Kenneth W. Smith to E. C. Lindstrom on the Gummed Caution Label at Manville (1964)

A one-page memo of September 14, 1964, from Dr. Kenneth W. Smith, J-M's medical director, to E. C. Lindstrom, copied to T. H. Eaton and A. Pocius. At Smith's last meeting on the subject it had been agreed that a caution would be printed on all new cartons for Thermobestos products and that "nothing was to be done until the present supply of cartons was exhausted." Instead a gummed label had been devised, which "created a small furor at Manville and could have had very serious labor relations and workmen's compensation consequences." Smith recommended going back to the original plan, so that for a time some shipments would go out in cartons with no label and others with it.

What it shows

Smith also proposed another meeting on J-M's other asbestos products, at which "we should evaluate whether or not a health hazard might exist for those using the product." The memo shows the medical director slowing the label's arrival out of concern for its effect on labor relations and compensation claims at the Manville plant.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Letter from Kenneth Smith to E.C. Lindstrom dated 9/14/64 relates to the decision to put labels on certain products. "Unfortunately, there seems to be some lack of communication or understanding how the gummed label was devised. As you know, this created a small furor at Manville and could have had various serious labor relations and workmen's compensation consequences." J-M decided to exhaust existing carton supplies and incorporate label on the new carton supplies rather than create a sense of urgency.

Editor's note: The chronology's quotation differs from the memo. Smith wrote of "some lack of communication or understanding and the gummed label was devised," and of "very serious" rather than "various serious" consequences.