Document qmqXknyV8MeNrLa0GGZmQwdxG

jowu/wa*. weszu/i/ aL l]\ ! ^. ^r^$ttrcu#i?6' a^^d&itjb4*ee3S^iltt7& \.\y :>V ^2?/rayfwesii andd^/idiA/yeeS- michohs acusscs SSMMIISiaNCH ; <sv ' !-, ^>,-` ,:^. xVo.* \' *2'ii'&u&n id$ca/m/#/iadid$fften& * ?!? Sd'yeet, djaUf'rn/ 02//6 September 10, 1975 Hr. Paul E. Bureau Personnel Manager Monsanto Polymers and Petrochemicals Company 730 Worcester Street Indian Orchard, MA C1051 Yz- VyyAL 0//4$$ IN YOU* *Y*'-Y *(* TO YU_A 75-91 Dear Paul: This is- to place in writing the requests I made in our 'SSTT*' echone conversation of September 9- As previously stated in my letter of July 15, 1975, and in several subsequent conversations with you, we have been informed of an excess of cancer deaths among your employees, particularly among those said to have worked in the P.7.C. fabrication area, building 85. It i3 imperative that v/e revie*,; all past records of employment in that building. Tou have suggested that some of our preliminary employment data are incorrect. It is precisely this sort of question that makes our review of the actual records necessary. Only by an unbiased review of mortality frem the complete employment rosters will we be able to calculate precise cancer death rates. I sent you a list of eighty-five deceased Monsanto, workers cn August 6 and on September 9 requested complete work histories on the twenty cancer cases among them. This information will help us decide which work areas need to be most carefully studied. I will be in touch with .your office later this week to make definite arrangeatr.s for beginning this study. U'AVy .A/ ^ySmcerely, j i,/nc pSC;' //l^Jchn Lewis, M. D. * Occupational Hygieene Physican ?//Urk-^. - ij j n'f - Q.J*-'- ** CUv/A-" ,,, -... /! to $ * ^. J.l rM\ ^ ' `J RSV 0008268 To: From: ject: Date: Jo hn F. F in; Joim rT. Lew to the Di\'i of Labor an Monsanto ?o Orchard, Ha September 9 Since July of this year, this office has been informed of eighty-six deaths among past workers at Monsanto, Indian Prckard. This information vas provided by X.O.S.K.A ., Committee for Occupational Safety and Health Action, a group of vorkers formed at the tire of the vinyl chloride alert to coordinate information on work-related health problems. This group has no official connection with the union. The data were obtained from active and retired Monsanto workers who recalled fellow workers in the vinyl .chloride and ?VC operations who had died of any cause. Eighty-six of these deaths were confirmed by finding a Massachusetts death certificate, and the causes of death were tabulated. These diagnoses are shown in the table using the I.C.D. code numbers (eight revision) . "Vinvl Chloride" workers were said to have worked in buildings $4, S3, or 92 in which vinyl chloride monomer tas used. "P.Y.C. fabrication" workers v:ere said to have worked in building 35 in which Y.C.M. was not used. "Maintenance" workers were said to have worked in any of the above buildings. f \/ Among workers said to have'worked in P..V.C. fabrication (building 35), 27.35 of the deaths, 14 of 51, were from cancer. This compares to 16*55 of deaths caused by cancer nationally. Furthermore, 4 of these 14 cancers were pancreatic. Cancer of the pancreas accounts for only 5.5^ of cancer deaths nationally. Officers of Monsanto, Indian Orchard have been informed of this apparent excess of cancer deaths, and they have expressed doubt about the reported employment history of some of the de ceased workers. They have been asked to permit review by this office of the complete employment records for the ?.V.C. fabri cation area. Employment records of the deceased workers have also been requested. We propose to investigate the mortality experience among these workers by means of a cohort study. JITL/mc cc: Paul Alvarado, N.I.O.S.H. Paul . Bureau, Monsanto K.O.S.K.A. Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers, Local 283 RSV 0008269 CAUSE OF DEATH OF 36 4CNSAfiTfl CHEMICAL tfCPKEFS Ct.C.O. Eighth Revision; Cause of Death Vinyl P.v.c. Mafn- Ch iorf do Fnb r!ect!on tenance Tota i Infectious diseases 000 - IJ6 0 I 0( Cancer: Esophagus Colon BMe system Pancreas Lung Bone and connective Prostate Lymph and b food 150 153 156 157 162 170 - 174 185 200 - 209 0 t\ 0M oh 2' 1 0 0 \\ 1\ 1 4 j n,M|J 3 2` 1 1, 7 i 0 oo i 0 0 I 2\ 2\ 1 l> 4 '6 3, 'I . 2 Myxoma Diabetes Dementia Polyneuritis 215 0 250 0 290 0 354 I 1 1 1 0 01 01 0I 01 Rheumatic heart disease 394 0 1 Ischemic heart disease 410 - 414 7 20 Cerebrovascular disease 430 - 433 2 2 Aortic aneurysm 441 0 0 0I 6 33 15 i1 Pneumonia 406 Emphysema 492 intestinal and peritoneal die. 560 - 569 Liver necrosis and cirrhosis 570 - 571 Nephritis 582 - 583 Auto, accidents 800, 802, 864 Chemical toxins Drowning 963, 980, 986 994 1 J 0 I 2 0 2 1 0 2 2 1 0 3 2 0 0' 1 03 02 24 02 03 04 01 Total 22 C l/o V`i SlA *4 13 . as.; 1 * _ fl' RSV 0008270