Document dQ1aBvQLLnEgonk712YQxozvB

O ~W E r* S **'! V* ai I iJ *i ' sl .ty k L* *>\':" .**_ r*. !? '` 0 T. _ ' iHTlCU OF Mr n=d-:r ::cal CE-rr S. ..errlin. New Tori: FRO!' A. F. Shannon, Granville SUBJECT ASBESTOS IN TS2 L0IIG3 ,V.~i<!'i!0 !if"! i* 4f w<* arch 17.- 1967 /c 87 C: Mr. F. 2. 3dxards, Toledo Mr. M. Iardwick, Berlin Mr. J. McZvoy,, Granville Mr. -J, M. Overman* Toledo Mr. J. Rhoads, Berlin Mr. 1. X. 3adovskyt New Yoric Mr. W. C. Taylor,. Toledo Central Files Attached is a copy of an article appearing in the March i issue of `'nature". It discusses cancer tumour associated with asbestos dust contamination. The most important fact this article brings out is only the dust from blue asbestos (crocidolite] has been definitely implicated as carcinogenic. We do not use crocidolite (blue asbesuos) in the manufacture of ICaylo. (? f / y ?-F3/ris Attachment ... . onannan PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT oms-o* 01 029 0406 XKW SCIENTIST* MAUC.11 m: 4-53 A DA&GEROUS S n spcctivc, it is worth bearing in mind that 25 000 cases of carcinoma of the King-- largely due to smoking--arc diagnosed in Donald Gouid this country every year. r; But despite these reservations, the fact ~ docs remain that a large number of people *eat increase in the use of asbestos, together arc still being exposed to a known hazard. The dockers who handle the raw material w.ch new knowledge concerning its toxicity, make > arc one class at special risk. Up until the need for stringent controls an urgent matter ' recently, asbestos has been imported in hessian bags, so that dust was spread about freely in the process of unloading it from ships and getting it to the London dock.cn> arc becoming increas ingly agitated over the risks they may be running when they handle cargoes of asbestos. They are principally concerned about the proven association between the inhalation of asbestos dust and the development of a mesothelioma. This is a cancer which airects the pleura. Dr Lawrcnce-Smith, the Port of London Authority's Principal Medical Ofliccr, maintains that nowadays asbestos cargoes are invariably packed and handled per fectly safely. There is "no unacceptable risk to dockers", he says. But an examina tion of the present situation suggests that a known threat to life is not being treated cigarettes, and it is now accepted that asbestosis also predisposes to this condi tion. Finally, Dr Christopher Wagner, a South African working with the MRC Pneumoconiosis Research Unit at Pcnarth in Glamorganshire, discovered an unduly large number of patients with the rare mesothelioma among people working on or living near the asbestos fields of Cape Province. Subsequently Dr Molly Ncwhousc of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and also workers in Belfast and Newcastle, have investi gated patients with mesothelioma admitted to hospitals in this country, and factories. Now new packagings are largely employed, either of plastic or thick, dustproof paper. These make for safe hand ling so long as they are treated properly. Unfortunately the dockers, who are inclined to complain most loudly, are in some ways their own worst enemies. No plastic or paper sack will stand up to the traditional dockers' hook. To reduce the risk to a minimum, it is desirable that the containers should be moved so far as is possible by mechanical means. Here again, dockers resist such innovations, fearing that their livelihood will be threat ened. They are also reluctant to wear the masks that could protect them when with the vigour and urgency it deserves. have found that a high proportion had bags are pierced. Attempts are being made Asbestos is the name given to a group been exposed to asbestos at soruc time or to design double-skinned bags, with a of fibrous silicates, of which four- other in their lives. space between the inner and outer skins, varieties are imported into Britain. These are chrysotilc, crocidolite, amosite and hophyilite. Chrysotilc forms the great There are thus three distinct conditions associated with the inhalation of asbestos dust, but of the three, mesothelioma is in the hope of reducing hook damage. Outside the docks, a very special risk is suffered by workers using asbestos of ail the asbestos used comincr- perhaps the most disturbing. There are sprays, but enlightened employers, such .y. the world production figure? two reasons for this. In the first place it as the Royal Navy, are abandoning these exceeding three million tons per year. can arise after only a brief exposure. Its pernicious devices, and it is to be hoped Crocidolite. or blue asbestos, is the next occurrence in a patient who had been . that they will soon be totally prohibited. commonest type, and the one most clearly associated with mesothelioma, but the annual production amounts to only about 150 000 tons, of which 7 500 tons are exposed to the auiTToromy three months has been established, but some authorities believe that a single, brief, heavy exposure might be sufficient, and nobody is in a Laggers are also in the high risk group, since they have to subject the material to heavy manipulation, often within a closely confined space. It is unlikely that imported into this country. It is believed position to deny this possibility. Secondly, manufactured products containing asbes that amosite and anihophyilite are less there is a very long time lag between the tos present any health hazard, so long as dangerous in this context. original exposure and the clinical appear they are left comparatively undisturbed. The fact that inhalation of asbestos ance of the cancer. This averages between In particular, a New York study has dust may damage the lungs has been 30 and 40 years. Such a lag adds very shown that asbestos brake linings do not known since the beginning of the century. considerably to the difficulty of reaching release dust into the atmosphere. But to Long exposure may give rise to asbes- sure conclusions concerning cause and avoid complacency it is as well to remem tosis. The dust particles stimulate the effect. The use of asbestos has increased ber the case of a docker's wife, reported proliferation of fibroblasts and finally very rapidly over the past half century, by Dr Ncwhouse, who died of mesothe the whole of the lungs may become and today, in this country, there arc over lioma, and whose only contact with scarred so that the exchange of gases 20000 people working on or with the asbestos had resulted from washing her between the air and the blood is impeded. material. It is thus conceivable that a husband's overalls. Once the risk was known, the Govern large crop of mesotheliomas could arise A fortnight ago the Minister of Labour ment took action, and in 1931, a mere within the next few years among workers announced that new asbestos regulations 25 years after the danger had been who had inhaled the dust while working are being considered, having a far wider spotted, the Asbestos Regulations were under poor conditions, before the meso application than those at present in force, promulgated. These laid down rules thelioma risk was recognized. but he could not say when they might be aimed at reducing the amount of This possibility is. admittedly, pure promulgated. A great deal of work has asbestos dust in factories, and also called conjecture, and it should be bnrne^n mind been done on the problem, both within for the regular medical examination of that mesothelioma is still a rare disease. the industry and outside it. If a great deal -tain asbestos workers. They have Only 250 eases related to exposure have remains to be discovered, much is already ctivcly reduced the incidence of been recorded in the United Kingdom, known, and it docs seem that' there is a icstusis, but even now some 50-60 fresh and the world total amounts to no more firm case for imposing effective interim ses are reported every year. than some 500 cases. On the other hand, measures of control, rather than waiting Then, 14 years ago. Dr Richard Doll it is only recently that dose attention until the entire picture is clear. We arc demonstrated that the incidence of has been paid to the problem, and then constantly producing new man-made chial carcinoma was higher among only by specialists at certain centres. It is poisons. We should have a greater sense slos Workers than it ought to iiave therefore inevitable ili.it an unknown of urgency concerning the need to keep ). Bronchial carcinoma is the same number of eases iiave escaped detection. them under control. - of cancer as that produced by Nevertheless, lo put the mailer in per- Donald Gould is editor of .New Sarntui A ffiA c? n to