Dr. Joseph L. Goodman to William S. Simpson on the Lyon Meeting on the Biological Effects of Asbestos (1972)

A letter of November 10, 1972, from Dr. Joseph L. Goodman of North Charleston, South Carolina, to William S. Simpson, president of Raybestos-Manhattan, reviewing the meeting on the biological effects of asbestos held in Lyon, France. Goodman wrote that "there is no doubt - no question - that the biological effects of asbestos leads to asbestosis and to carcinoma of the lung; both bronchogenic carcinoma and mesothelioma." He added, "I don't think personally that the public relations approach is now the answer to the specific problem of our industry," and urged spending more on dust controls and an educational program run by medically trained people for managers, foremen and employees.

What it shows

Goodman wrote that the problems "cannot be neutralized or washed away by any types of releases or types of public programs," that workers would have to be told their exposures under the OSHA rules, and that "A complete medical program for the entire corporation is a must." The letter shows R-M's president being told plainly, after the 1972 international meeting, that asbestos caused cancer and that public relations was no substitute for dust control and worker education.

In Johns-Manville's index

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

Dr. J.L. Goodman letter to W.S. Simpson, 11/10/72, regarding the meeting in Lyon, France on the subject of the biological effects of asbestos. Dr. Goodman believes that better public relations is not the answer to the specific problem of the asbestos industry, but more expenditure of money on environmental dust control. "The biological effects cannot be neutralized or washed away by any types of releases or types of public programs. Industry must recognize that governmental introduction into the field or into the workplace and the recognition of the hazards has been established." Industry must initiate immediately the development of an educational program principally organized by medically oriented people to properly inform management and employees of the uses and biological effects of asbestos and about environmental controls.

About this copy

This is document 673 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-002345 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002347.