Leroy U. Gardner to U. E. Bowes on Asbestos in the Synthetic Insulation (1943)

A one-page letter of March 12, 1943, from Dr. Leroy U. Gardner, director of the Saranac Laboratory, to U. E. Bowes, director of research at the Owens-Illinois Glass Company. Gardner was "disappointed to hear that what we thought to be synthetic asbestos proved to be chrysotile which had been added as a reenforcing agent." Starting with quartz and asbestos "would certainly suggest that you have all the ingredients for a first class hazard," though the particle size was still to be found. He offered preliminary tests for no more than $300, and a larger animal experiment at $5,000 for the first year.

What it shows

The letter shows that the asbestos in the material that became Kaylo was known to Owens-Illinois and to Saranac in 1943, before any animal tests, and that Saranac's first reaction was to call it a likely hazard. The animal studies Gardner proposed here led to the findings of 1948.

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. L.U. Gardner letter to U.E. Bowes, 3/12/43, thanking Bowes for further information on the composition of his synthetic insulating material. Dr. Gardner indicates that he is disappointed to hear that what he thought was synthetic asbestos proved to be chrysotile which had been added as a reinforcing agent. "The fact that you are starting with a mixture of quartz and asbestos would certainly suggest that you have all the ingredients for a first class hazard." But the asbestos may or may not be in such form as to be inhalable. Dr. Gardner asks if Bowes would like him to continue with his experiments.

Related documents

• Leroy U. Gardner to U. E. Bowes on First Tests of the Calcium Silicate Samples (1943)

About this copy

This is document 236 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-001385 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-001385.