Curtis W. Howard to George R. White Proposing the "Handling Kaylo Products" Pamphlet (1952)

A one-page Owens-Illinois Kaylo Division memo of December 9, 1952, from Curtis W. Howard to George R. White, with a four-page draft titled "Handling Kaylo Products" that Howard proposed to publish as a pamphlet. The draft describes the company's medical examinations and the Saranac Laboratory animal work, and lists as its conclusions "that there is no possibility of developing Silicosis" and "no danger of developing Asbestosis with normal handling of Kaylo products." It closes that experience and research "have proven that normal handling of Kaylo products is safe from a health standpoint."

What it shows

The draft does report that "continued exposure to concentrated Kaylo dust inhaled over a long period of time was capable of producing in animals increased tissue growth typical of Asbestosis," milder than pure asbestos dust. But it turns Saranac's findings into reassurance, where Saranac's own cover letter ten months earlier had said "every precaution should be taken to protect workers against inhaling the dust" (Motley document 185). Howard wrote that the draft was prepared with Dr. Shook and Bill Hazard and with sales staff.

In Johns-Manville's index

Johns-Manville's legal department indexed the Motley 1,000 in 1984. Its index describes this document as follows:

Curtis W. Howard (OIG, Kaylo Division) memo to George R. White, 12/9/52, indicating that in compliance with White's instructions, a study has been made of all available data on the health aspects of Kaylo dust specifically relating to lung injury. Howard attaches a document entitled "Handling Kaylo Products," which he wants to publish in pamphlet form. This document states that experience in factories, and field and research findings have proven that normal handling of Kaylo products is safe from a health standpoint. The usual precautionary measures taken for any product containing asbestos are needed in a continued exposure to heavily concentrated Kaylo dust.

Related documents

• Arthur J. Vorwald to W. G. Hazard Sending the Final Kaylo Report (1952)
• Saranac Laboratory, Final Report on the Capacity of Inhaled Kaylo Dust to Injure the Lung (1952)

About this copy

This is document 186 of the Motley 1,000, from the set the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust's records facility certified as true copies, pages CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-001211 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-001215.