Document peMdpBGJ7Qd854yxN8bpG6V0k

Monsanto raoM I HAM e -- LOCATICI F. . Holzapfel - B2SB U8 2 ? 1379 o* re suujcct xtrrntHCi TO Aijgu^t/2A^r\ 197 9 ( tfITRO HEALTH STUDY TASK FORCE NtJINUTES OJ MEETING OF 8/24/7 9 Those Present: W. R. Gaffey - C2SH F. J. Holzapfel - B2SB W. J, McCarville - A3NC F. C. Meyer - A3SH P. S. Park - E2NE B, J. Wander - C2SA P. R. Wilkins - 1650 W. D. Carpenter - C2NA E. L. Head - B3SB J. E. McKee - A3NB L. A. Miller - B3SA J. T. Nolan - D1A W. B. Papageorge - G4WA C. J. Smith - B2SL M. C. Throdahl - DID and D. R. Bishop - A3NB C. F. Callis - B2SA {R. S. Nelson, substitute) E. Tillman - A2SB Next Meeting: Friday, August 31 8:30 a.m. Room A-331N 1.) Miscellaneous Handouts a. Memo Eckel to Galloway 8/23 - Status report on miscellaneous samples of water analyzed for dioxins and 2, 4, 5 T . b. Memo to Carbide employees re Carbide-NIOSH Epidemiology . Study. c. Charleston Daily Mail article - 8/22/79 - "(Congressman) Slack to Demand Probe of Health Forums" - alleges link between environmental group and left wing elements. d. Charleston Gazette article - 8/15 - "Hazard to Water Suspected at 6 Dumps" - mentions Monsanto. e. Charleston Daily Mail article - 8/15 - "State Dumps' Hazards Probed" - mentions Nitro Municipal Dump and Monsanto's own landfill - indicates DNR had requested further sampling. f. Journal of Commerce article - 8/17 - "Judge Refuses to Ban Sale, Use of 2,4, 5 T" - relates to class action suit on Agent Orange. CONFIDENTI at SUBJECT TO PROTECTIVE ORDER. CO4487 Nitro Health Study Minutes August 24, 1979 Page Two 2. ) Monsanto Mortality Study Do not yet have acceptance of our draft bv Suskind. However, he has promised to review next w e e k ^ M e y e r will follow up. This study involved 121 people who were both involved in the 1949 incident at Nitro and had chloracne (generally accepted as a sure sign of a large dose of dioxins). Most of these are still alive. By contrast, the Carbide/University of Pittsburgh study involved 819 deceased workers who had been employed at its South Charleston plant. Carbide's study showed higher than normal incidence of three types of cancer and led to the larger 40,000 man epidemiology study announced last week. We must be prepared to differentiate between the two kinds of studies, if our future news release is to have credibility. Dr, Gaffey explained that a study which included only deceased employees would be expected to show more cancer than arnn^. of an entire group (living and dead) that had been exposed to an "incident" such as ours in 1949. 1 3. ) Sus&ind Study - Follow-Up to Employees Dr. Suskind has advised Dr. Meyer that he will send a report on each patient examined to that man's personal physician, and will send a letter to each man examined advising him that the file has been sent to his physician. We understand that the Monsanto medical community will receive a copy of the l:est results tor that individual *s medical f i l e . S o m e contusion exists as to where this will ^ be sent or when. Dr. Meyer will attempt to resolve, and will attempt to get a copy of the type of letter sent to each man examined. 4.) Communication With Nitro Employees Task Force agreed that we should either publish an article in the plant newspaper early next week, or have the Plant Manager send a letter to the home, dealing with two subjects: a. The Carbide Epidemiology Study - point out that we are doing the same thing with our MEHI approach, started last year, and expect results early in 1980. Nitro Health Study Miriutes August 4, 1979 Page Three b. Suskind's feedback letters to those examined and :their doctors. Pierre Wilkins will work with Roy Scott on this on Monday, 8/27. 5. ) Public Attitude Survey (See minutes 7/20 meeting - W. Va. Mfg. Assoc.). Wilkins will follow up to expedite selection of firm to conduct survey. 6. ) Chloracne The group agreed that we should identify those employees hired since January 1973 and examine their medical history to determine how many (if any) cases of chloracne exist. Presumably this group was not exposed to 2,4, 5 T or the equipment involved in its manufacturing. The absence of and Judy Zack will consider this recommendation and how to implement it and report back. We may wish or need to look for ''current" or "active" chloracne in the next round of annual physicals. - --- --- F. J. Holzapfel /cc