C. L. Sheckler to Dr. Kenneth Smith on the First Transite Pipe X-Ray Conferences (1957)

A two-page confidential memo of September 6, 1957, from C. L. Sheckler at J-M's Manville, New Jersey, plant to Dr. Kenneth Smith at headquarters, after a meeting in T. R. Turnbull's office. Turnbull wanted a confidential letter to go with a request for money for more dust collecting equipment in the Transite pipe department. Sheckler reports that from May 6 to August 6, 1957, the chest X-rays of 109 Transite pipe workers were reviewed by the new "conference procedure," which found eight cases of "mixed pneumoconiosis of various stages" and two cases of non-occupational lung disease that were still "potentially compensable" under New Jersey's workers' compensation law.

What it shows

The memo lists the ages and years of service of the ten men (the eight with pneumoconiosis had worked 6 to 24 years), without names. The ten potential compensation cases were about 9 percent of the X-rays taken in the department. Some men had earlier dust exposure, in other J-M departments or in coal mines, but Sheckler writes that this had "no bearing on our responsibility relative to liability." This is the first count from the conference system Dr. Smith set up in May 1957 (the May 1 Manville meeting), and it was used to support spending on dust control.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Turnbull asks C.L. Sheckler for information to support an appropriation for additional dust collecting equipment at the Manville Plant Transite Pipe Department. Sheckler, in a memorandum dated 9/6/57, passes on the requested information to Dr. K. Smith. Sheckler states that between 5/6/57 (when the conferences began) and 8/6/57, x-rays of 109 employees from the Transite Pipe Division have been reviewed via the conference procedure. The conference procedure revealed eight cases of mixed pneumoconiosis of various stages (ages and length of service are indicated in Sheckler's memorandum) and two cases of non-occupational pulmonary disease but potentially compensable under N.J. workers' compensation. Sheckler states that he would be reluctant to estimate the over-all problem based on the information to date. The next conference is scheduled for 9/17/57.