A. S. Elsenbast to J. P. Woodard on a Lompoc Compensation Case and Aluminum Therapy (1951)

A two-page memorandum of July 1951 from A. S. Elsenbast of Johns-Manville to J. P. Woodard, replying to letters from H. M. Jackson and to E. T. Legge, the Lompoc industrial relations director, about a workers' compensation case at the Lompoc diatomaceous earth plant. According to J-M's description, the case was that of Melvin E. McCollum, who had won his claim, and Elsenbast strongly disputed that diatomaceous earth was a significant health hazard. The parts that can be read discuss the opinion of a doctor that the Industrial Accident Commission might use as a guide, and list points about aluminum therapy, among them that it "works satisfactorily on guinea pigs."

What it shows

The second page appears to recommend that J-M compile a list of the men already compensated, a review of all current cases with their present health, and a program of lung function testing. Aluminum therapy for diatomaceous earth workers had been proposed by Dr. A. J. Lanza in his September 1951 memorandum. This copy is too poor to support more detail.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Memorandum from Elsenbast to Woodard, 7/17/51, concerning Melvin E. McCollum, who had prevailed in a workers' compensation claim against J-M. Elsenbast strongly disputed the possibility that diatomaceous earth created a significant health hazard.