Document p2gz14ge5pjn1D6qaGzzMvD6j
JK/ED
V . 16th October, 1952*
Ibt Seventh 8ar-- Syapoait-- Sept--her 22nd to 26th 1952.
Eh* Seventh. Saras** Sjrwpoaiua took a* lta sufejoet "the
diaeuesl-- of baalth probla-- pertaining to worker* axpoaod by
inhalation to industrial r&staacea*.
It was attended by error
200 paople end vaa representative of UaiTeraity interest#, research
foundation* of Canada and th* 0.3. , O.S. federal and atata labour
depaxtnenta, tnauraaow istezests and legal authorities. fren
tha Psswooonlocia Bessarab Unit of thokediael Raaaarcb Council
at Cardiff ean* Dr. C. fletehsr and Dr. HuWcn*a. Dr. KJLJu
Kirwattar vaa praaant representing tba British Ministry of Labour.
Therb vara several diatlngudahad indlTiduala firea Canada, South
Afirloa and tha U.S. who attended in their private oapaoltlo* and
a largo group of interested aedloal nan who famed the bulk of the
sail--ow at th* nestings.
On th* first day a aaaalon as devoted to an att--pt by gw-- speaker* to suggest a definition of the tern ps--tocnloala. there saa auoh dlaouaaion on this subject but no manlatty vaa adaiered, and it saa resolved that a --all oanxittee be famed to
att--pt the daflnltixn in a nenner vhloh vould satisfy both legal caid nodical opinion. the lack at an agreed definition did not prevent tha fljnpasiua tran ocntlsulng lta dal fberatlona and each spankrr need the word in bis oaa aanae. to tha average listener pneu--wanted s jelled a disability arising prinarily aa a result of dost inhalation, and char--tarlaed by breethleasresa to a greater r leaser degree.
The pneiawoonioala of ooal adnexa received a shale days ' oonalderation vlth British snd A--rle-- contributor*. Zt was
obrloua that the acre careful studl-- had be-- aada in Britain and that Brltiahv4sa* obtained acre acceptance fren the audience.
Itinera pneuanoontnaia is only slowly achieving nwogiltlon aa -- entity separate fren sillooals in the Q.S. end there axe assy interests gypsen! to the acceptance of this view ever there. Zt saa obvious first the great interest shorn in this subject that it is attracting widespread attention all over the world and that than will be rayerousslons ft-- this aetivity in all pol--xy bat diesee--. Tha large tuber of worker* enployed and the Isolation of --any of the area# of oo*l production enable good cpldofaological studies to be dons.
In JE^Bay work the British have defined new Radiological Standards both aa regards th* queli^r of the fllas end the effiLdanay of the Radiologists who Interpret then. The-- have be-- --da the sdijeots of statistical analysis. finality, has not be-- reached but the --runt at work done has paused -- awakening of interest in the subject and a universal questioning la the adnds of the-- who try and interpret the shadow graph in to--a of physical incapacity or pathological process.
V
Eton the Cardiff Unit c--e -- ixpeort--t study -- puZaonaz7 filiation by Dr. Hugh^anes. Shis work la being p"nnd in tha
U.S. and Canada. One had tha inpreaalon that while auoh work bad
'be-- don* in th* 3tat-- it vaa less oonolusiv* th-- the work don*
hare. This la a line of study with great potentialities but it
4a still cn a research basis. Already, however, in Canada and
thd Q.S. a litigant aay support his oaa* - especially if it is weak
radialoginally cad oh--leal ly, - with a functional report. It was
t
Continued.
n/Tn 'i o-o oT to
2
tt^**4!**1 toy Dr. HugJWcnes that Zoos of fuootico breathlessness ia tbs cardinal oaaplaiat of the ptmienooplotlo and that the fcnotioeal study is aa attenpt to evaluate this toy laatnatwutal
nathoda.
7n Canada ease the first functional studies on nan
exposed for tea years or boss to asbestos dust toy Or. P, Cregoire ear'
the Lavoisier InstitutO/of Montreal.
These sere Inn stairs tout
did. not do acre than relate the obvious truth that a sea vith
tozeathlesaness vhiafa saa truly related to loss of elasticity la
his lungs Cron fibrosis eould toe shorn to hare a poor pulacnaxy
fraction liTtri--ntny. This invasion of the physiologist Into
the pnsaoocBlctio field Is a developaant to be satched vrith
interest.
She siAJeet of pnouuocnlosln end puLsonsry osaoer eas conaliWred froathe angle ef the ohrowate, toerylllm and asbestos
industries. Zt eas sllotsd a days consideration. There saa a ` gstersl statistical revise of this s^Jeet toy Dr. M. Levin of the I.X. State Deparfiawt of Health which eas first class. This lecture, sfaieh eas illustrated toy about thirty glides lasted half aa hour and eas dellarersd toe rapidly to report la detail. full study eill he possible shea the proceedings are later polished. Zt unearned the statistical aetboda toy ehieh enrixa--ntal treads ooald toe Judged frae the piiiHibsd vital statistics and be pointed eat mny incmslstsncee in the published sort. The esse against the cigarette oould net he regarded se proved ehile it saa oertadaly
suggestive. Ksny ether anvlrsaMntal factors suah ss tar reeds, soot, and ftaas ftrae the ooebustlcn of ells and petrol eese ocnsidcro feqpertant. Dr. Buapsr ef the Vatlonsl Cancer Institute spoke of the ssbestce Industry eith ausplnlnn. He used the ptddlshed
fLguree of ethers and as all axe agreed that these are tnocncluatre sad fallaeloas he eus xrtatols te do sore than, record hie iepresalcn that asbestoses the rteeseeiTy prerequisite far the association vrith eexoiacna, that the prssuas of ssbestos fibre In the section, vs proof of erpusure and that asbestos sorters as a olaas vexe not sueesptlhle to earedacna of the lmg.
Br* Paul Cartier teas Thetford Minna gave hie paper on
pulaonaxy censer effecting ssbestos
He eas good --"-^e*
to give as eoplss of his tshlse ehtah ere included vrith this report.
Is fkr as this study goes no relationship eith oarcinons eas
dananatratsd la the asbestos sorters of the Thetford area or the
eases of asbestosle oocun-ing la the eining era*. I eould prefer
the opinlai ef s British Medical Statistician an these figures before
m--ltting itself a the subject of this paper. Incidentally
the figures given refer to 53 autopelsd voxtara out of 300 eho hare
died in the tea year period stated.
Ft Psxtt f the Sansao Laboratory otoeerved that Ih the WMBtioeed rrmher ef large aeea tor hi* shoeing Mbeitrmi sad rurmirtnee the grseth vrsa related to the large bronchi. Prcfessor Lynch, Profesaor of Pathology In the Medical College of the State
ef South Carolina xoportsd that he had seen his first case ef aasooistinn ef aabcstosla d earoinona in 193V (first tonhdals ease 1952), end that ha bad seen 5 oases (&) altogether In k6 lmgs eisirinsd. His final rnsvert sag that the evidan* supports suspicion and that the available inforaatian dose net allay -p<<*'"
Be aention ess usds of the cxperlaaata noe pmneoling an aloe in the attaapt to shew a causal relationship between pulacnaxy
ti--ura and asbestos dust inhalation. Dr. Merssether opened a
discussion an this sdsjeot with a reiteration of his previous stationta vrith meant nuueal additions of oases reported. His
Continued.
n/M-1 n-0017
3
failure to sir* a yardstick other then the silicosis autopeied gmip
u adversely eoeaeanted upon, tad his failure to prodaos mmbers of
sorting population at risk failed to oonvisoo the Sjwpoolua that hla
eerie* sa* ether thmi a aeleeted group of cheat oeaea shoe* death sea
investigated microscopically. ia la roll 1sema to us the group
asbestos sorters cn aboa autopay la mde la selective la that only
the nbjeots aho die Of heart failure, acute and chronic thoracic
iafectioa tad other groups likely to reveal a relationship aith
asbestosis szo regularly autopslcd.
The surgical group of deaths,
the trmaaatio deaths cad the obviously nco-aabestotlo ferae ere seldom
Remitted to pnot aurtea exairlnation cad their number la aiknoon.
Ihllo at Serene* Lake I act Da, Va. X. Sadth of the Department of Zadootrlal Medicine Foot Graduate Medina! School of
lr lexk Dai-varsity. Se la the secretary of the Cwnoor Preventive
Cosmlttce of the 0.3JU aad he expressed great interest la aqr figure*
relating to the population at risk la ffmtMele during the past tmnty-teo year* aad the atmbers of long earslnaeeta reoexdsd.
As the subject of pulmonary eerolama la almost of headline iatereat
at tba mommit ead every avenue, industrial or ethenrlse, la being explored la search of olnea, the Admission of the etatlatical
material shlcfa I have eolleoted to a oanpetent medical statlstlolea
veuld, eeea to be a aattar of urganay, Z eee able to help Or. T*
Smith to a fuller appreciation of the nethod of oolleotlng atatirtice on aabeartoeia over here* TMa erne a subject vfcich had greatly
pooled him ebsn he visited this owntry la 1315 in qpest of each
21a foil report la included la the Fnooeedi-nga of the Csaoer Preveattro Caealttee a eopy of uhleh la attached* Ttx,
(MLth la a much reapectad authority on the euhjeot of Industrial
Ameer la the C.SJL. end la la a position to miadt to hla
OonittM acj iafoxawtian of Tales la
field
sooeuezlly
revealing the eouxoa. Xt mould be possible to mice through Mm a
^ eontrfbutiaa of value am the cAJeot of aabeetoela end *an**r evem
though pchlteatlfln ten delayed pending fuller study ef the materiel m the tardiness of the usual channels.
C liVic.l On the nheei iwl side ef the study ef pneueoecnleeia ee sere reminded by a sotnd physician, Dr. T.3. McCann, Professor ef Medicine
ia the Uuivexslty of Rochester M.T. that the erawrintng doctor oould
sake hla ocntzlbutlaa end should bo the central figure in this field. Me eas the oo-onilnator of the various Inatnnantal studlee ead
eealA best assess them. Dr. MeCem brought the Symposia* back to
nodical phlloeoshleal ooueepte elth ell the poser of a persuasive
speaker cad a gifted ead obviously beloved ^jslaiexu
be reminded the neeting that the heart also lived in the eheet*
The aspects were discussed on the
day.
These naturally had reference to the practices currant In the Q.3JL
vfasre there sere great legalist!* dlffaranoea beteeea the States.
The value of Msdlool Boards as aeeeeeors u salntalned by ease
grwpa ead equally dlatruated by others aho do not Uks to see
either the ecatera or the Insurers laterest subjected to a tribunal
vtthmit appeal. It vaa mainly a reoord of ilfferaneea of State
usage, of ocnfllot of Federal and State interests, aad of the degree
to shlah politic* eon invade the laduetrial Ufa of a democratic
state* It eas aotseurthy that the layers spoke with greater
prealaten aad assurance than the doctors aho must have souided
sect tfiaeianttnoany vague to the lesyen. Their
of
nodical tana - already In dispute among the doctors - seem to
indloato that the legal meaning of these see in no dtaftt vith
Continued.
\ l \\
n/!q n - 00172
-k-
Xa his ocnalading resort* to the Syaposita Dxw A* J
enreld emaerated the points of grm--nt nd difference efaich
bod oaerged and stressod tha Tlae of rash joint do! fherotiana
to oil the interested parties*
Ha hod boon in ottaodeaoe for
tha fall period at over? cession rad bad shorn an adaiTable
tolerance cad foxbaoraaoa as veil as qualities of leadership*
t, 7* Xaox*
\ \
\
o.^q- i o---tt(n?
SZXZSAI. EBtAHM,
la nob a gathering of people a* occurred at Saxenao Lake
it vaa natural for there to be aaob private ocnteot between various
interested parties. Za the man abctrus* and detached eaimtlfio
wort it oould b* appreciated that seat of the worker* proamt vara
of Mgh
status and that tbair views vara sot eoloured by
political, insurance or labour actives. For tho rast ahooa interest
aaialy centred axomd the applications of these principle* it vaa
obvious that opinions vara coloured by affairs. Za tha field of
oeal slnlng where vast mafcexs ara oaq^layad and powerful intaraats
ara la oonfllct thara vara tfaoaa vbe adbsltted that thair Tisva had
v aado than unpopular tad others again aho had profited greatly fro*
these elashs*. Za ao field vae there mean obscurity* aore
vagueness in all phase* of its dissuasion both in public end private
than in the field of asbestosls. Bare ve enter a territory shore
the following propositions sees to apply.
I. thara are no gmerally aooeptad clinical standards for different degress of tha condition.
2* Xo agreed pathological standard* on autopay arterial.
J. Xo agreed standards of inpaiment of pulmonary fraction.
Km Xo vital statistic* prirtlahed giving comprehensive information*
5. Xo aooepted X-ray standard*.
(Pi* P2 i4 il i2 e7* tha thaoratioal standards but th*y are not agreed in particular instance* and do not oorrelat* with 1. 2 *r 3).
< Xo kneeledge of susoeptihl* types.
7. gelationship with loot olearly defined. Com view sftich prevail* in Bonhdala ha* not. oving
to ladk of pahllahed data, oven boon oonaidared al share.
t. Tact* an tha m*jeet of esbestosls as between fibres of different origin are not agreed.
9m the terit on tha axparinental tniaal 1* agreed as
of saae valna a* a guide, bt there la no rsiifoxni^r in tha application of this vert to Industry.
10. British figure*, which ar* *o*tly Xarewethor4*, hew bem eo amh at varloao* vith iaarlcan experience that swan when elucidation is attempted by their author hlaself no oorrelatian is evident.
IX, Differing dust oomt practice* her* and in 0.3*1. greatly Increase our difficulty in judging safe Torts dust concentration*.
12. Xhe leak of oaepnhanaive study of autopay aaterial, as regards the awomt end. range of fibre else it
oontaina, prevmta a link up being node between hums md cxperiamtal asbestosls.
Za yMilto it vaa stated by Dr, Toreeld epeelring under the ohainienahip of Dr. Hatch at tha Mellon Institute that tha nueber of people at risk In the U.3.A. to inhalation at asbestos duet la
Ccntiniidl Q -- 1 H- ^ 0 T 7
1 2-
industry was 1*500. Dr. Lansa la private agreed with this but
others* notably Dr. I. ikLth of the J.-tL. Corporation* Dr. Hooper ini Dr. w. 5. adtb oanslfler that the zaabar sight bo la th* region of 55*000. This largo diwergsao* Boat bo due to a ocnfllct of Interest. Than are no scheduled areas* as re know then* la tbs U.SJU and bo Fneinwocniosis Boards ecndayting regular owlnations. Th* P.B. *s wore arltlcad far not pub! ishlng their standards and despite assurances trm Dr. Karoosthar that the British Standards were Juet. fair and medically orisnnmnos ones* which worked all the bottar la practice froe set being fully or publioally defined* questioners st Sazanss wore far frw satisfied. (Xereewtber's final retort to a nan oho asked a question an these lines three tines oss *1 think you sre haring Just as such difficulty la ftasdng your question as Z an haring la answering it*. This oas eossidered s olatslo riposte and got the biggest laugh of Ihe mating).
la regard* th# ptfellcatlcn of the Saranac work on hussa ssbeotasls I reoaired ovnsire replies. It is possible that nook ef the aatorlsl used has eons free sirring areas sad olll net bs fully applicable here. Is single institution la lurries has bad assess- te a large and rspressatstlrs amnt of pathological notarial sad asst people lasa bearlly on the wort of Qlayns she is widely patted both with sod without soknmlodgnoat.
Vs Wests surreys an the populations of say ashestoo works
tar soapsrisen with Kererether*s original report had been dons.
Sre X. Smith of the
Cerp. had oontanplstod this but bad not
get uonl to it yet, so re were tsahla to oonpars notes on this
sAJco*.
The experlano* aeons mirerasl of tho sffsot on the worker ef s diagnosis of asbestos!*. ill are agreed that it is bod and ems to affsot bin both physically and payohalogioaUy. Zt is the one point at onanislty at British and iaorlcaa dootora an this sofejest.
The best Inform< Works Doctor whoa I net was mdochtadOy
Drw X. SkrLth ef the
Corporation. Els srpexisne* extends
orei" both irinlng aad Industrial tortile pninnaaas Zt was through
an inritatlm flun bln that I was able to inspect th* Works at
Asbestos aad I was fortunate In barring hln as a golds before bs
takes up Ms nar appolntaoat as the first chief K.0* of th* J.-d.
Carp, with heedquarters in Wow lark.
Os ths si&Jeet of dost oountlng I found tbs ststssants ssds
ary erwrfaelng. The Cresaberg hsith nrthod gsnerelly used Is a
wwtnwtbod. I bsre nsds technical details of this nrthod awailahls
to Xre- Dawson sad Dr. Holms In our Research Departmnt. Xr. Dawsoi
will report- on its corral ail onship - if say - with our Thsxaal
Precipitator nsthod. In ths absonoo of nrthod* to
n goat
In the air at th* Works th* known risk must be aassesed as accurately
* nodera nethods allow. Method* of dust eraouatlon can only be
Judged sdsctifloally hy the nest careful dust oountlng nethods.
these do not appear to be praotlaed la the ttaited States or Canada In a routine way.
P Know.
i
f)A q -Til- 00 I