J. A. McKinney, Dr. Paul Kotin and Guy Gabrielson of Nicolet on Crocidolite, Mesothelioma and Stockton (1977)

Three letters. On June 22, 1977, Dr. Paul Kotin told J. A. McKinney, J-M's president, that he was "somewhat concerned" by McKinney's draft reply to Guy G. Gabrielson, Jr., chairman of Nicolet, Inc.: there were no data that crocidolite was "exclusively responsible" for mesothelioma, J-M had told the Canadian government and OSHA that all asbestos was hazardous and that "blue" fiber was not more so, and the draft's "admission to Guy of the extent of our problems at Manville" disturbed him. Kotin rewrote the draft, and McKinney sent it almost word for word on June 28: mesothelioma was "relatively quite rare," "we believe there is a safe level of exposure, even to amphiboles," and Stockton, a profitable plant with dust control "from the beginning," showed "no evidence of pulmonary disease which could definitely be attributed to asbestos." Gabrielson answered on July 6 that he doubted the industry could "afford to await those results."

What it shows

Kotin's changes softened the company president's personal view that crocidolite carried the greater mesothelioma hazard, to keep it in line with J-M's public position, and qualified the Stockton claim to "no evidence of pulmonary disease" because "there are pleural changes" (Kotin's Stockton X-ray update). The letter still said the Manville pipe plant "has had a larger incidence of asbestos-related disease than our other plants." Gabrielson replied that "industrial health zealots" would say 20 years was too short a test, that "mesothelioma may be our most critical political problem," and that showing chrysotile was safer at higher levels could justify a two-level standard. He suggested the industry consider sponsoring a review of existing data on whether crocidolite and amosite were more dangerous.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Memoranda and correspondence dated 6/22/77 through 7/6/77 regarding McKinney response to letter from Guy Gabrielson of Nicolet on asbestos hazards. Kotin suggested revision of draft to minimize McKinney's opinion (contra official J-M view) that greater mesothelioma hazards are associated with crocidolite/amosite, and to avoid admission re extent of Manville plant health problems vs. Stockton data. McKinney accepted revisions. Gabrielson response bemoans lack of time to validate J-M's Stockton experience via epidemiological study in time to prevent further reduction in TLV due lack of proof mesothelioma is dose related. Gabrielson urged that politically it was better to focus on crocidolite/amosite as cause of mesothelioma to protect balance of industry. Gabrielson suggests jointly sponsoring a study/literature review.

Editor's note: J-M's description says Kotin's revisions were meant to avoid an admission about the extent of health problems at the Manville plant. The letter McKinney sent still says the Manville pipe plant had a larger incidence of asbestos-related disease.