Document reMLqLz0mQNvx17dKaOgkxm7v

THE WALI VOL. CXCVII NO. 72 * E**rsnn Edition ji Medical Sleuths Fear of Toxic Materials What's News Creates More Demand For Epidemiologists Business and Finance IFori Dow Chemical, Study Seeks Link Between 24 Deaths And Work at Texas Plant RETAIL SALES rose a scant (U% space saum In March to an adjusted S86.M bil It wliaosn,thtehe10CthomrismeerIcneaDreopwa,rtbmuet nwtassaid.sFcohrTethedeuylBeadspferoerpina1r:C2e8dilpl the smallest since May, when sales for excellent wealh (ell 0.6%. The figures provide fresh ev remained concernli idence the economy is slowing after a craft's heat-reslstan A Tedious, Frustrating Trail fairly strong first quarter. warn mi ? i> By Goonoent Jamxn ^ - Sttjf Htppfttf nf ThmWau, Storkt Jounal ; It reads like a detecUve story, ' Twenty-tour men from a small area on theTexas Gulf Coast are mysteriously dead of rare disease,, brain cancer. InvesOga tors bare sifted through thousands of pages of evidence and talked with people who - .mutt know tomethins about the case, but : -tt-fer tbej dodtJww rtu caused the dts- Atlantic Richfield told Nigeria It is ending two oU-supply contracts cover ing 60,000 barrels n day. The move, re dacting the current oil glut, is the first such action in several years and could cost Nigeria $900 million annually if a new buyer can't be found. (Stev'pi Hm ft ** 4 kept the Air Force the underside. . Astronauts John pen were ahead i shakedown tests. T Joke at ooe poUu, ad a tape of another aa smuggled aboard. C ere while Ybung tal Bush. "The only bad have lo come dm e Chrysler said it hasn't any further Rene Leveoqoe'i ' fiRffi*08* CWyelCtt. plant in Free- vTbe detectives are eptdontok>gisu. medh eal apeciallsts who sutdy the causes of dis ease In people, a typical team mlsht include physicians, some of whom have doctorates IS public health; Mn-ptysfdani with gradu- at< detreea Id public health. noutoglsu (spedajfitstn dassl$ytogdlto*ico>; statists clkBi. and clerks. jjyk* n tmji a -t thin everdbeae dk^XijtSopuMfc becomes more aware ofhrtltbproblems caused by Bade subetasers. Measure has Increased on corporations and government agencies to snow that products and working condlUons are safe; A Household WortT ' for exirapie,.luu( more than a dozen ; tn the late Interest in a merger with Fort, which last Friday rejected a proposal for a combination. Separately, Chrysler De fense. a unit, received a 1216.8 million Army contract br 366 Ml tanks with election easily to! Quebec's governing results in. ft was pr 16 for Claude Ryar be a gain of if Mac Quebccoto and give an option for a further 209. (Mrm * Ftm , * No tu compromise Is seen by Rea majority h* hitaeo # Stoytogs et op ti been "sutout)tlallv gan an bis planned20% three-year tax William Webster sal rettoettoe,. He Said fie remains "fully the other If murder committed" to the cat and hadn't au thorized anyone in the administration to offer a compromise. tsiwv km n July 1979. he told t Weteter said the F found the person re a doees slaylngi. * nepuatiegprA The L'.S. dollar hit Its highest level awarded tothe Oik In more than a year but lost ground stories on bran l on central ank intervention and a York Times new pn drop in intereit rates. On the Comex, gold dosed at $478.00 an ounce, off $8.60. ism no o tog. on ilMcto ahem sports colunu*. The international report; Beth Henley wot i "Crimes of the Hm _____________ . _ D#w rose. Union Carbide Chip, wortere to Texas are the subject of a similar tmincancer study. MorunmoCo. recentty sorted us employes wtomsyhave been exposed to j.l^ad in some beitt- KrePostal Service was ordered by i White Bouse to do a cost-benefit 'analysis erf the controversial nine-digit pB cogga, The new system, scheduled '-~-`i be delayed. Kennedy-Toole, wtto Confederacy MOw^ German ysetbe i overturned can to W false rumors that at tin! guerrilla had die train was blamed <x 1 Industry, epldemioloj?kkiink The prime nt\m raised to 17S% from 17% by several more banks. Jailed guerrillas wht to set'll prisoner ol . ox*. (NhUc ts question*." Prevjdlng the answvra Is costly, a phyairtw Mib a doctorate in public health can rere atom mins $ induitry. Union Cap Ude.lays lu brala-cagcer study toll cost C50p. Oof_tpenda more flan BO million nysngfbr rescatchoebeiltb, safety sad the epvirtonyem. , -. . -, Tbo Cottar ft* SmB Oompnnk* :>; bond Raton! vtotonee 1 snew la atiltm>, of slug tooted. A wetted gish March -retail sales, which indi in which atom cated the economy may be slowing. caused morel (gah d isiwv o> et *n authorities oRbttote llam Whttelaw aim Western Unkm'smajor subsidiary charged units of ITT, RCA and Xerox with antitrust violations. Western Into the violence. Lech Wales nr nmL to fftf IMbn-Tdegrapb said It had been pre M tty vented from competing effectively in', .would believe that t outlay*arkttotaf. tothc point' domestic amt lntetnattonal telex and dari|y unio* leader ">-aS*A ioc* amtifef; dMUcai: companies telegraph market*.. . however, canceled I 'The. We; Ts ' unrejMSee no radio reported tone; KwreeewflttosMitV '^InttW BUAk'Chip, operating net tone 22% in the Bret quarter to $27' odBto*, ar. $LU a share. Reegeat HM id Uf.M In lederal b -v>, tot-liMiing imo cowed lb-.- rhe mi ucc 054035 a imm** , im.nt fuiftt4ft hiix ninrr than a down win'll in ni'iiii'i'iiniiii^y, In the lute t, w,( ,,iir la-mic Ji'Man. a Beverly it i 'hv<i i ivHJitiM lor nealth-sclcnces ,,,... ,,.<|iirMi fur epidemiologists have ,i .u lean fourfold iii me past three in, ".Suvi people ran spellit." she says. r<Kiay epidemiologists are Involved In downs of major Investigations. Both govern- mcnt and corporate teams are working on the Dow case. Union Carbide Corp. workers In Texas at* thesubiect of-a slnillar brain- cancer studied itsempiKrwbtfW&baraberaOtpCtedt* .. ------- -- found m wpebertl- "SutdfletbeehenitciJ Industry, epldtmlologteal njethods mjielni uted ta*Nk*" l'hi> t'.S, ilullal Ini iu. Whin a , , awftfiUvi ill more Ilian a yur tint l"M Ifroiiiid 1 sliiriav on central banK mb-iveiilioii and a | Vurk T1 drop in interest rates. On the Domex, tng. (in gold dosed at $478.00 an ounce, off sports 1 Internal S8.60. w tSlrr v #** Beth M "Crinw Kenned; Hie Postal Service was ordered by Cbafede the White House to do a cost-benefit analysis, ef the controversial nine-digit Oent ZIP codes. The new system, scheduled for March, could be delayed, Iterv m VHv il ** The prime rule was raised to 17 Vi from 17% by several more banks. overtun false rut bol guti train w laded i to .... . binds were glsK Marcft mafl safes. wWcit tedi- Ut.wM . questions.'' cated the economy may be slowing. ebmi Providing the answers Is costly. A physi Qi\ ttt author cian with a doctorate bi public health can *** turn v earn about 170.080 In Industry. Union Car- hide says Its brain-cancer study wtll cost $250,000. Dow spends more than $20 million - a yeer Mr temencb-aa health, safety and the Western Union's major subsidiary charged units of ITT. RCA and Xerox with antitrust violations. Western intotb' DM men! ti environment. w Union Telegraph said it bad been pre forced Too Coatfy ter Small Companies And the outlays are rlsbif. to the point at which me smaller chemical companies may be hard presied. ` There wilt be tre vented from competing effectively in domestic and International telex and telegraph markets.. (Starv eft ttm 'I: .would t danty howevi radio r, mendous distortions In the chemical Indus * * try," says Htcyt Blair, Dow's vice president for health and environmental sciences. `'SmsU computes that don't have the re sources will be shut out." The case of the 2t Dow workers to Texas Hlustrales how much time, effort and money Irving Bank Corp. operating net rose 33% In the first quarter to S27.8 million, or J3.16 a share. tttw on Pom ) Ren S67.S4S 968,Inc closed and thi White are consumed in epidemiologies! studies, Coca-Cola said It may have diffi wound, and how the inherent Imprecision can lead two group* to draw different conclusions m | Slflfjf fltUAU0B ft began in November 1178, when worker at Unfw Carbide's plant not far from Dow swaa dlagnooed as having brain cancer. He knew two other workers at the - plant who hod died of brain tumors, and he called the Oroupedouat Safety and Health Adminlatratlan'e-regional office in dear h lake Qtyj Tlm& wondering If the disease could be related UrworMn* al the plant culty reaching Its goal of an earnings gain exceeding 12% this year. The company cited lower-than-expected foreign volume, which accounts for about two-thirds of earnings, tun < east Mi Used-car regulation* covering dealer disclosures of a car's condition and warranty are being reworked by of that Cate Congret election cat Act Paul 8a ID., Te and Re group It ocrita t OSHA'g-teftabal office quickly tinned up two other hntecaactr deaths of Carbide ' worker^ aaddstor the. total of casts dlaeoyv rod wa* tMrWMU^ not including the worter-wbo approeched -OSHA. shice Us . cancn b* M aoother part of hia body. OOUwd^uCaJtldeiicynBtlyUivesd- Bta whttf aairchttig for brain-clam deaths anew carbide workers. OSHA to; vesttgatorl-Aeiirewr the similar deaths among wevtemtmpowOemlcalplant .to thg tea* aiai " -Mob At Risk . . 'dHrtht among Dow workers wttlk the ratio of iiipk death* ta Bruorta County.- where the .* `DOW plaat tsWited. rr ranciudrt Out Dow I ,wort*n food'twice u much rtsKtWcon- 1 trading the dfMtsees other people. :< t lifig im mm the FTC. The commissioners fear a congressional veto of the rules, which ate scheduled for a final vote today. (Star, * 1 * * General Motors said It won't raise prices again an Its 1981-model cars fol lowing last week's boosts of 1351 a unit, or 3.S%. Ford and Chrysler didn't follow the increases. (Start vi Nvi 5) # Asareo agreed to spend J133 million over the next three years to control air pollution at its Hayden, Aria, coppei smelter, the EPA said. The con sent decree settles a W8 suit charging cMan-ahr standards violations. idwv m nm u * The were ct mental who' att rnentdc Jonty a lema re capbvlt Expa lebanoi Irtsk a tb* tec been ba lets for Dabanot Ira*' Presttei new me turaux for publ AJtP said its loss In the fiscal Irancla to Kiit-J [ >'tk'e ad the woefer^ the number of desths in ?4t- the plant wamlmuott out of Une wtth Ra,-^T ttcuat averagteT--.. ' - < It couldbrycara before the issue la w- : solved. Baaadau the preliminary data, gov- fourth quarter, ended Feb. 28, was slightly less than $4.2 million, com pared wife a $13.5 million loss a year earlier. Sales rose 12.6% to 11.89 bUUon-Pw the year, the loss widened to Sttmtm from S3J million. Mnwhoai Uses at tbectati Savw flnt tbr presenc Salvado four ve wiment rewerthera remain convinced that Maftets-r >', the teala canaan-era wwk related; eoroJ': : puiyoOrietsaaB Ihtobdwy aren't - . OSHA lad Dotragreed,to conduct a more . `thorough lnve*uttton. which tun been run- fling lorabout | year; data-gathemig should ` be-eomiheted by this summer: About 2.000 emptoyea-a.random sample nt the more Ltlum AkOOdtngd' (women don't cootncr the Slects; Vefnme 49.seo.wo sham. Dow Jones indiwrials 993.is oft 7.11; transporta tion 43926. Off 7.03; uttlHIe* 109.14, off 1J9. Baste: Dow Jones 20 bonds 61.00, off 0.33. CammodlOes. Dow Jones futures index 420.70, off 3.91; spot index 411.62, off 4.K. rent " stance* Japanes Mansfle: Prime 3 Rraaan a lot oli disease nebriy a ofttili who have worked at , ; - the Dow-(Hint since It opened la.two-are ; _ being' riuiflcrC The two leama wtll share - dawbufwriteaepnrtte reports. . r' H s Hy a Wsnscertatnthey wltt agree, p -- .(- _.Ttww *r* - toteslSoua that- the two sides L'-v- nm-Urt .r*r A CWam* i iJ&C *-, ' ' TODAY'S INDEX tO/tfvntflvutf n(M jh&*! FF*lrMvdtimai W1 *tVB , amSI WteVUdhH (lt*evsii<fMieiMkr%4wii 47ea14d Tea t WWipfl . el AJaba 12J mill waraear tudg a 1 the Sow blacks a ketedtn -M' B- ucc 054036 t , UlC 0UBUJU*UttM pUO- iSS luiiiie light of advances. Usher, believes, "Once a professional rela- HlefflEll Sleuths: Fear of Poisons iltaisesDernand for Epidemiologists - l CmttnMeg Fnwi First Page the causes. Investigators say they now know don't trust each oilier. "Some government whether nearly all of the sample is alive or studies are flatting expeditions." says Perry gGehring, a Dow vice president. "They find ^anything they can catch." i On the government-side. Victor Alexan der, an OSHA physician, says. "We encourjJage. companies to do all the epidemiology 2they like. We also bake an obligation to do Sthebest Job we can. We might want to look dead; it wasn't easy to find out even that. Reviewing personnd records for date and cause of death and death certificates from three counties surrounding the plant was just the beginning. A list of names was sent to the Social Se curity Administration In Washington to find out whether a death claim had been filed or sinto things they don't" Questioned directly. however, both deny there's any mistrust, Jllust legitimate differences in methodology. s-"lt depends du how you slice up the ftiforiSmation." says J. WUBam Uoyd, an OSHA Sepldemlotoglst , ' r E Epidemiology Isa'ttn exact science. Peo- <ple, unlike laboratory animals, are exposed . feto many substances every day, and it's often ^difficult to isolate the harmful onea.'Tt'sex asperating," sigy* Irving J, Sellkoff/a pro- feasor of environmental medicine at Mount Sinai School-of Metfiebte In . New'York. .There are no tnstant answers. " a study of oancer deaths Is always .[cult To begin wltlr. tbere's still a lot to learn about the disease. Although it's widely --agreed that environment*! factors contribjpate to most cancers, there are dearly other where retirement benefits were being sent. The names of those still missing were sent to the Texas motor-vehicles bureau. Govern ment agencies can ask the Internal Revenue Service for a last known address, and there are high-school and college alumni records and checks of local telephone books. "It's shoe-leather epidemiology," says Dr. Cook. Investigators may never know what workers were breathing and handling in the plant. Before the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970, few. compa nies measured or analyzed chemicals in the workplace. Protective equipment, if it was available, wasn't always worn. "The compa nies don't know, nobody knows," says Mount Sinai's Dr. Setlkoff. "Our Inadequacies of the past are coming home to roost." ^causes. tom. Not all tmokers contract lung cancer, for, example. Current, research segms to inmate that several factors work ing together may sharply Increase the risk. Pot example, asbestos workers who smoke develop cancer at a Jar higher rate, than either smokers who don't work with asbes tos or asbestos workeis.wbo don't smoke. Because cancer sometimes takes JO to 30 years to develop, lt's nearly impossible to '; know all the substances the vlcilmswere ex -posed to. Ar flow's Dr. Cook says. "The Meal thing would h* tohnplant a monitor In the right buttoctat blrtk" Brain es4nr pnamita stUt further probSiems. Because ft Js rete-aa estimated four j Icues a ye*Y^I00^p^aUon-invesd- More Mysteries Sven work histories don't always help. Building names and numbers have Changed,, as have manufacturing processes and jolfti tles. The Dow-plant is one of the largest in the world. Hundreds of chemicals are made there, and others are used in the manufac turing process. "Even if you know someone worked in an ethylene plant for 10 years, you may not be able to tell tfjje was`an op erator in an air-conditioned control room or a production person sloshing ground in the stuff." says Gordon Reeve, an epidemiolo gist with the National Institute of Occupa tional Safety and Health. Workers (fid slosh,around in chemicals In' gators havefewcaaestowork with. A single the early days of the plant. "Back in the statistical, norcan*te results. What's 1990s, you went in with your hands and br^,;care;|fcfre<iuently: misdl- washed tools, clothes and parts In carbon, . , >\ ; tetrachloride," recalls O.D. Kenemore, pres of thternsana thiu study like Dow's ident of the Freeport Metal Trades Council, a kiijflni*,although it involves an association of unions, who worked asst a 5% Sample jflwVuhHfce a criminal ^ pipefitter in the^ant; "They wouldn't leta 5 e pofhiw't dramatic or drop of it on the ftoor now." Carbon tetra flit Cook-Swij.iThingi come in chloride, once a commonly used cleaning the tide,ttttieslinfitith paper.";: fluid, has bee# shown-in cause'cancer in feshtipletttMibare frustrating, laboratory animate. -. IlirOTightliePlles Working conditions have changed so Personnel record*'teflo* are filed alpha- much. In fact, that epidemiologists concede lly. It would be eater forepWentiolo- that even U there was a problem years ago. lf they were arranged by date,of em- It may no longer exist. They continue to be , pwyment or bydepartnfent-that way work- concerned, however,- because so many work ,'in who weretfred at k particular time or ers still could face health problems caused -who worked tn a particular department by previous exposures, or a cancer-causing jtould be reviewed nepimtely. When the substance could remain. JtiMy started, there weft no indexes. Many "The real potential danger is that there's jtpcwtfe ant at microfiche, requiring re a chemical in the plant- that no one sus searchers tospend bows reading adnrge- pects," says Dr. Alexander, the OSHA epi ADts on iiuduntt: ' " ** demiologist "We won't see the benefits of It takes a major effint just to determine Improved controls mull the turn of the cen- how many former workers have dtaid and : tury," its*v r/ or bus withdi place 1 repres clients make \ ;' V>> t' ` v -V A vS-ST--' i VC 1 , -A-,* , V*- ' ucc 054037