Arthur J. Vorwald to J. P. Woodard on Asbestosis at the Waukegan Plant (1951)

A two-page letter of April 17, 1951, from Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald, director of the Trudeau Foundation and the Saranac Laboratory, to J. P. Woodard of Johns-Manville. Vorwald reports that during a visit by Dr. Keller, the physician at J-M's Waukegan, Illinois, plant, Saranac reviewed chest X-rays of about 64 employees, and although they "may have been a highly selected group," he "was astounded with the number of cases presenting roentgenographic evidence of asbestosis." He urges J-M "to improve the plant conditions before irresponsible agents stimulate action which might reflect unfavorably on the industry." The rest of the letter concerns Saranac's fee for the review: $640 at $10 a case, with a postscript offering a round $400.

What it shows

Vorwald wrote that the Waukegan situation was "serious enough to warrant your most considered attention." He also noted that Dr. Keller "will be the first, I know, to admit his limitation" in reading X-rays for dust disease, and offered Saranac's help with future films. The letter shows J-M's headquarters being told in plain terms, by its own research laboratory, that asbestosis was widespread at one of its plants in 1951. Vorwald's concern was framed partly as protecting the industry from outside criticism. Dr. Keller's own account of the visit is in his letter to Vorwald.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

In a letter of 4/17/51, Vorwald advises Woodard he "was astounded" to find 64 asbestosis "cases" at Waukegan J-M plant, urges improvement in plant hygiene. Mentions that Dr. Keller (Waukegan plant physician) would be the first to admit his limitation in reading chest roentgenograms indicating pulmonary disease resulting from the inhalation of dust.

Editor's note: J-M's description says Vorwald found 64 asbestosis cases. The letter says Saranac reviewed the X-rays of about 64 employees and found a surprising number with signs of asbestosis; it does not give a count of cases.

Related documents

• Dr. Samuel L. Keller of Waukegan to Arthur J. Vorwald on His Visit to Saranac (1951)