Document peRre1EvpJvdzzdYgYzdbNMJd

6 Mon *en r.eenktttji ewr 9 uip. j N c WILIK 1*01 CtQ'tl kl/ktitU J6SCH r. CBCCMC. JM. ; lICk(( riNLATBOH jo*cm h ee(9wc> BathOND r. DBOZBOWBBI VHIUV J. COOB ICSUC J.MHMU M**CN . pauir BtCVCM t.veilCNtNA VOCL 9R9BIB PAUL MAINABOI JOHN l.CONBOT.JB. ecMMis p. biabc MtCHACk J. WABBAIOTTI i BUOWN.CON'Xr.nT.SLtXP.'WlLlrE.PrRN'BLL & C.RKEVB ATTONVItTN AT LAW AXB mOCTimN IK ABMIBALTT parkade nminixo sir sunur wtriskt I*. O. POX I44R_ CA^fDEV. JOTH" JSRKSY OSICn TELEPHONE 0R-)4I-I'00 CABLE AODBCS9 'KOHOW `"August 15, 1980 suburban orricc sr&Kt rviktu b&*ooc tin/.*. HOOfT MRTKCR* wc antMMiMuuc Wt IICAKtM R.B.MI B0 tuwowine. (* Jt&n otou William G. Adamson, Esq. HARVEST, PENNINGTON, HEKTING & RENNE1SEN Fourth Floor, 7 Penn Center Plaza Philadelphia, PA 19103 Albert L. Ficoerilli", Esq, FRUMKDJ & MANIA Suite 1717, TVro Penn Center Plaza Philadelphia, PA 19102 Re: Grasso v, B.F. Goodrich Co., et al Gentlemen: Enclosed, please find the report of Samuel Epstein, our proposed expert witness. MJV:awh Enclosure Very truly yours,. r . p\- ' , Michael J. Vassalotti -lO- MYSTERY CLUSTER rq,Study finds no Ford, cancer tie . -A Researcher calls - incidence rate a v > `statistical artifact*4 1? * * ByDongluIlki fi**a8uffVrtlr *{ Xn unexplained cluster ct cancar death and incidence in a neighbor hood near Ford Motor Co.'* Mt. Clemens paint and vinyl plant* may be nothing more than a "etatistical artifact,** according to a researcher with the Michigan Cancer Founda tion. * ' _ t>r. G. Marie Swanson, director of the foundation's registry of cancan in southeastern Michigan, found Wreckage of EA-6B piano Sea onta/rgled with two of tte F-14 jets H damagod art higher ratal of two particular can*, can -- esophagus and cervix -- in a computer study of the Mt Clemens neighborhood. But, overall, Dr.lSwanson said "The cancer ratae near the plant do not appear to be anything out of House action set on higher Solidarity Polish labor chief the ordinary."' - Detroit tax <IN HER REPORT to Ford, Dr. Swanson recommended that tba Lech Walesa plans a visit to Detroit . company do a mortality, study of plant employee who work inside `Rescue package* ;**, - .'***;> > , "where the exposures may be higher clear* committee ;' -< Foliah union leader Lech Wale than is the neighborhood unlem they are putting something out of By Luther Keith' * ! their stacks that the workers an and Robert E. Roach . . - sa plans to visit Detroit ia July . during a one-week American fund-raising trip, according to I* protected from.", ' . . ,^ There was no immediate com ment from Ford on Dz. Swanson'* report ' *' A` / 5TtJ officials. have consistently denied that emissions from vent* or chemical epiUs a\ the'plant! have caused any "abnormal health prob lems" in 'neighborhoods surround KiwigUffVrUtn f *-yN ,. . LANSING -- Suburbia eoaunut- an today awaited final House ac tion on a proposed Detroit referen dum which would jbcreaae the Income tea'paid by "nonresident* working ia the city. .4- .. . A bitter Door debat* to Mock that U. executive who met with the labor activist in Warsaw. Leaders of the Polish community In De troit greeted the newt enthusias tically and Immediately began arranging reception*, "Hi wQJ have a very ' enthusiastic welcome in the Pol ish community* said Katimlen'. LECH V ing the industrial complex. ' Since the 196Gb, resident* living near the huge Ford paint and vinyl Krvision Was predicted after tW bolt fiscal plan .cleared the Olejarczyk, president of Michl- . gin's division of tbe Polish ; ` WALI House Taxation Committee yester American Congress. He arid his rive in tl plant , complex have complained day on a U4 *otn , group has collected nearly MO,- said Piar about odors, Tumee and particlt . As passed la committee, U would 000 for Solidarity, the movement the tour, faDouL . > . * j-' Vf v - permit Detroit to hold I special election Jun 23 on Increasing the Walesa head*. - ar, who Walesa's tentatively scheduled several ti ON APRTL 14. after pleas from city's resident Incorns rate from 2 tour id seven cities, with Is rye because > some of the resident*. The Detroit .percent to 3 percent and the non be eccorr News documented eta case* of can resident levy from a half of one per cer and two children born with cent to 1.S percent , ' birth defect* In a cluster of six Both ere hey factors hi Mayor Pofantf's Cardinal WytzyASU dies -- Papa SA._______ 1 of Solid* If be < srifl race bouses on or near Washington Coleman A. Young's prisil package from PI. Street near the two Ford plsnta. - to save Detroit from threatened Polish-Aueriean populations was hem Gr. Four more cases of cancer identi bankruptcy. It also cqlls for legisla prompted by an invitation to re went* to . fied by The News' tno-ease, the tive authorization to permit Detroit ceive a "freedom medal" from to gain j unexplained cluster of diseases la to borrow *100 million and major Philadelphia's mayor, businea- In Polanr the neighborhood to 10 cases of cancer, including five deaths, b eight booses ana a church building where one of the victims worked daily for yean. *. Informed of the newly document ed cases, Dr. Swanson said: - wage concessions by city employes. CITY OFFICIALS say Detroit wffl end this fiscal year June 80 with a 1119-million deficit and face a crisis In public services next year If no state action is taken now. man Edward J. Pisxek said yes terday. The executive, who heads a frozen food company, in Philadelphia, conveyed the ori- , tatioa last week while he was m Poland trying to help esse a food shortage. . ' Wales* Detroit Buffalo, ( waukae . raise mo. lapd ptot "Without question that Is vuy Continued on Page 6A striking informstioo. , "The hard thing to do b track it beck for a reason. Because there b no one type of cancer that standi out, I would conclude H is a statisti say m cal artifact." .--.i . ; THE CANCER registry figures *<. chow 14,370 cases of caneer ware diagnosed la Macomb County be tween 2973 and 1979, including 618 Continued on'Page 12A Tn/To' ByMIkeMartladaJa New* *ikff Writer Priaoo riot oovaraga by radio, and especially television, ia being blamed by prison officials for contributing to the spread of vio lence ls Michigan prisons. But sl. said --wspe? are equally to bluae- Perry ' Johnson, director of tha Michigan Depart- quett* iamstes) were hearing It on the radio and seeing ft TV," At Ionia 8t*t* Reformitoiy last Friday, tbisp were "running smoothly." Warden Dale Fottx said. "But w were concerned abu-. ^xeL.ui* tike this hap pening. No queation the media plsyed a part "Tbe men all b*v* ' f XV and radio*. H c I A 12A-TMiMrniorrrtBW-T>wiu>.Mra.ti>i * Study finds no Ford, cancer link? ^CoBlioaid from Pg IA J2Tcuw in Mv CUrotna. Dr. Swanaon >aid ah# apecifltelty looked. in the city fig. un, /or * higher incidence of liver and 'brain cancan, both connected acieAtifi* tally with exposure to vinyl chloride which I* need in tha Ford plant "Thera were ait chan of livar cancer in ^JlL CIcimiu and one of iJioh waa an aofloaarcotna, which ia known to be caus ed by eipoaui* to vinyl chloride," aha Unid. MTbery w*re only 10 brain cancer*. * "StetiatkiUy, that ia not enough to irnaht nny tompanaona.** |, PH. SWANSON compared the age- adjuatad cancer rate* (per 100,000 popu-' lationl in Ml Clement with three of Ma comb County. She found: t 1 The Mi Clamana rate of csophagua t cancer* waa 137 percent higher that that of the county, Mt. Clemena' rateof cervical cancer waa 128 percent higher than the county'*. More cancer* were recorded in the ten* ui tract including and aurrounding the' Ford paint and vinyl plant* than-in other cenau* tract* atudied. However, becauae that cenau* tract ia more populoua, ita cancer rata for men waa actually 18.6 lea* than tha Macomb County rata. For women, tha tract'* cancer rata waa 64, aample* the worked with. Dr. Swadaoa percent laaa than tha county rat*. **id, that* diffarencea an not etatiatical. For all cancera, th* ML Clemana rata ly aignificant waa only 3.6 percent greater than th* * Body aitee for cancer where Dr. Swan- , county rate. l*on reported lower incidence rate* la ML ^Clemen* are: uterine (13.4 percent lower Dr. Swanaon ai*o reported on rate* for than th* county rate); proatate (5.1 per- cancer in different body titea. The fol leant); colon (.8 percent); rectum (13.2 lowing cancera showed higher rate* in percent); urinary bladdea (11 percent) Ml Clemen* than in tha county: ovary "and lymphoma* (8 percent), (10 percent higher); female breaat O-l x A variety of toxic chemical apUb hav* percent); atomach (27 percent); pancreaa .(occurred at the two Ford plant*, accord- 132.4 percent); larynx (46.2 percent); lung. ,'ing to atet* record*, including teirahydof- (6.8 percent); and leukemia-multiple . uran, cathodic e-coat main; butyl alcohol, myeloma (17.6 percent). mthyl-ethyl ketone and polychlorinated However, becauae of tha alia of th* biphenyl (PCB). , Sale ends Saturday : IV.. ** N . .i * . * ' i \ . "* sr. m V 2 streets i > show high cancer rate By Douglas Ilka ' New* Staff Writer (y-Q'j Copyright, 1681,The Detroit News - Washington Street is not the only cancer street in the shadow of the huge Ford paint and vinyl plants in Mt. Clemens, according to residents of Grove Park Avenue. The Detroit News reported last week that there Is an unexplained cluster of cancer and birth defect cases on Washington Street, where residents have complained for years about fumes and fallout from the Ford complex. "We seem to have a lot bf cancer on Grove Park, too,*' said Mrs. Barbara . VanDecar, whose mother died of liver cancer July 2,1979. ON GROVE PARK, The News has found six cases of cancer, in* eluding four deaths, in the 24 resi dences located north of Hubbard. Grove Park and Washington Street are south of the Ford complex. In addition, two cases of cancer, including one death, also have been identified in six houses on Lafay ette, located just west of the Ford plant*. In six houses on or adjacent to Washington Street, there have been six cases of cancer, including three deaths, and two children born with birth defects In the past nine years. A Ford, spokesman said the company is reviewing Hies to deter mine the extent of air and ground pollution controls put into the plants since their opening in 1958. The Michigan Public Health De- Sartment is checking its records, ne official said: "We have no offL Continued on Page 9A 4 t ' C XI I oOJ to I i ft r 2 streets show high rate of cancer cases Continued from Page 1A cial position. We will send a letter to The News asking for additional information." Dr. Kenneth Wilcox, chief of the state's Division of Environmental Epidemiology, sakL "Every month, we get a letter from someone who finds a lot of cancer cases. Our staff doesn't have lime to investigate all of these things. If the residents are upset, you are encouraging that worry by putting it into the paper." The list of victims, whose names were provided by Grove Park resi dents, includes: Mrs. Kathryn L. Moore, 70, a former society writer for' a local newspaper. Her daughter, Mrs. VanDecar. resides at 86 Grove Park in the home her parents lived in for 50 years. Mrs. Moore died of a liver cancer that had spread after an earlier diagnosis of colon cancer. Edward Roy Champine Jr-, 55, of 98 Grove Park, died June 26, 1979 of heart failure caused by carcino ma of the stomach that had spread to other parts of his body. He work ed for the city of Mt. Clemens. Mrs. Margaret Sedora, 68, of 77 Grove Park, died April 4, 1973, of carcinoma of the breast that had spread to other parts of her body. She was a decorator at Mt Clemens Pottery. Frederick Fischer, 65, of 71 Grove Park, died `of leukemia June 8, 1972. His wife, Bertha, 70, currently is receiving treatment for lung can cer. Fischer also was a Mt Clemens city employe. Mrs. Katherine Roberts, 42, of 86 Grove Park, has suffered for the past two years with a condition that three doctors have told her is can cer. Another doctor maintains the ailment is a bleeding ulcer. Mrs. Roberts has required several blood transfusions because of a consisant low blood count measured in labo ratory testa. Grove Park resident!, those who have lived in the neighborhood for years and newcomers, described the fumes and odors from the Ford complex as witifiling, nauseous and choking." Several complained of unexplained medical problems. "I've had the flu for the longest time, at least I think it's the flu," aid Mrs. VanDecar, 37, who keeps her 9-yesr-old daughter indoors on summer days when the chemical fumes are strongest OFTEN, THERE is a tarrible, terrible cbtmictl until. One morn* ing it woks me up and I nearly vomited." Mrs. Roberta* husband, Ben, is a 61-year old tow truck driver who works evenings. "At night, when the wind shifts snd starts blowing from the north, you can amell it real strong," said Roberts, who said that he gave up smoking in 1963. "We moved here about 12 years ago. "My daughter (Rhonda, 21), is having breathing problems. I have spells where I'll be choking real bad. But the doctors can't seem to find whet'a causing it" Mrs. Rose Bezeau, 42, moved into the Fischer home at 71 Grove Park three years ago. The family, includ ing her husband, Robert, and five children, lived for eight years in a house at Cass and Washington, one block east and three blocks south of their current home. "WE NEVER noticed any odor or smells when we lived in the house on Cass," Mrs. Bezeau said. "But here, on Grove Park, we've noticed that there are days when the fumes end odor coming from the plants is real bad." The Ford plants have a history of toxic chemical spills dating back to 1968, according to air and water control specialists with the Michi gan Department of Natural Resources. Substances ' have included tetrahydrofuran, cthodic e-coat resin, butyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). In addition, measurable quanti ties of vinyl chorids, a federally regulated carcinogen, have been found in air samples taken by Ford industrial bygienista inaide the plant. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air quality sur vey of the neighborhood surround ing the plant found traces of vinyl chloride, but not in quantities above federally permitted levels. * 0 </- /C-F! TZZ5S!&3ZSa&&5BEBSB33^ : FORD STUDY detected carcinogen Plant and street c . :d samples topped ^ permissible levels ^ By DOUGLAS ILKA New* Suff Writer Copyright, 1941, The Detroit New* Air samples taken In 1974 in*ide Ford Motor Co.'i Mt Clemens vinyl plant and in 1975 in dose-by neighborhoods where residents are con cerned about a clustering of cases of cancer and birth defecta showed measurable level* of vinyl chloride, a federally regulated carcinogen. The in-plant samplings taken by Ford industrial hygienists in November 1974 fpund vinyl chlo ride exposures among operators of latex printers in excess of the "action level" of .5 parts per million established by the U.STCiccupeUohal Safety and Health Administra tion (OSHA). In a follow-up report from inside .the plant, a Ford hygienist said the situation was substantially im proved. IN FEBRUARY 1975 neighborhood sampling!, a private Cincinnati firm hired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), found vinyl chloride in quantities ranging from 2.7 part* |>er billion to seven parts per bil- have occurred in six houses on or adjacent to Washington Street, just southeast of the plant, and two chil dren were born with birth defects. Two more cases of cancer have been identiffed by The Detroit News in a cluster of six houses on Lafayette Street, located just west of the entrance to the Ford paint and vinyl complex. , Mrs. Helen Grimm, 54> of 161 Layafette died of respiratory failure caused by carcinomatosis on Aug. 16,1980. Russell Girard, 64, of 184 Lafay ette, received treatment for cancer of the rectum and lower bowels in 1977. He is a former police chief of Mt Clement. GIRARD SAID, TV* never Continued on Page 7A