Document a4zv6DY718V723a6kexJQEjYR

ut v.. o. oisr.op The Saranac Laboratory For lh. Study of TubtrCHlttit, Occupation,I Ditmi, ind Industrial Hygiene founded by CSWAID LfVINCITON TlUOlnU in I8JJ 7 CHUtCH Sr, Saiahac Lam. New You >r P. O. > 5*1 Reference* February 6, 1956 LiWntiry 113 OlrMUr MO fir. >i.D. Burch Director of Personnel and Industrial r.elaticna Owens-Coming Fibcr^las Corporation P.0. Box 901 Toledo, Ohio Dear Itr. Burch: PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT DOW-1084 Cn the occasion of their recent visit here to inspect oar progress vlth the study on the pathogenicity of fiberglas, Dr. Bishop and Nr. Black aeationed to me that tills research project falls under year general supervision. To facilitate your task of explaining to lay personnel, who wight be interested In the results of our experiments. Just Wiat a product' like fiberglas nay be capable of doing to nan, herewith a few prelimin ary comments. Please do not hesitate to call for further elucidation, as need arises. 1 will do ay beet to infora you fully about .what we. already know and will not hesitate to tell you directly where the Unite of our own and also other researches' Iledtatione'lls. Tcu nay have dif ficulty with puhllshed statements too. Please feel free to consult'ne at ..' * any tine about such natters if you believe 1 can be of help tq you.,:L- Firstly, the following is the status of our current experimentation on fiberglass < .' Product Studied Method Type and Munber of Animals Used Stage Beached Fiberglas with Intratracheal Guinea pigs 10 Completed at Calcium Sulphate filler 12 months Chemical and Histological Studies in Progress Hats Babbits 10 5 ua Flberslas with Calciun Carbciiile filler Guinea pigs 10 iiats 11 Babbits 7 an ii n n n it (.continued on p_;;o 2) Tle mivitii'rv T/ie Sarane* L^bu'aiiirv. a nmi pmfiili Kolfurr 01 501 1308 lllie Edmonon Low .if N<" T'"1 Page 2 .ip_ i'l.D. Burch Owena-Corning Fiberglas Corporation February 6, 1956 Product Studied f Resin only Method Type and fhuaber of Animal Used Stage Reached Intratracheal Guinea pigs 9 CCoopleted at 12 months Chenical and Kistological Studies in Progress Rats 11 )" "- ) Glass fitters only Rabbits 5 Intravenous Rabbits 5 Intratracheal Guinea pigs 10 Fiberglas with Calciua ulphafee Tiller Subcutaneous Inhalation Rats 10 Rabbits < * Rats 5 Guinea pigs 60 Hodifled axrf. "* Terminated at 15 months Rata 16 Terminated and Modified at 15 months Fiberglas with Calciiua^Suljhate.-erBerylliun Phosphor Fiberglas with Calciua Sulphate 2l Tuberculosis " Rabbits Rats 9 Terminated at"*nnn"B 9 months 10 In progress " * " * * " " Guinea pigs 26 Terminated at * " 0 14 M 9 months Reactivation of Tuberculosis " by Fiberglas Guinea pigs 27 * * " "" Control Tuberculosis only Fiberglas with Calcium Carbonate filler Inhalation 13 60 In progress 15 months 28 animals autopsied an nn ah it n n u m n (continued on page 3) 01 501 1309 fc 3 Hi'.'ii.D. Burch Owens-Coming Flberglaa Corporation February 6, 1956 Product Studied Method Type and Hiaber of /uilnalt Used Stage Hatched ) Flberglaa with Calcium Inhalation Carbonate filler Hats 24 In progreaa 15 aorztha 16 animals outopoiad Chemical and Uistological Studies in Progreaa Rabbits 9 In progress 15 months 7 animals autopaied 5 Flberglaa. (excessive cancentratiana) Guinea pigs 7 In progreaa 15 months i Flberglaa with Calcium Carbonate filler Beryl lium Phosphor Eats 6 In progress 15 oontha 1 Flberglaa + &i Tubercle Guinea pigs 24 17 autopeiod " * * " " 1 aetlTatlon of Tubercttlosla bf Flberglaa a *2618 * anaaa Rl Tubercle Control 34 16 ) Flakeglaa Ocular Rabbits Instillation 2 Completed l Cutaneous Rabbits contact in friction Intratracheal Guinea pigs 1C In progress * Rabbits 5 " " " Rata 8" u Intravenous Rabbits 5" " I believe the foregoing list will show you what a conprehenoive range of tests we are lacking to aocertain in what way and to what degree fiber-- glas or any of its components is harmful, if indeed it causes any damage tc animal tissues, aven so, we believe several additional studies v;ould be required. As there has been appreciable discrepancy between the results obtained on guinea pigs, rats and rabbits it is moat essential that we study the ex'fccts of the product on monkeys as well so that wo may know whether the human species will react adversely sr favorably to inhalation cf tne uuet. 01 501 1310 Pago U Hr. H.D. JXireh Owens-Coming Fiberglaa Corporation Pebruar7 6, 1956 It in imperative also that we determine how rapidly and completely fiberglaa dust is eliminated frar. anInal tissues and whether, if it is expelled after dust exposure las stopped, this is accompanied 67 reversal of those tissue reactions we have, already observed. Ho doubt you will readily perceive the nadico-legal 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 un favorable results sometimes ensued during the third year of exposuro while, they retained in abeyance previously. 1 fourth avenue yet to be explored more satisfactorily would be a .study on the capacity of the fiberglaa to induce lung cancer. There is so much propaganda over the Issue of lung cancer today that one oannot omit tills 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 fibers, a property it ,, shares with the flberglas. Various polyester resins have already been incriminated as carcinogens so that one must remain cautious about the flberglas resin until It has been cleared. Finally, in view of the evidence we already have that the flberglas dust facilitates the development of tuberculosis, this study should be expended to include the third super-imposition- phase of the tubercle study, 'i.o.,to determine whether prior expoeuro to the dust will stimulate tuber culosis. .Reference to the foregoing tabulation reveals that we have already instituted the Investigation an the simultaneous phase and the reactivation phase. Such a large proportion of our rabbits died in the dust roam that we believe the studies an the.T should be repeated. Deaths nay have been due to an intercurrent epizootic and not due to the flberglas 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 e are inclined to believe the rabbits died of causes other than the dust, but unless we can repost this phase of the study, the record will remain unfavorable. I lock forviard to meeting you at sane time in the not too distant future end hope the foregoing iru'omstion will be of some value to you meanwhile. '."ours sincerely. GVHSsmem G.V.H. oahepers, M.D., D.oc. Director 01 501 1311