Document bxLV5KO2rgDZkvKe8g3DZ9bo

FILE NAME: Norfolk & Southern - WC Case - Ancel Wheeler (NS) DATE: 1951 Jan 7 DOC#: NS046 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Physician Report J . RUSH SHULL. M.D., F.A. \ SUITE 3 2 3 - 3 3 3 PROFESSIONAL buILDESO CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA COPI January 7 , 1951 - Dr. W. R. Whitman, C hief Surgeon N orfolk and Western Railway Company Roanoke, V irginia Dear Dr. Whitmans Thank you f o r your in q u iry regarding my experience in the prognosis of pulmonary asb e sto sis. I t has been my experience th a t workers in asbestos p la n ts who had a m ild to m oderately advanced a s b e s to s is , showed l i t t l e , i f any, p rogressive involvement in th e lung f ie ld s when removed from the d u st hazard. The m ajo rity of th e p a tie n ts whom I observed over a period of six to eight years returned to othor gainful types of occupation. I am convinced t h a t th e d ise a se i s not p ro g ressiv e, as in co n trast, is s ilic o s is , nor does i t predispose to acid fa s t infection. Follow-up film s on a g re a t number o f my p a tie n ts d id not dem onstrate much c le a rin g i n th e lung f ie ld s although t h e i r v i t a l c a p a c itie s were w ith in a normal range. In every p a tie n t a f f lic te d w ith t h i s dust d ise a se in th e lu n g s, th e x -ra y p ic tu re of th e chest was out of p ro p o rtio n to t h e i r c l i n i c a l symptoms. I am enclosing one o f my o rig in a l r e p r in ts fo r your f i l e s . Sincerely yours, / s / J . Rush S hull J . Rush S h u ll, li. Di JnS/ch