Document vB2Gezr1V1xKQ6kKnv3O4zMwm

FILE NAME Corning OC DATE 1941 June 16 DOC OC140 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Internal Report - Investigation of Health Aspects of Fiberglass OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION Cd Attention of Lads: oan iN A Pa AA COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices Toledo Ohio June 16 1941 Mr. Harold Bosschenstein - Toledo CC Mr. W. P. Zimmerman Mr. E. J. Marshall Subject 'Investigation of Health Aspects of Fiberglas by Dr. Walter J. Siebert 2415 North Kingshighway St. Louis Missouri Mr. H. R. Thomas Mr. T. S. Rogersshare with Dr. Campbell En route to St. Louis June 12 I stopped to see Dr. Enos at the Owens- Illinois plant in Alton garded with considerable fession in the St. Louis Dr. Enos said that Dr. Siebert is re- respect by members of the medical proarea as indicated by his affiliation with the medical school of Washington University and his position as consulting pathologist although it is well known use of hard liquor he is in five hospitals Dr. Enos said that that Dr. Siebert does not abhor the not regarded as an alcoholic Dr. Enos remarks confirm other evidence such as listings in medical directories that Dr. Siebert is regarded as an authority in his field He performs some seven hundred autopsies yearly and reports his findings to the medical practitionere whose diagnoses are checked with the findings in the autopsy In addition he spends five or six hours daily at a microscope diagnosing tissues sent to him for sectioning From Mr. Bartley I learn that Dr. Siebert is regarded by organized labor and the insurance comanies comanies as an incorruptible witness whose professional testimony is not subject to influence by any consideration other than his scientific judgment For us I believe it is extremely fortunate that Dr. Siebert has this kind of temperament and professional attitude His approach to the assignment given him by Mr. Bartley is to do a thorough scientific job that will make him an authority on the health aspects of Fiberglas + * + After registering at the Park Plaza I met Dr. Siebert in his labora tory at DePaul Hospital In an adjoining room where he keeps blood plasma he showed me the Fiberglas samples that he had received from Newark We returned to the Park Plaza where we met Mr. Bartley for lunch Afterward Mr. Bartley Dr. Siebert and I went to Dr. Siebert apartment in the St. Regis where we discussed the proposed report for five hours Result of the discussion is the appended outline of procedure which indicates the scope of the investigation upon which Dr. Siebert is launched CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE attention of Ur Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Oblo -2- June 16 1941 subject Firfequently during the discussion Dr. Siebert sidetracked himself on minute points that seemed to fascinate him as a scientist For example while describing to Mr. Bartley the investigation that he carried on in Toledo and Newark on June 2 and 3 he told of examining scores of Newark employees He was amazed to find he said that there were no cases of eye irritation in the plant Now he said I would like to know why As a pathologist I would like to determine what happens to particles of Fiberglas that get into the eyes as they certainly must do When I ask the employees in Newark whether they get any glass in their eyes they tell me Sure now and then but it don't bother me none Undoubtedly it is because the blink reaction takes care of it and washes it out of the eye But I am concerned with what would happen to an employee whose blink reaction might be paralyzed scar above the eye Undoubtedly the skin irritation experienced boyn a arms and wrists by new employees is to be explained by the fact there are no mucosa on these parts of the body to wash away the fibers But they all say they get used to it Again and again I heard that phrase It don't bother me none use in Because it was obvious that Dr. Siebert was outlining for himself a of research I offered the suggestion that he years program might his report some such statement as this Our best fibers have no deleterious knowledge at present indicates that the effect whatsoever on the eyes because the fibers are entirely non- toxic and inorganic and because of the fineness of their diameter lack sufficient strength to penetrate the mucosa I suggested they work of Dr. Roy Philip Scholz who that in this connection he cite the is using Fiberglas for surgical sutures iannddicdaotciunmgetnthatthetherewfheyrsencaend with a footnote if he chose to do so fruitful field of inquiry wherefores of this situation might open up a medical school for a research student doing postgraduate work in some home the point I suggested that a person building a home To press in his windows because they were transparent and wanted glass panes kept the rain out The homebuilder I suggested did not insist that resisted water That the contractor explain why the glass in the pane for the glass technologist and the physicist to explore was a question to across a pragmatic point of view suggesting that Thus I tried get with his finding that Fiberglas the union members would be satisfied that if scientists irritation or severe dermatitis and causes no eye want to know why they can pursue their inquiry elsewhere more appro- Mr. Bartley concurred in this point of view priately CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices Toledo Ohio Mention of Kr Boeschenstein .. 3 June 16 1941 ubject < Dr. Siebert said he has received the biopsy from Dr. Campbell and is planning to make a microscopic section for examination He also showed Mr. Bartley a piece of glass fiber that he has in his own thumb He said It don't bother me none but it's there and I know exactly where and when I got it I am going to make a biopsy of it and put it under the microscope Commenting on Dr. Gardner's investigations Dr. Siebert repeated to Mr. Bartley the statement he made to me in Toledo If these findings had been made by any man other than Gardner I would have asked Why did you not have this investigation made by Dr. Gardner Even so Dr. Siebert added he wanted very much to talk with Dr. Gardner or at least have the opportunity to make microscopic studies of all the slides made by Dr. Gardner Through Mr. Staelin arrange- ments have been made with Dr. Gardner to send his slides to Dr. Siebert Dr. Siebert agreed that he would return to Dr. Gardner all of the alides and would furnish an affidavit to the effect that he had made no photomicrographs of any of them unless Dr. Gardner gave himspecific permission to do so He suggested that it might be of interest to Dr. Gardner to let him know that he was a colleague at DePaul Hospital of Dr. Edward C. Ernst roentgenologist who at one time was associated with Dr. Gardner in some silicosis studies Dr. Siebert pointed out what he described as an inconsistency in the second paragraph of Dr. Gardner's Interim Report of May 16 1941 Miscroscopic examination of their lung tissues has failed to demonstrate the presence of any fibres of glass Small quantities of very minute particles which are probably glass splintered in the process creating the dust have been observed within the lungs Reaction to these particles is limited to microscopic collections of cells which could not conceivably influence pulmonary function out that the first sentence has to do with fibers which are I pointed differentiated from minute particles which are exon- not present as conceivable influence on pulmonary function Neverthe- erated from any this differentiation offered one reason why less Dr. Siebert said Dr. Siebert said Dr. Gard- he wished to examine the slides Further fibers that there is no health hazard because glass ner's report implies into the lungs This assumption based on size are too large to get warranted in the light of knowledge that he indicated is no longer than the Fiberglas particles do get asbestos particles much larger wy et ae oe - ~~----_ e COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices - Toledo Ohlo Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein 4 June 16 1941 subject into the lungs We do get in We know because they contain can be injurious and need to know he said what size glass fibers there can be no silicosis hazard from glass fibers no free silica but we also know that other dusts it is still necessary to exonerate glass fiber dust Dr. Siebert repeated that it is fortunate that Dr. Gardner has done this work and he emphasized that he can accept Gardner's procedure and techniques He wishes only the opportunity to examine the slides _ and check Gardner's interpretations with his own My hunch is that he looks forward to this opportunity to bring himself to the attention of Dr. Gardner It may be necessary to bundle him into a plane later for a day session with Gardner in Saranac dusted Dr. Siebert said he wants to talk to Gardner to inquire whether it would be possible to take some of the dusted animals and them to tuberculosis We need to know he suggested whether esxupbojseucrte to glass wool which may be entirely benign in and of nevertheless predisposes an organism to tuberculosis He explained that normal healthy guinea pigs injected with tuberculosis die in eight weeks It would be very simple for Dr. Gardner Dgre.rmSsiebert suggested to take several healthy guinea pigs as a control - inject them with tuberculosis germs do the same with glass- group dusted guinea pigs and watch results If the animals died no sooner than the unexposed animals he said it would be conclusive evidence that exposure to glass wool dust does not pre- dispose an individual to pulmonary disorders Dr. Siebert said he is planning to create dusted atmospheres in the room adjoining his laboratory in DePaul Hospital He will do so with a steel tennis racket beating samples of Fiberglas with counted successive days measuring the particles per cubic foot strokes on he will breathe the dust and have Uhsiimsneglfhimesxealmfinaesd bthye n guino ea ps ig e throat physicians at the hospital the effect on the mucosa of his throat and nasal passages to determine of competitive products He will repeat the experiments with the sampsleenst to him from Newark 85 magnesia rock wook rock work etc. that Fiberglas is a practically dist- I called his attention to the fact tests which showed free productseatntdledmeesnctriabfetedrthperoPluorndgueedvisbervaerteiondropping of a jig and negligible oscillations He requested a copy of the Purdue report which iesxtetnosibvee sent by Mr. Rogers and said this would be very significant Se ... aeel RAP AsAN UT Aas BOD RU sd sd se Wee a ns COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio 5- June 16 1941 Subject Information on which Dr. Siebert categories rely falls into these three 1 Data supplied from our records 2 Data from sources other than Corning In this category he includes information available to the general public like Dr. McIllvain's report Bulletin No. 2 of the Pennsylvania Safe Practices Conferenc)e 3. Independent research undertaken by himself Although these are detailed further in the attached outline the following information is significant Dr. Siebert says that Mr. are Marshall informed him that additional data to be sent him within two weeks by the Ohio Industrial Commission concerning our assertion that no award has ever been made in Ohio to any individual on the basis of an occupational disease attributable to exposure to Fiber- glas products Mr. Bartley added parenthetically that he hoped this information would go back through the period before Corning was formed and include the time when Fiberglas was manufactured by Illinois Mr. Bartley minimizing his interest in the possi- bility of a dermatitis hazard said he is greatly concerned over length of exposure over a period of years as a factor the in- vestigation Dr. Siebert said that he has a protege . W. K. Wilson M.D. who is plant physician for Chevrolet Fisher Body and the new T.N.T. in St. Louis Dr. Wilson is now in Toronto having been sent ptlhaenrte by these three companies to make a study of occupational diseases Dr. Siebert has asked him to bring back any available information Dr. Siebert requested that he receive letters from the three ophthalmologists throat specialists specialists in Newark as to whether they notice in their private practice any unusual incidence of nose or throat infections among Fiberglas production employees I have requested Dr. Campbell to get these letters for us and will CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION - COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE Attention af Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices Toledo Ohio -6- June 16 1941 Subject i) He asked also for a statement from Aetna regarding experience with the Corning group I am sending him a copy of John Hill's letter attached Incidently Mr. Hill is following this letter with one from Aetna's chief engineer at Hartford He also asked for letters from the United States Navy Budd Manu- facturing Gustin and American Airways about experience with their employees in the handling of Fiberglas I think we should steer this one off on the ground that we have supplied him with complete data and that although he is free to write himself he will realize we are not anxious to put any negative suggestion in the minds of some of our best customers Moreover he has Fiber- glas Standards sheets setting forth naval specifications on our products which imply that the material is he has the Melllvain report to cover Budd satisfactory to the Navy and we can supply him with a reprint of the New Times story on American's use of acoustical blankets together with the application photograph from Boeing As to Gustin they are the exclusive purveyor of Fiberglas products to the railroad industry and their statements would reflect our point of view Dr. Siebert went through my collection of glossy prints showing workers handling Fiberglas both in the Newark plant and in appli- cators and requested copies to document his report These are going off to him ~ * * * At.Dr. At.Dr. Siebert's urgent insistence I stayed in St. Louis Thursday night and spent most of Friday with him Thursday evening he gave me his longhand draft of the attached outline which I typed in quadruplicate at the hotel on Friday morning Retaining two copies I left the original and the longhand draft with Dr. Siebert after discussing it further with him and sent the duplicate copy to Mr. Bartley by messenger Mr. Bartley telephoned me Friday morning to say he had received a copy of a letter written to a Mr. George A. Modgeman of the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York from Dr. Peterson of the Reference Library of the American Medical Association Mr. Hodgaman had made an inquiry of Mr. Bartley's request The letter cited Dr. Gardner's work Dr. Lanza's work and a professor at the Colorado School of Attention of COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices - Toledo Ohio Mr. Boeschenstein -7 June 16 1941 Subject lines who said Fiberglas causes keratosis Mr. Bartley is to send copies to Dr. Siebert and to me Copy attached On Friday afternoon I unpacked the samples at the hospital and examined them with Dr. Siebert Late Friday afternoon Dr. Siebert and I visited the Anheuser brewery where I renewed my acquaintance with Ray Seeker and Agnes Rabbit both of whom were prominent at the A.I.H.A. meeting May 19. Dr. Siebert is pathologist to the brewery and is proud of his association there He is a good friend of Dr. Ted Hanser who is industrial physician at Anheuser Mr. Bartley proudly displayed noon At his request memofolds memofold when we met him Thursday also have been ordered for his partners at Bartley & Mayfield 208 North Broadway St. Louis associated Gene Mayfield James P. Kellett field Kellett once was Malcolm L. Bartley Waldo C. May- with John L. Lewis and is former Industrial Commissioner of Illinois under Gov. Dunn A memo- fold also has been ordered for Dr. Siebert Note re Dr. Siebert's fee I explained to both Mr. Bartley and Dr. Siebert that we will be glad to take care of Dr. Siebert's charges for the investigation whatever they are because we do not want the Union to be put to any expense All that we ask I said is that Dr. Siebert charge an amount that he can sustain by sound professional opinion as being appropriate and that we would like that to be the test because we don't want him to be in the position of charging any more or less than the report is fairly worth I said that we are looking forward to helping the Union get an honest thorough report that any compe tent professional man could look at and find right and that we are anxious that he make this kind of a report on his account as well as on our own I also explained that we have in mind following this matter through to the point where the report and subsequent interpretations of it or testimony based on it will bury completely every question that might be raised and that we expect to feel free to call on Dr. Siebert in conjunction with Dr. Gardner or Dr. Campbell or anybody else to carry through whatever further studies may be necessary Dr. Siebert agreed that he will render the bill to us through Mr. Bartley This procedure is satisfactory to Mr. Bartley and I explained to him that we will pay any charges rendered by Dr. Siebert that he approves Attention of CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE ' Mr. Boeschenstein General Offices . Toledo Oblo B . June 16 1941 Subject GS Note on Timinogf Report It will be impossible for Dr. Siebert to consideration by the Union during June the August 1 date have his report ready for He is still shooting at of Dr. Siebert I think realizes the urgency the situation from our point of view But he dislikes being hurried Remember I am pathologist at five hospitals and sick people depend on my routine work If I had known Bill he said to Mr. Bartley that this investigation would take so much time I never would have got into it But here I am and chances are that the three of us in this room he said including himself Mr. Bartley and me together with Gardner and a few other fellows know just about that is known concerning the health hazards of Fiber- everything read him Mr. Marshall's letter expressing the glas Mr. Bartley be available in time for action hope that Dr. Siebert's report would by the Local in June so that a report could go into the July issue of the Asbestos Worker Dr. Siebert suggested that Mr. Bartley go before the Local at next meeting June 17 and say that an extensive report is now being prepared by Dr. Siebert to be based on independent research a study of the world medical literature and information from all other available sources Mr. Bartley agreed to give this word to Gus Schmitters business agent of Local No. 1 although he appeared to be somewhat loath to be in the position of pressing something into the Local's minutes for publi- cation in the Asbestos Worker The subject of Sickles letter to Schmitters regarding Consolidated Edison did not come up Whether Mr. Bartley knows about it I do not know I suggest however it will be well for Mr. Marshall to send him the attached photostat of the letter of June 12 from Mr. Beardsley just received from Mr. Dias which demolishes the r6_ joinder that Sickles made to Beardsley's letter of May 2 I feel sure however that my visit hurried him along by nailing down his procedure and formulating the outline I think that by at intervals of two or three days correspondence and telephoning intervals of ten days or two weeks we may step this up visits at I were to go to St. Louis by two or three weeks For instance if to to Dallas again on Monday June 23 and stay until necessary go wr ee meee me ee eee e ee . COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE General Offices - Toledo Ohio Attention of Mr. Boeschenstein -9- June 16 1941 Subject 0 for the June 30 June 28 meeting and stop in returning from Dallas I can St. Louis again on do the following Monday 1. Offer my own services as a guinea pig in the dusting tests 2. Carry through the mechanical details of setting up laboratory procedures at DePaul hospital for the independent research he plans 3. Stand by to get his draft dictated This is the way he works 1 1 4. Step up the clerical work of getting the report in final shape for submission to Mr. Bartley ( Sea Edward C. Ames CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION ae COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE - Attention of General Offices - Toledo Ohio Mr Earold Boeschenstein January 7 1942 < rar, Etc Etc fronti fronti fronti fronti Subject ') a EJM thinks there is the germ of a major strategy here He suggests 1 Compilation of asbestosis file as suggested 2. Explore with Aetna what we can get in way of automatic pianola coverage in nature of public liability coverage extended by cedar chest manufacturer against moth holes manufacturer 3. X step -- how to utilize and get results a. go to under cold turkey and lay it on line b or - start with peoplwee know in union and build up confidence in worker that he is protected and there is no risk ok ---- ------- -- with Explain Explain with Picton Picton - also bankers sts Party ------ ---- ---- -- ---- int Queries 1. Would we have to do same in Equipment field 2. How would this affect our terms and conditions of sale sea and ECA bw OCF Documents from Lawrence Madeksho These are from two bundles of OCF documents that I have had for some time but never examined recently Originally I had looked at them and discounted their significance because they all are dated in the 1960s However they proved of interest to attorney LM in Texas who culled the enclosed items from the two stacks each about 3 in thick I have the stacks too which were returned This material I have examined and tried to group roughly in this order 1. awareness of the hazard of asbestos diseases esp Kaylo insulation 2. awareness and concern about dust on Kaylo block products 3. continuing battle union over health hazards inside the Kaylo mfg plant in Berlin NJ esp over dust from trim saws used in finishing line to remove excess and provide constant dimensions for products to be shipped 1960-63 continuing through 1969 4. program to develop asbestos Kaylo calcium silicate block and pipe-covering indicating pressures from customers and upper mgmt 5. warnings to product users and the general public 6. OCF contract Pabco Fibreboard on distribution of Kaylo 8. 7. miscellaneous documents of lesser interest to me July 12 1985