R. C. Smith's Notes of Waukegan Management Meetings on Telling Pulmonary Cases, with the Control of Pulmonary Cases Procedure (1956)

A confidential two-page report by R. C. Smith on plant management meetings of February 21 and 23, 1956, on the industrial hygiene program at J-M's Waukegan, Illinois, plant, with the plant's "Control of Pulmonary Cases" procedure. Smith gave the managers the names of 198 people with lung disease, but there was "No agreement reached on what to do about these lists." On telling the men, "The doctor wants to notify all positive pneumoconiosis cases," but "will tell possible pneumoconiosis cases of their conditions, if they ask him"; a plan to inform five men a week had not been carried out "because the doctor's time has not been available." The procedure, approved by plant managers on May 31, 1956, routes each case by ticket through management and has the doctor tell definite pneumoconiosis cases.

What it shows

The managers also agreed that a man should be re-X-rayed before being told if his film was over 60 days old, and could not agree on what a "dust free" job was, so certifying pulmonary cases on jobs was held up. In the procedure's chart, only definite pneumoconiosis cases have a step to "Notify man"; the rows for possible pneumoconiosis, progressing or stable, have none. Handwritten notes say the procedure was "followed as of February 15, 1961," and a note signed J. W. Szczygielski on May 14, 1968, says it was still in effect. At the Manville plant the same month, 188 workers were on a "No Dust" list for X-ray changes (Dr. DuBow to Dr. Smith).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

J-M Waukegan adopts special procedures for "Control of Pneumoconiosis Cases;" doctor to tell "possible" cases only if they ask him; doctor was behind in advising definite cases and goal of 5 disclosures/week was suggested. (Per a later 1961 Memorandum nothing was to be done about possible cases (i.e., no job transfers).) R.C. Smith memorandum of Waukegan plant managers meetings 2/21 and 2/23/56 re Industrial Hygiene Program. 198 plantworkers on list of workers with pulmonary disease. "No agreement reached on what to do about these lists;" reflects uncertainty and lack of person power to evaluate which jobs involve health hazards and which are "safe" to permit transfers:

A. The doctor wants to notify all positive pneumoconiosis cases of their conditions.

B. The doctor will tell possible pneumoconiosis cases of their conditions, if they ask him.

D. Smith was assigned to work with Medical to schedule men who should be informed of their condition. The rate was proposed as five men per week. This program has not been executed because the doctor's time has not been available.

E. R. Smith was instructed to tell Dr. Culmer that if a man's X-ray is over 60 days old, he should be re-x-rayed before he is told of his condition. Dr. Culmer agreed to this. . . ."

No agreement was reached as to the meaning of a "dust free" job. "As a result, R. Smith is holding up certifying pulmonary cases on jobs. . . ."

Chart "Control of Pulmonary Cases" with R.C. Smith marginalia for pneumoconiosis says "tell doctor to notify man;" but for "possible pneumoconiosis (progressing) "and for possible pneumoconiosis (stable)" does not indicate disclosure. Memorandum only details handling of definite cases. Marginalia says policy still in effect as of 5/14/68 (J.W. Szcygielski).