Document mBk929451pZXLzEO3ZmYQ98dk

Canadian ZFuberculosis Jssociation r Pnndtm* HfB CxeClOXMer tmc RIOMT MCMOUKABLC TmC Ca*L or ATMkOMt K.Q. Oovcbmob Bencbal or Canada Pnadmt- UT^COu J. A. CCUiULARO. -*_ M.O, urn. u-DLA PATMIC. PLAZA BUILOINO OTTAWA CANADA Tmc libutcmamt-oqvciinobb or **j. thc Raevtwecs MfMrn Taww< C- A. ETtHCHE. OTTAWA. DMT. twnti'w fcnw>>. B. U. WHCHRCTT. tea. MJXJ. C. L. RUDDY. TO*ONTO. BMT. August 22, 1944. Dr. G.D. Wheatley, Assistant Hedicel Director, lTetropoliten .Life Insurance Company, Dew York City, U.S.A. m '* t Dear Dr. Wheatley I have your letter of August 4th and was quite interested to know that you are going to Tisit the Province of Quebec during the week of September 11th with reference to the problem of tuberculosis in Thetford Dines. It would be very fine if you could call on the officials of the Department of Heelth and Public Welfare in Quebec City, particularly Dr. A.R. Poley, Provincial Epidemiologist, and of course, the Deputy Minister, Dr. jean Gregoire. The Provincial Committee for the Preven tion of Tuberculosis also has its headc.uarters in Quebec City. The Secretary is Dr. Georges Gregoire and the Organizer is llr. Jean-Darie Turgeon. It might be a very opportune time to suggest a survey in the Thetford Dines area and I am sure you would find the Provincial Depart ment of Health and the Provincial Tuberculosis Committee very co operative . Yqi sincerely. GJW/S *y f Rricutive Secretary. c Dr. Wheatley Assistant Medical Director la fie? Tuberculosis Mortality la Thetford Mines letter Thank yea for the chance to read Dr. Gardner's interesting There is evidence enough in the facts at hand of a bad situation as regards tuberculosis in Thetford Mines. I should think that crude death rates of 259 and 500 per 100,000 in the general popula- , tion in years as recent as 1941 and 1942 would be warrant enough for any group interested in public health to sake a Boat intensive study of the causes behind it. A study of the death rates by sex and age covering a period sufficiently long to produce significant death rates vould give e very good indication of whether or not asbestos was involved. Relatively high death rates anong adult sales associated with average or only slightly above average death rates for children and for women, would point to asbestos as a likely cause, inasauch as it is apparent that a large percentage of adult sales are employed by the asbestos sines and sills. On the other hand, relatively high rates fros the disease for all classes of the population would indicate that asbestos had little to do with the situation. It would be well to determine about what propor tion of the adult sales were employed by the asbestos mines end mills. I suggest that you try to secure fros Dr. Parrot or from some other agency, separately for each of the following classes, death rates for the age periods given on his table covering sales in the Province of Quebec, or, if available by five year age periods up to 65. Males and^Yemales of the Dominion Males and&'esales 0f the Province of Quebec Thetford Mines in 1942, It vould be well to have the statistics coyer as many years as is practicable so as to avoid nnctuations^ue*tbr^al exposures at th various ages In each sex. July 51, 1944. 7/6 Occupational Ratings