Paul Cartier to Arthur J. Vorwald on the Petrographic Study of Eight Asbestos Dust Samples (1950)

A one-page copy of a letter of January 30, 1950, from Dr. Paul Cartier of Thetford Mines, Quebec, to Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald of the Saranac Laboratory, headed "Petrographic Observation, 8 Asbestos Samples," with a copy to Ivan Sabourin. Cartier questioned Saranac's report on dust samples from the mills: it seemed "very strange" that the share of chrysotile was about the same in every sample, since milling was meant to separate fiber from rock. Earlier surveys, he wrote, matched the clinic's findings that "our cases of asbestosis are all detected in the last operations when the percentage of fibers is high."

What it shows

Cartier added that the samples were "not at all representative of the dust inhaled by the workers": they had been taken about six inches from the worst points of dust release, without regard to the workers' breathing level, because he had been asked only to collect a handful of dust. The letter shows the Quebec mining doctors working with Saranac on the makeup of mill dust in early 1950.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dr. P. Cartier writes to Dr. A.J. Vorwald (1/30/50) regarding his interest in cooperating with Vorwald in a study of the correlation between asbestosis and cancer. Cartier discusses nine cases of lung tumors and promises to share information. States he and "Ken will propose that Vorwald be authorized to do some research in this area at the next meeting of the Asbestos Association." Copy of the letter is sent to K. Smith.

Editor's note: The letter of January 30, 1950, in this file is about Saranac's petrographic study of eight dust samples and does not mention cancer. The letter J-M describes, on nine lung tumors and research by Vorwald, is not in this file.

Related documents

• Arthur J. Vorwald to Kenneth W. Smith on Reviewing Asbestos X-Rays for Lung Cancer (1949)
• Arthur J. Vorwald and Kenneth W. Smith on Lung Cancer Among Canadian J-M Workers (1950)