Document zQ36ZLEBKmLdbmkQ9DBzJM8ma

FILE NAME: Metropolitan Life (ML) DATE: 1933 Jan 21 DOC#: ML111 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Dr. Harbaugh from Mr. Cummings RE The Asbestosis Study being Unpublishable Due to Lawyers and Damage Suits Date: 1/21/33 Title: Letter Author: Harbaugh Receiver: Cummings Comments: "I as asked to advise you that the Board feels that nothing could be published that is so potentially damaging to the lead and zinc mine operators of this district. The possibilities of its very damaging use in the hands of some unscrupulous lawyers or others who might be interested in stirring up damage suits against the mining companies is extremely great at this time. In many states in the union there are now pending suits for hundreds of claims for total disability from occupational diseases. The mining companies now in existence here would have to bear the burden of paying for disabilities to which they were very minor contributors, if such suits were ever filed here." T h S mwwac L * * siuoay Km t h i Stvot or luvw cvxem or T H * UWAJID t . W U D M U KHJHWTW J i*~t mr*r~u mm << UkAHAC L ***. N Y. January 24, 1S33 PRODUCED S/O/M/Us Dr*. Anthony J . n n * k a tr o p o llta n L l f * Inaurano# Go, Nw York C ity Dear Tony s Z a n o l ela* a eopy of a la tta r bioh 1 h ar* re ealw ad t h i r a l a * f r c * Haurbaugh r a l a t l T a to the p u b lic a tio n of .th a papar which I ra o a a tly eu b n lttad to you fo r or i t i l a . C b rlo asly the situ atio n * blob oo afroats tha A ssool t l a a 1 P la b o r 1 a r a a l na and X wan a p p ra o lu ta t h a l r r#* In a ia a o a to b a a any amoh d a ta p la o a d in th a Hand* o f un- so ro p a lo u a In w yrr* ,a r o th ara who m ight nan tha i a f o n m t i o a a g a ln a t tha min sowpan! aa Ylaara 1 , hoaaw ar, an oth er aap aat to th a s it u a t io n b lo b l a e q w e lly d i f f l o a l t . I hat a e t u a ll y p en t n e a r ly two y e a r s o f tiaw and sewerm! th o u san d s o f d o l la r in aooontsuj&ti'ag; tha d a ta efcieh b aa a ana In to th a a a pa p a r a . Tha r i r * t p a p e r, Tfelah la th e ana un der e o n s l d e r a t lo a , r a a l l y c a r ia titu to e tha In tr o d n o tlr to tha a a r ia a and 1 th o a t th la evidence tha follow l a * p ap ere ere o r a o r la a a m ln a la a . In o th e r w ord *, tha fo llo a ln * p ap ar* daaand a t a t l a t l o a l proof o f tha o cn d ltio a brought fo rth la tha study and w ithout thla a ta tla t lo a l proof l i t t l e or no T a is can bo a ttrib u te d to than. Va .p ro p o sad p u b lis h in g th aaa papara in the Americaja Sewiew o f T u b e r c u lo s is , whlah a s you know hati it a n a l ! e i r e o la tio n and would not raaoh tba hands of any except thorn Inte ra ta d In tha aora or laaa teoh n loal aapaota o f th la d isc * . Moreower* i t 1 1 1 r e t i r e a t l a a s t it yar b e fo re tha p ap ar can tea p la o ad l a p r i s t and i t h th a t l a p a a o f wash mora tim a tin tod y 111 lo a a s c u a ld e r a b le r a i n a . f r a n k l y , X b e l l s * t h a t your own p u h lie atic m c c *d thoaa o f Buyer and Varlvwthar dlaoloaa a x a stly tha *a e an d ltlo u aa X h a t p o in t ad o a t la mj p a p e r. Tha awthed of a n a ly s is Turia# l a aaah lm stam se, h a t tha f a a t s ara abase k fta a tla a l. We eanwat h e lp hais fa w l soma ra sant amt war th la work, f o r a reaiae Dr .J.Lansa Jan.2,lW3,p 2 No o r e c y h a* been m ain tain ed In g a th e rin g the d a ta an4 every one concerned has known o f the work In p r o g r e s s . I f we had con tem pla ted ` his a c t io n we could have l i t e r a l l y awed o u rse lv e s year# of time and thouaanda o f d o lla r * In expen d itu re. * * fe e l th a t to h are allow ed tte work to be com pleted and then to have r e fu s e d i t * f i n a l p u b ftc a tlo n has been most u n fa ir and * ocewhat discrim in atin g. am th e r e fo r e a p p e a lin g to you fo r your advice In th is s it u a t io n . X have o ffe re d to In corporate In the paper every p o ssib le exten u atin g circum stance with regard to the d is t r i c t I t s e l f and X have p o in ted out th a t the b a s ic f a c t a In 1930 do not d i f f e r m s t s r l a l l y tram th oae p r e v io u s ly p u b lla h e d . Co i t not # 4M f a i r th at t h is a e r ie * be allow ed to be p u b lish e d In the American Review o f T uberou loaisT You u n d e rsta n d , o f c o u r e s, th a t we d id n ot a p p r c i t wbmn we e n te re d .upon t h i s I n v e s t ig a t io n the f a c t th at i t o u st be approved by the In d u stry a s w ell a s by the M etropolitan I l f s In su ra n ce Company and th e 0 . 3 . Bureau o f M ine*. Me were a l t o g e th e r s a t i s f i e d w ith the n e c e s s ity o f complying with both your w ish es and D r. S a y e r s 's u g g e s t io n s , b u t had we kr.own th a t I t must a l s o be approved by the a s s o c i a t i o n i t s e l f , X am q u ite c o n fid e n t t h a t th e work would n ever have been u n d ertak en . 4a a a a tte r o f fa c t X did not appreciate th is r e s t r i c t ! whan X was in C h icago s in c e i t was not u n t i l my re tu rn th a t Dr. S a y e r s inform ed me o f t h i s n e c e ssa ry a p p r o v a l. I th e re fo re sub m itte d p a rt o f t h is sviden ce l a Chicago and i t Is b e in g . Incor porated la the re p o rt of that conference. I eh all write today in an a ttem p t to d a le te t h i s Inform atio n from the re co rd , but X suppose th at i t i s a lre ad y too la t e and th at Ih u ll find myself In v e stig a tin g s i l i c o s i s In the rock p ile s in the Federal P en iten tiary in A tlan ta w ith in the course of the next few months. Such a stu d y would p ro b ab ly be in t e r e s t i n g but X am a f r a i d my fa m ily would o b je c t to ay undertalcing I t a t the present tim e. 11th ay very beat regard s, X an, ^ 0 0 ,UC0 Yourei tr u ly , EKCsOO BOSKKmAAXJh)D*'i.. CTariHcus AA ST. m e t O R 00l20