Document v1o8kOqDkrK9vOwQmGDY03gN9

| PLAINTIFF'S i EXHIBIT CSR-210 XtBL/CfS Dr* R Maynard Bennie, Uaoqaarle Chsabers, 183 Mao<juaris 3treat. 20th Septeaber, 1961. Dear Dr* Beanie, Asbeetoala - Wittanooe Caused Aa yen knew, Z hare diseuaaed with Dr, arose Hunt the Incidence of pnetaoeenlosls la mrtiM and. exworkers froa the Australian Bloe Asbestos Vetka at wlttanoea* I bare boon able to loeato la Perth records of 12 oaaaa of aabaatoala, pine throe rrifltiflila naassj fear eaaea of alllooala or elllco ti&erenloale, ala oaaaa of probable allleoaia and one la which aebaatoaia and elllooala both appear to bo proalna&t* Sea* of the eaaea of aebaatoaia alao show evidence of allleoaia* The- total ohleh Z hare given you la 26 eaaea* Z bellere that Dr* Holfulty baa eeverel not on ay llat* Whan It la Jmoen that the labour turnover at wittanooe haa been high, this la Indeed a large masher of eaaea* It la noteworthy that aoae of theoe have been diagnosed several years after leaving Wlttanoea and It la not loprobable that more will present In the future* There la no doubt that early conditions at Tfttteaooa were appalling* X have had several aye wit nesses' descriptions of the dust around the eiii being eo thick aa to occlude vision for more than a few yards. Whan Z visited ffltteaooa In July, 1933, exhaust ventil ation had been established in the old mill; the new mill had been built but was not operating* Certainly considerable attention had been given to exhaust ventil ation In the new nlll* At this tins (JUly, 1958) the old Cont'd 4097 2 mine had been closed down and the new nine was oper ating. To no the important question appears not to be how orach, however belatedly, has been spent on ventilation, but as to whether or not the ventil ation is efficient enough to Keep dost down to levels which appear to be safe (eating due allowance for the limitations on onr knowledge of safs levels), fills requires an awareness and desire on the pert of senega meat of tho need for protesting their eaployees fron aabestoels. Zt le essential that the aanageeent do not rest content with the fast that they have spent so Hwiny thousands of pounds on ventilation but that they not rest oontent-wntlX they are satisfied- that their eaployees ere adequately protected. I an suggest- lug that the fv--r**T itsalf should take an aotlve interest in measuring dust levels. If they are found to bo con sistently than steps auat be taken to lower the dust levels to those regarded as 'safe*, 8urely this is the least that oaa be ashed of a ecnpaay with saeh a poor record of interest in the health of their e^ ployees* It would be such appreciated if yon would bring my point of view to the attention of the manage ment. Yours sincerely. (D.D. Lethaa) FHYSICIAH OCCOPATIOKAL HEALTH SBCTIOff,