Document a1zjzyo531Xm9zJG097zdy1YY
FILE NAME Corning OC
DATE 1956 Feb 6
DOC OC015
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Report from Saranac Laboratory RE Effects of Fiberglas on Humans
@a
THE SARANAC LABORATORY
For the Study of Tuberculosia Occupational Disessa end Industrial Hygiene
Founded by Edward Livingston Trudeau in 1885
7 CHURCH ST Saranac Lake New YorK
P.O. Box 51 Reference
February 6 1956
Mr. M.D. Burch
Director of Personnel and Industrial
Corning Fiberglas Corporation
P.O. Bax 901
Toledo Ohio
Relations
Telephone Laboratory 13
Director
580
Dear Hr Burch
On the occasion of their recent visit here to
with the study on the pathogenicity of fiberglas Mr. Black mentioned to me that this research
inspect our progress Dr. Bishop and
general supervision
project falls under your
be To facilitate your task of explaining to lay personnel who might
interested in the results of our
experiments just
like fiberglas to you fully about what may capablme an herewith a few prelimin-
ary comments Please do nothesitate to call for further elucidation
as need arises I will do my best to inform
already
know
and will not
hesitate
to
tell
you directly
where
the
we
limits
of our own and also other researches limitations lie You
ficulty with published statements
You may hhaavvee ddiiff--
any time about
too Please feel free to consult me at
such matters
if you believe I can be of help to you
Firstly the following is the status of our current
on fiberglas
experimentation
Product Studied
Method
Type and Number
of Animals Used Stage Reached
Fiberglas with Calcium Sulphate filler
Intratracheal
Guinea pigs
10 Completed at
12 months
,
12
t
Hats
10
--flt
+@&
w
Chemical and Histo-
logical Studies in Progress
a
es
6
8
on
3
21
4 Fiberglas with
Calcium Carbonate filler
a
5
10
a
tt
tt
11
"
It
tt
tt
1
It
It
Rabbits
S
ef
41
nw
8
Guinea pigs 10 11
Rats
11
=
a
-
E
Tg
;
It
tt
EF
=
=
Rabbits
7
A continued on page 2
01 501 o
The objectives of The Sarence Leboresory a profit organization
organization incorporeted under the Education Law of New Research Consultation and Education
1573
PLAINTIFF'S
EXHIBIT
OCF
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Page 2
Mr. M.D. Burch
Corning Fiberglas Corporation
February 6 1956
Product Studied
7 Resin only
00
=
ci
0
=
tt tt
a
Ba]
11 Glass fibers only
R
a
11
&
15 #t R Fiberglas with Calcium
Sulphate filler
yD 16
Hethod
Type and Number
of Animals Used
Stage Reached
Intratracheal Guinea pigs 9
--
Rats
11
Completed at
12 months
a
@
st
=
Chemical and Histological Studies in
Progress
,
11
Rabbits
S
... a
#
4
=
Intravenous Rabbits
S
It
It
=
%
a
8
Intratracheal Guinea pigs 10
a
##
Rats
10
te tf w a
tt
Rabbits
S
>
13
8
a
14
Subcutaneous Rats
5
a
Inhalation
Guinea pigs 60
R 5 sf
a
Rats
16
Rabbits
9 TerminatedTerminatedTerminated at
Fiberglas with Calcium Sul- --
phate + Beryllium Phosphor
Fiberglas with Calcium Sul-
phate + R Tuberculosis
Reactivation
Reactivation of Tuberculosis 11 by Fiberglas
Rats
10
Guinea pigs 26
Guinea pigs 27
Terminaatted
9 months
e
@
a
a
at
Control Tuberculosis only
13 11
tt
a
@
t
"
Fiberglas with Calcium
Carbonate filler
Inhalation
tt
11
60
continued on page 3
01 501 1574
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2)
Page 3
Mr. M.D. Burch
Corning Fiberglas Corporation
February 6 , 1956
Product Studied
23 Fiberglas with Calcium
Carbonate filler
Method
Inhalation
25 Fiberglas excessive concentrations
Fiberglas with Calcium
Carbonate filler + Beryl-
lium Phosphor
Fiberglas + E Tubercle
Reactivation of Tubercu-
losis by Fiberglas
29 R1 Tubercle Control
Flakeglas
.Ocular Instillation
Type and Number of Animals Used
Stage Reached
Rate
24 In progress 15 months 16 animals
autopsied
Chemical and Histo-
logical Studies in Progress
Rabbits
9 In progress 15 months 7 animals
autopsied
Guinea pigs
7 In progress 15 months
Rats
6 In progress .15 months
Guinea pigs 24 17 autopsied
#
it
26 18
fi
e
a
Rabbits
34 16
8
2 Completed
Cutaneous contact infriction
Rabbits
2
Ss
Intratracheal Guinea pigs 10 In progress
33
Rabbits
S
11
R
Rats
8
#
e
35
Intravenous
Rabbits
5
I believe the foregoing list will show you what a comprehensive
of
tests we are making to ascertain in what way and to what degree rfainbgeer-
glas or any of its components is harmful if indeed it it causes
to animal tissues Even so we believe several
additional
any damage
additional studies would be required
As there has been appreciable discrepancy between the
is most results obtained on guinea pigs rats and rabbits it
essential
*
so that we study the effects of the produpct roduct on monkeys as well that we
to mayknow whether the human species will react adversely or favorably
immiation immiation of
the dust
_
01 501 1575
PARTIAL VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION
Page 4
Mr. M.D.
Burch
Corning Fiberglas
Corporation
February 6 1956
It is imperative also that we determine how rapidly and completely fiberglas dust is eliminated from animal tissue and whether if it is
expelled after dust exposure has stopped this is accompanied by reversal of those tissue reactions we have already observed No doubt
you will readily perceive the medico importance of such
information We should also prolong the exposures for at least another
year In the case of our earlier glass wool asbestos and talc studies
we showed that unfavorable results sometimes ensued during the year of exposure while they remained in abeyance previously
third
A fourth avenue yet to be explored more satisfactorily would be a
study on the capacity of the fiberglas to induce lung cancer There is
so much propaganda over omit this study either
the issue of to clear the
lung cancer today that one cannot product of all potential blame or
to discover in time whether it holds such a danger I suppose you
already
and the
know that asbestos is fairly well incriminated as a asbestos causes lung damage by virtue of the length
carcinogen
of its
fibers a property it shares with the resins have already been incriminated
fiberglas Various polyester as carcinogens so that one must
remain cautious about the fiberglas resin until is has been cleared
Finally in view of the evidence we already have that the
fiberglas dust facilitates the development of tuberculosis this study should be expanded to include the third superimposition phase of the
tubercle study i.e. to determine whether prior exposure to the dust
will stimulate tuberculosis Reference to the foregoing tabulation
reveals that we have already instituted the investigation on the
simultaneous phase and of our rabbits died in
the the
reactivation phase Such dust room that we believe
a large proportion
the studies on
them should be repeated Deaths may have been due to an intercurrent
epizootic and not due to the fiberglas dust If a new set of animals
could be studied the suspicion that the dust may have caused the
deaths of the rabbits would either be verified or rebutted None of
the guinea pigs died spontaneously and we are inclined to believe the
rabbits died of causes other
this phase of the study the
than the dust but record will remain
unless we can
unfavorable
repeat
I look forward future and hope the
meanwhile
to meeting you at some time in the not too distant foregoing information will be of some value to you
Yours sincerely
GWH : mS em
Director
001.tra
313
01 501 1577
4%
Fage 4
Mr. M.D. Burch
Corning Fiberglas Corporation
February 6 1956
It is imperative also that we determine how rapidly and completely
fiberglas dust is eliminated from animal tissues and whether if it is
expelled after dust exposure has stopped this is accompanied by reversal
of those tissue reactions we have already observed No doubt
readily perceive the medico importance of such
you will
; should also prolong the exposures for at least
information We
another year
the
case
of our earlier
and
favorable results sometimes ensued during the
they remained in abeyance previously
third
showed that un-
year ofexposure while while
lung cancer A fourth avenue yet to be explored more
study on the
capacity of the
fiberglas
to
satisfactorily would
induce
be
a
much propaganda over the issue of
There is so
lung cancer today that one cannot omit
this study either to clear the product of all potential blame or to dis-
cover in time whether it holds such a danger I suppose you already know that asbestos is fairly well incriminated as a
carcinogen and the asbestos
causes lung damage by virtue of the length of its
a
it
fibers property shares with the fiberglas
Various polyester resins have already been
incriminated as carcinogens so that one must
cautious
remain about fiberglas resin until it has been cleared
the...
.
s 4
.
Finally in view the evidence we already have that the fiberglas dust facilitates the development of tuberculosis, this study should be
I I
expanded to include the third already i.e. to determine whether
superimposition phase of the tubercle study
prior exposure to the dust will stimulate tuber-
culosis Reference to the foregoing tabulation reveals that we have
instituted the investigation on the simultaneous phase and the reactivation
of w pehabseelieSveucthhea large proportion our rabbits died in the dust room that
studies on them should be repeated Deaths may have been
due to an intercurrent epizootic and not due to the fiberglas dust If a
new set of animals could be studied , the suspicion that the dust
have
caused the deaths of the rabbits would either be verified
may
believe None of the guinea pigs died spontaneously and we are inclionredretboutted
the rabbits died of causes other than the dust
-
this phase of the study the record will remain, ubnutfauvnolreasbslewe can repeat
I look forward future and hope the meanwhile
to meeting you at some time in the not too distant
foregoing information will be of some value to you
Yours sincerely
Eischepen Eischepen
G.W.H. Schepers M.D. D.Sc.
Director
01 501 1577
223 3
1576