B. W. Luttenberger to H. M. Jackson Sending Confidential Testimony on Asbestosis and Lung Cancer (1954)

A one-page letter of July 13, 1954, from B. W. Luttenberger, works manager of Raybestos-Manhattan, to H. M. Jackson of Johns-Manville, enclosing testimony from a compensation hearing "on Asbestosis and its relation to bronchogenic carcinoma." The transcript was "from our confidential files," Luttenberger wrote, "It is a very important case as far as we are concerned," and Jackson might want Dr. Smith to read it. At a later hearing in Philadelphia, Dr. Simon S. Leopold had testified that no such relation existed, relying on the opinions of two doctors he consulted, and the case was going back to Lancaster, where "we will develop further data from our local doctors to offset the opinion of Dr. Ward M. O'Donnell."

What it shows

By 1954 a worker's claim that asbestosis had led to his lung cancer was being contested before a Pennsylvania referee, and Raybestos-Manhattan was sharing its defense material with J-M's industrial health manager. Jackson and Luttenberger also worked together on the Asbestos Textile Institute's Air Hygiene Committee (Luttenberger's May 1954 letter).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

B.W. Luttenberger (Raybestos-Manhattan Works Manager) sends H.M. Jackson, 7/13/54, a transcript of testimony taken at a compensation hearing on asbestosis and its relation to lung cancer. Luttenberger states that this "is a very important case as far as we are concerned." He states that the transcript is from R-M's confidential files and appreciates the return of it as soon as Jackson finishes reading it. Luttenberger suggests that Dr. Smith may also want to read it. Luttenberger states that Drs. Pendergast and Gourley have testified so far that no relation exists. Further testimony is to be given. Luttenberger states that "we will develop further data from our local doctors to offset the opinion of Dr. Ward M. O'Donnell."

Editor's note: J-M's description says Drs. Pendergast and Gourley testified that no relation existed. The letter says Dr. Simon S. Leopold testified, basing his opinion on theirs.