Dr. Daniel C. Braun to Hugh M. Jackson on Lung Cancer in Asbestos Factory Workers (1957)

A two-page letter of August 23, 1957, from Dr. Daniel C. Braun, medical director (of the Industrial Hygiene Foundation), to Hugh M. Jackson, manager of J-M's Industrial Health Program, written for the September meeting of the Asbestos Textile Institute, with a page of references. Braun writes that having finished a literature search, "the possibility of an association between lung cancer and asbestosis is much more likely to exist in asbestos factories than in mining operations": of 99 cases reported up to 1955, at least 80 appeared to be in asbestos workers other than miners, such as weavers, carders, baggers and pipe coverers.

What it shows

Braun notes that the English cases must all have been textile or similar workers, since asbestos is not mined in England, and that the ten American cases were apparently all textile workers, the first a weaver reported in 1935. He cites Richard Doll's 1955 study of lung cancer deaths in asbestos workers. He also reports that the Industrial Hygiene Foundation's study for the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association was "99% written" and nearly ready for the printer. Earlier in 1957 the Asbestos Textile Institute had turned down the Foundation's proposal to study lung cancer in factory workers (the March 1957 minutes).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dr. Braun letter to H.M. Jackson, dated 8/23/57, in which Dr. Braun thanks Jackson for his letter of August 19 regarding the September meeting of the ATI. Dr. Braun states that after having completed a literature search, "it is apparent that the possibility of an association between lung cancer and asbestosis is much more likely to exist in asbestos factories than in mining operations." He says that of the 99 cases of lung cancer and asbestosis which have been reported up to 1955, 80 appear to have occurred in asbestos workers, such as weavers, carders, spinners, mattress makers, baggers, pipe coverers, rather than in miners. Query whether J-M cases were included in medical literature. Advocates research focus on asbestos factories.

Dr. Braun states that the IHF/QAMA study of miners is in the final stages. All the statistical analysis has been completed and the report is 99% written. Only minor revisions remain to be completed. It should go to the print shop by the end of this month.