by the referee in this case was Asbestos-Cancer. The referee in this case quoted in his decision Dr. Hueper's writings from the Public Health Monograph No, 36 [/ U. S. Public Health Service. In this publication he ties together Asbestosis and Cancer throughout - creating a new word for the medical Dictionary such as ..Asbestosis-Cancer, Dr. Hueper claims that Asbestosis-Cancer csn be found after exposure of 6 months to h2 years in ages of people from 25 to 65 years. He also has a new definition of Asbestosis such as "One particle of asbestos with the physical con^ dition surrounding it can be diagnosed as Asbestosis", According to him all workers in this industry are susceptible. <He states further that a minimum of 170,000 dust particles per cubic litre is recognized for the development of Asbestosis- Cancer in man. Among his remarks Dr. Hueper says that Asbestosis is compensable in Germany and notable in England and wales. Minutes of Air Hygiene Committee Page 2 Dr. Hueper also infers that Aobestosis-Cancer may be determined in an ^ autopsy performed on persons living in the area of a plant. He says that any occupational relationship to Cancer should be con sidered in the determination of a Cancer case. He also states that outside factors^ such as smoking., etc., should not be considered. Dr, Smith recommends very strongly that this Institute begin a study of the relationship of Lung Cancer to Asbestosis in our industry. He recommends that this should be done through the Industrial Hygiene Foundation in Pittsburgh, Dr, Smith indicates that he has no evidence that there is not a relationship between Asbestosis and Cancer, He advised the Air Hygiene"15ommittee that it would be advisable for tlu industry if wa were to institute such a study or sur vey within our plants, hospitals, physicians, etc. This would only -be a prelimin ary fact-finding survey such as is now under proposal for the Q.A .H,A, Dr, Smith advised that this proposal should be undertaken in conjunction with the Q.A.ii.A. proposal in order that we could procure information which would com bat current derogatory literature now being circulated throughout the United States and Canada, Dr, Smith also a. vised that there is other damaging information being circu lated, written by the same Dr, w, C, Hueper, who is Chief of the Environmental Cancer section of the national Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, ^ Bethesda, liaryland, such as a reprint of an article in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology entitled "Silicosis, Asbestosis, and Cancer of the Lung." Reprints of this article may be obtained from the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, iiasyland. Public Health Monograph ir% entitled "A quest into the environmental causes of Cancer of the Lung", can be obtained from the U. S. Department of Health Education and 'welfare, Public Health Service, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, 111, liaryland. #2, AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSAL BY THE INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOUNDATION. This proposal as approved at the last meeting was for an environmental dust survey for members of the Asbestos Textile Institute, This survey would include dust counts, inspection of the plants regarding clust elimination methods and recora..endations for improvements of dust control engineering. The Industrial Hygiene Foundation would collect samples and make dust counts for all the plants involved, basing its suggestions and recommendations on the results of their own study, The Impinger apparatus would be used along with the accepted counting method used for counting Silica dust. Tt-h'S also been suggested that included in this proposal should be the counting of the number of fibres pre sent along with the dust sampling counts. This request has been made to the foundation. The estimated cost of this survey is :.,6,000,00 to ./7,500.00 plus travel expense. As this price covers approximately six or seven plants, it is reasonable to asswie that the cost would be A,000.00 per plant, plus traveling expense for this survey. The Committee decided that the preliminary survey on Asbestosis-Cancer should take preference over the dust survey proposal. Minutes of Air Hygiene Committee Page 3 #3. FIBRE COHDITIONIi'G DISCUSSION This discussion was divided into 2 parts; 1* Methods 2. Health There are several different methods of apraying being used throughout the industry, such as the Spencer-Feed Oiler, Spray-Heads used under pressure, such types as Sprayco, Monarch, etc# The Spencer type, of which each member at tending, was given a blue print, is the type in which there is a brush mounted above the stock, which causes drops of oil to drop onto the stock as it passes below the spraying 'stack This type seems to be the best installation possible, due to the fact, first it is totally enclosed and second, it is comparatively trouble free# In both of the above mentioned types of spraying methods a mineral based conditioning oil is used. This oil may be purchased from any of the large oil company's, such as Sun Oil, Esso and Gull:. This Spencer type oiler is now being used by the Garlock Packing Company and has been in use for sixteen years and the brush has only been replaced once. They are now using Gulf Oil USSl and Sun Oil #538. This system according' to iir. Houghton, Superintendent, is very satisfactory and above all never clogs up# Concerning the second problem of spraying with oils, namely health, we have determined to date that the type of mineral oil used by most members of the Institute is comparatively harmless. This determination has been made after contacting several Research Departments of the major oil companies, also through medical opinions from diversified sources. However, Hugh Jackson will bring us further information on the toxic qualities of mineral oils only, as this is the usual type of oil used in fibre conditioning in our industry# Some time ago it was suggested that someone make a trial, such as spraying short fibres on weekends, when these fibres are being cleaned and then adding this sprayed material to the mixings throughout the production period# Some of us will attempt to try this method sometime during the next few months# In the discussion of the use of oils as a apray, the humidity factor was discussed, iir# Houghton advised that at Garlock they spray their stock regardless of the humidity. He states that they can run normally with $$% relative humidity at the Spinners and Cards without apparent trouble# GENERAL INFORMATION Mr, Houghton of Garlock, reports that in their Weave Room, they have dust counts ranging from 1 to 3 million particles per cubic foot# Card Room counts range from 3 to 5 million. Their dust control system at the looms consist of a tubular section built into the top of the reed with slots along the reed length for air and dust intake# The air is removed by the use of flexible tubing at the ends of the reed# These flexible hoses can be lifted out of the x:ay when it is necessary, Iir, Houghton reports that prior to the installation of this dust removal system on their loom, they had counts in their V/eave Room up to 9 million particles per cubic foot# Minutes of Air Hygiene Committee Page U NEXT MEETING AGENDA 1, Continue discussion of the uses of oil in the conditioning of fibres, 2, Review of proposal of the Industrial Hygiene Foundation regarding Asbestosis and Cancer, 3, Review the proposal from the I.H.F. Environmental Dust Survey, U. Report on general improvements and the elimination of dust by whatever means PROPOSAL ACCEPTED BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS: At the Board of Governors1 Meeting, March 7, 1956, an approval was given to the Air Hygiene Committee for the preliminary fact-finding survey on the study' of Asbestosis-Cancer relationship in conjunction with the Q.A.M.A. survey. This authorization was given with the understanding that the cost of this survey would not exceed A,000,00 including traveling expenses. This survey would be made by the Industrial Hygiene Foundation at Pittsburgh, Pa. The Chairman and Mr, H. M, Jackson will contact Dr, Wolmer at the Industrial Hygiene Foundation in Pittsburgh, in order to expedite the receipt of a proposal from them as soon as possible. D, R, Holmes Chairman Air Hygiene Committee Asbestos Textile Institute