Document zQNbXG66KXbBLXnLmN5QVGQBm

1 DI/PM 2nd October, 1958. The Under Secretary for Kines, Trfeasary Building, PERTH. Dear air. Telfer, Asbestosls- Mine Workers* Relief Act (Your Refereng6i2iB/55i Dr. King has referred your letter to me. In reply:- The Mine tfor&ers1 Relief Act should be amended to cover workers suffering from Asbes tosls. Answers to specific queries are - (a) This year 254 workers en^loyed in the asbestos industry at SYittenooa had chest x-rays. 5 of these were diagnosed as suffering from Asbestoeie. (b) The effect on the workers as in Silicosis, depends on three main factors. (1) Duration of exposure. (2) Concentrations of asbestos fibres, especially the larger ones. (3) Individual variation in response to exposure. The tine of onset from first exposure is also Itrrgeily dependent on these factors. "Perhaps an "average" tine could be quoted as 8 years, but it might be much earlier or much later than this. The chief effect on the worker is increasing breathlessness. The end result of this varies in a similar ?/ay to that of Silicosis; i.e. there are varying degrees of incapacity5 from breathlessness on considerable exertion to breathlessness at complete rest. Riht heart failure nay cupervine in advance<3coses. WV-004066 1 .2. As a generalisation, I should say that Asbestos!s is more incapacitating than Silicosis. The incidence of tuberculosis in associa tion with Ashestosis, is considered by most authorities not to he increased. liowcver, most authorities agree that the incidence of cancer of the lung ia higher in patients suffering from Ashestool6. This usually has not been manifest ' "for many years after the onset w<jf Asbestoslg <and-*"does not appear to apply to asbestos workers overall, but only to those suffering from Asbestosls* (c) The disability is progressive and can be assessed by x-ray changes together with clinical examina tion. Special lung function tests say also help in assessment* The x-ray appearances, though different from those found in Silicosis, do lend themselves to the classification adoptedr for the^lstter; i*e. early w Asbestosis and advanced Asbestosis. It is to be borne in hind that there may be a combined Silicosis and Asbestosis hazard and a worker may suffer from both of these conditions* Yours faithfully. (D. I^etham) PHYSICIAN DSPAETJECT OF PUBLIC HEA1331. \