Arthur J. Vorwald to Kenneth W. Smith on Merewether and "Another Storm" in Quebec (1950)

A one-page letter of April 18, 1950, from Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald, director of the Saranac Laboratory, to Dr. Kenneth W. Smith of Canadian Johns-Manville, headed "Asbestosis: Merewether." Back from Australia, where he had discussed the article with its author, Vorwald reported that "Merewether said that he wrote it very hurriedly." He added: "It certainly is a dilly and, as you do, I take strong exception to some of his statements."

What it shows

Vorwald also passed on word from Dr. Paul Cartier of Thetford "of another storm which is brewing in Quebec, this time concerning a case of asbestosis with cancer." He was "most anxious to get on with the survey of all data available on the subject before the storm really breaks." The letter answers Smith's February letter enclosing the Merewether paper (Smith to Vorwald).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dr. Vorwald writes to Dr. Smith on 4/18/50, regarding the Merewether article. Dr. Vorwald states that Merewether told Vorwald that he wrote it in a hurry. Dr. Vorwald indicates that "[i]t certainly is a dilly and, as you do, I take strong exception to some of his statements." Paul (presumably Cartier) states that "another storm is brewing in Quebec, this time concerning a case of asbestosis with cancer."