Document aJB1QBM3wjj3RYjEoOaaB70pa

15 November 1978 Medical Department Charles H.Hine.M.D. Medical Director D. H. Soutar, New York Office Re: Attendance at Up-Date on Asbestos-1978. I attended the meeting on 9-10 November at Tulane in New Orleans regarding the Up-date on Asbestos-1978, Asbestos Plant Physician's Conference.. A copy of the program is attached. There were three items especially important to our program.. The first was the historical review regard ing asbestos-associated diseases given by Dr. Enterline of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. His group did an in-depth literature search under AIA contract in order to document when the concept of asbes tos contributing to lung cancer became a medically accepted fact. This is of importance of course in the general dis cussion of what industry should have known regarding the health effects of asbestos and what should have been done. It is clearly established that 1964 seemed to be the break after which there was no doubt but that this product could give rise to malignancies. This work will be published at a future date and will be an important document in defense of future cases which ASARCO and other members of the as bestos association may have filed against them. Dr. Hilton Lewinsohn, who is medical officer for Raybestos*rManhattan Incorporated, presented a program which is very similar to ours except that it requires perhaps even more "paper work and documentation. The only difference is that Lewinsohn has a pulmonary disease specialist come to the plant and examine the men even in some of the plants where he has a plant physician. They use slightly different forms which are signed by the men documenting that they have been informed of their medical status. We may wish to look at these and I.will send them to Mr. Karl for his comments. The third item, a talk by Dr. Paul Kotin who is Vice President of Medical Affairs for Johns-Manville, was a very excellent summary of the philosophy he has developed regarding medical responsibilities for the maintenance of health among their employees and the suggestions regarding what must be done in order to control customer exposure and environmental contam ination. ASARCO Incorporated 7604 Rincon Annex, San Francisco.Cafifomia 94120 357 Tehama Street (415)777-2210 ' . ASARCO ALV 000091S r Mr. Soutar Re: Asbestos Conference 15 November 1978, Page Two. Dr. M. C. Edds from the Van Buren . plant and Dr. John Haynes, our plant physician at Ragland were in attendance and I reviewed our present programs at some length. . The Ragland program is going along very well. There are some problems at Van Buren apparently because of communications. Dr. Edds does not understand exactly what he should be doing. I explained what it was we wanted and this is now corrected. We will come in compliance with the medical requirements of OSHA regarding the asbestos-exposed persons in a short time. This was a relatively small meeting with only 30 persons in attendance including Dr. Lambert of the Thetford Mines Con sortium. All in all the time expended was worth the effort. The time was a little short and they could have done more in a workshop basis. I presume they will up-date this in another several years. Incidentally, in the class action suit which has been brought against different asbestos manufacturers in California, ASARCO was not enjoined. CHHikms cc : MJMessel KWNelson MOVarner C. H. -Hine ! ASARCO ALV 0000916