P. V. Dyhdal to H. M. Jackson on Jack Leahy's Illness at the Redwood City Plant (1951)

A short memorandum of June 30, 1951, from P. V. Dyhdal at Johns-Manville's Redwood City, California, plant to H. M. Jackson at headquarters, about employee J. F. (Jack) Leahy. Leahy was still working but seeing a doctor, Dr. East, daily for "shots" and had "severe coughing spells"; Dr. East felt "nothing can be done except to try to keep Jack comfortable." Leahy's wife, Dyhdal wrote, "wants to know the truth - can the Doctors help Jack or not?" He closed: "I will try to keep Jack on his feet as long as possible and say nothing, except to keep up his confidence."

What it shows

The memo shows company staff at the plant and at headquarters following a seriously ill worker's condition while the worker kept coming to work, and the plant official choosing to tell him nothing beyond encouragement. Dr. East asked for any suggestions Jackson or Dr. A. J. Lanza might have. Leahy's X-rays had been discussed at J-M as early as 1942.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

In a memorandum to H.M. Jackson dated 6/30/51, P.V. Dyhbal summarizes the current condition of Jack Leahy, a worker at the Redwood City plant, diagnosed with asbestosis. Dyhbal states: "I will try to keep Jack on his feet as long as possible and say nothing, except to keep up his confidence."

Editor's note: J-M's description spells the writer "Dyhbal" and says Leahy had been diagnosed with asbestosis. The memo is signed P. V. Dyhdal and does not name Leahy's illness.