Document a480MydZwkX34OLej4RzXgVpe

FILE NAME: Asten Hill (AH) DATE: 1956 June 4 DOC#: AH023 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF THE ASBESTOS TEXTILE INSTITUTE AIR HXGIENE COMMITTEE MEETING June It, 1956 HI ATTENDANCE WERE: D. R. Holmes Ralph Smith, General Asbestos Dr. Kenneth Smith, Johns-Kanville I-ir. George Griswold, Southern Asbestos MORNING SESSION 1 The first item on the agenda was the discussion of Asbestosis and Cancer in relation to the Taylor case at Lancaster, Pa., in which a state referee decided the case in favor of the employee on the basis of finding an Asbestosis-Cancer relationship. This decision was made by the referee on the basis of writings by Dr, Hueper of the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. It is Dr, Kenneth Smith's opinion that most medical men consider that a normal X-Ray pattern must be shown in order to establish an Asbestosis-Cancer relationship* Prior to this meeting a memorandum was received from Industrial Hygiene Foundation entitled PROPOSED EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF LUNG CANCER IN ASBESTOS UCEUCERS FOR THE ASBESTOS TEXTILE INSTITUTE. There are two questions raised in reference to this memorandum - 1. Whether there is a relation between Cancer and Asbestosis, and 2. Whether a relationship exists between Lung Cancer and considerable exposure to asbestos fibres and dust. There are about 2,000 workers in this industry whose employment records could be a basis for such a survey. During the weeks of April 23rd and Ha y 7th, visits were made to seven plants of the Asbestos Textile Institute. Conferences were held with representatives of management from each plant. The purpose of this visit was to determine the extent of availability of medical records and employ ment records in a period of time covered by them, Each plant was questioned Regarding the number of known cases of Asbestosis and Lung Cancer, if any. The I.H.F, advises that there are at least 1,800 asbestos textile workers employed under observable conditions for periods sufficiently long to get a total T no less than 15,000 person-years. They also advise that this should be an adequate basis on which to predict with 905 accuracy, providing the plant incidence is actually higher than that in the general population. It is anticipated that the field work for such a study would consume ap proximately six months. An analysis of the data and any necessary review in Preparation of the report an additional si:: months. On this basis, cost of the ----- AHD 0002773 ...} Air Hygiene Committee Meeting Page 2 dtudy is estimated at 017,$00.00 including travel and out-of-pocket expenses. The cost of'the initial fact finding survey was 086U.OO, This was slightly less than the 01,000.00 .estimated. It was the desire of the committee that a copy of this memorandum from the I.H.F. be sent to each member of the Air Hygiene Committee along with a letter urging that each member of the committee impress the importance of this program to the Officers of his Company. This has already been done. I had a long discussion with Dr. Kenneth Smith in reference to this program covering the relationship of Asbestosis to Cancer, It is his opinion that it is of primary importance that this program be adopted as soon as possible, so that the I.H.F. could publish the results of this survey along tilth the results from a survey undertaken by them for the Quebec mining association. On May 11, 1956, a letter was received by the Chairman from a Dr, Kenneth H. Lynch, President, of the Medical College of South Carolina. Dr. Lynch is doing seme work in relation to the effect of Asbestos dust on laboratory animals ex posed for prolonged periods in dusting chambers. He is primarily interested in enlisting the aid of the Asbestos Industry in this effort, which for the past eight years has been and is presently being supported by the National Cancer Institute of the O, S. Public Health Service. This letter was discussed at the meeting with Dr. Kenneth Smith, who hae worked along with Dr. Lynch for many years. Dr. Lynch is also doing work for another member of the Institute and has been doing so for some time. Dr, Lynch is performing this work in an effort to clarify the relation of Asbestosis and Cancer of the Lung. It was the opinion of the committee that the Chairman should write Dr, Lynch and thank him for his interest in Industry and its problems, however, advising him that we have other programs being instigated at this time and can Si not, therefore, enter into any programs for the support of his work. . t*t; it< #2 We had a discussion on the Spencer Stock Conditioner. We all agreed that this type of conditioner is probably the best on the market and that it was to operate on small percentages of oil - less than providing the humidity is under control, as Stock will ordinarily not run with more than $0 relative . tumidity, John Weber now has a heavy type bag loader in operation and is very well satisfied with it. It is practically dust free. The next discussion was in reference to the amount of dust in asbestos fibres received from the mines. However, at a later date we should receive ficane figures on these dust percentages and at that time we hope to take the subject up with the raines. We next talked on the Wb.eelobrater Dust Collection system, Ralph Smith ^ d George Griswold related their experiences in the installation and operation of this type unit. As we have said before, the Industry now has several '^eelobrater collectors in operation and to our knowledge all are operating in 4 satisfactory manner. This type of unit is comparatively maintenance free. ____ AHD 000 27 74 Air Hygiene Committee Meeting Page 3 Our next discussion concerned compensation as it is handled in several states. This discussion was informative to each one of us as it jives an opportunity to compare one state system against the other. AGEUDA FOR TOE NEKT MEETING 1 - Continuing the discussion of the memorandum from the I.H.F. on Asbestosis and Cancer, 2 - Continuing the discussion of spraying fibres with oil tilth a view toward the elimination of dust at the source, 3 - Report on general improvements and elimination of dust b y whatever means. D. R, Holmes, Chairman Air Hygiene Committee Asbestos Textile Institute AHD 000277