Document oDg66GBEyjNnRL0ddk4RyQ9Q7

FILE NAME: Garlock (GAR) DATE: 1945 Jan 16 DOC#: GAR003 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Insurance Co. from Doctor RE Vera Clemons con MF KORRIiJ J. KC'JKO'/ I T Z , D . Rochester 7, N. Y. January 16 , 19 U5 5 PLAINTIFF'S f EXHIBIT 1 (Anerioan) Lumbermen1s Mutual Casualty Co. of Illinois 918 Reynolds Arcade Building Roohester, N. Y, Re: Vera Clemons. Deceased, Palmyra, N. Y. vs: Oarlock Packing Company, Palmyra, N. Y. Gentlemen: This h2 year-old, married woman entered the employ of the Oarlock Company on May 20, 1918 and worked there steadily until July 3 , 1928 in the $ertilf room, operating a loom and a oreel. She then returned to the same kind of work on September 17, 1928 and worked through June 29, 1929. She was then married and left the company's employ. She had three ohlldren. During her married life she Is said to have gained weight and to have had some shortness of breath. On December 3 , 19U2 she again went to work for the Gaslock Company, In the same depart ment, and worked steadily until November 2$, 19^3. On this last date, she resigned "without any explanation". On April 8, 19*0, he was seen by Dr. Marsh of Palmyra, N. Y.; at this time she complained.of.pain In the ohest, shortness of breath and oough. On May 15, 19*0 her chest was x-rayed by.the State Department of Health Ciinio at Newark, N. Y. These films were examined by Drs. J. H. Green, E. 0. Whipple, John MacMillan and me. Dr. Green reports on them as follows: There la infiltration involving the larger part of the right lung. The shadows are muoh denser near the hllum. There Is a dense shadow in the left lung near the hllum. The two dense shadows largely obscure the heart shadow. No accurate measurements of the heart can be given. The leaves of the diaphragm are quite high. The right leaf of the dlaphragn lies above the oth posterlpr rib and the left leaf lies Just below the 8th posterior rib. There are some areas of decreased density in the lungs, suggesting emphysema". t On June 5, 19*0, he was again x-rayed by the State Department of Health, tide time at Palmyra, N. Y. This film shows "changes similar to those described in the film of May 15, 19*0 The dense shadows extending out near each.hllum obsoure the heart shadow. There Is in filtration involving the larger part of the right lung. The leaves of the diaphragm are high". The diagnosis, made by the State Department of Health on the above two films, was "pulmonary fibrosis". On or about September 26, 19^**, the patient was sent into the Genesee Hospital of Roohester, by Dr. Marsh; here, she was attended by Dr. d e p o s it io n e x h ib it (1 Vera Cler'-ns v, Garlock Tacking Company Pape 2 'tin 3, i ehr.cn. <e' tcr.l>er ?7, 101-!, a:v ther film van taken the k' r' 'tal. Thin showed "lnflltratlc-n cf the , an described t.`e t'T rev lour. films. TIn ad U t '.or., there l.n run'thorax pocket in the rim 1rural r'c.ce extendi nr long the axlllbry border and over the p.per, causing approximately 75/' or 3^ / re nr Ion of the lung. The h.enrt in apparently shifted slightly toward the left nlde. In addition to the Infiltration described in both lungs in the previous film% there is a slight increase in the linear nar^ngs in the left lung, from the clavicle to the base". Trie patient diid at the hospital on September ?9, 19 Autopsy van done by Dr. k. Pogoff, the hospital pathologist. He 'ill forward a complete report of his findings, both gross and micro scopic. Trie autopsy material was reviewed by Drn. `./hippie, MacMillan and me. It establishes the conclusion that the patient died "as a renult of pneumothorax. This pneumothorax wan associated with extensive 'Milmonary flbrosia, with emphyseumatous blebs and emphysema. Sections rf the lungs confirm the diagnosis cf pulmonary fibrosis, resulting from prolonged contact with asbestos". It is Or. Popoff.s opinion that the asbestenis was "of lonr duration". The advisability of making a chemical examination cf the ashed lung was taken up with Or. Ieroy U, Gardner of the Edward L. Trudeau Founda tion at Oaranac lake, H. Y. He wrote me: "I would much rather rely.cn a histological examination of large blocks of lung tissue made by a competent pathologist than I would expect results from chemical data. At best, the latter in only supporting evidence of any morphological changes that may be present. We have done it on a good many lungs that have proved to have asbestesis, but all one can do io to demon strate that there nay be abnormal quantities of magnesium. The sili cates that.are detected might readily be due to other inhaled materials", bn the basis rf the above, it was not thought necessary to have the lung ashed. Conclusion: It la my opinion, in whioh Dra. Popoff, KaoMillan and Whipple tell ne they concur, that this woman died of a pneumothorax, associated with pulmonary fibrosis and asbestdsis; that this process began at some tine after she first v/ent to work for the Garlook Packing Company and steadily progressed; that she was, clinically, an advanced case of asbestosls when she returned to work for the Garloek Company In December 1 9 1'?, and that the process would undoubtedly have gone on to a fatal termination even if 3he had not worked during the period from December 19^2 to November 19/l3* Very truly yours, TG Enc /s/ h. J. Hoskovlts, h. D. /t/ . J . o--1vz, d.